Hostess Peng Xuequn prepares tea for customers at her Shaoshan Ren Jia, or literally Shaoshan-Household Restaurant, in Shaoshan, central China's Hunan Province, May 24, 2011. Located in Shaoshan, the hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong, Shaoshan-household Restaurant's specialty is the late Chairman's favorite dish -- braised pork. The restaurant often buzzes with chat and the clink of glasses as more and more tourists swarm into the city to visit scenic and historic spots. The proprietress, 39-year-old Peng Xuequn, is a local farmer. Her restaurant has brought her fame and fortune, with a net profit of some 500,000 RMB yuan (approximately 77,000 US dollars) per year. As a revolutionary site as well as Chairman Mao Zedong's hometown, Shaoshan has caught a fever of red tourism. In 2011, the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the business here is especially good. The number of tourists visiting Shaoshan increased by 30 percent from the same period of last year. During Labor Day holidays this year, the number of tourists reached 150,000, hitting an all-time high compared with the same day in history. This former political sanctum is now an economic dynamo. Mao Zedong, commonly referred to as Chairman Mao, (Dec. 26, 1893 - Sept. 9, 1976), was the leader of the Chinese Revolution. He was the architect and founding father of the People's Republic of China. [Xinhua/Long Hongtao] |