MAO'S CHINA.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Renmin dahui tang ("The Great Hall of the People"). First edition, first printing, of this grand portfolio. Occupying 170,000 square metres on the western flank of Tiananmen Square, the Great Hall of the People was one of ten architectural projects completed in 1959 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.The design combines classical and neoclassical styles with Chinese aesthetics. For example, the total number of columns in the main gate colonnade equals the number found inside the most important hall in the Forbidden City, and these columns are spaced at receding widths away from the central point - a long-held Chinese architectural practice.The decision to build the hall was enacted by the Politburo in 1958, and a force of 30,000 builders and technicians finished the project in just ten months. For the last six decades, the Great Hall's main ceremonial space, capable of holding 10,000 people, has served as the venue for Chinese Communist Party meetings and lavish state events. Its corridors and many smaller rooms have also played host to political intrigues, contentious meetings, and important diplomatic dialogues. In 2003, Riverdance became the first Western show to perform on the hall's main stage, selling out 11 performances.Copies were also issued in a dark red vinyl box, with no priority established.

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.