Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum Amphitheatre
Purple Mountain, Nanjing, China
In earlier writings, I have discussed how the construction of public outdoor theatres flourished in the 1920s and 1930s as symbols of democratization, modernization, and nationalism. Much of this development can be attributed to the American landscape architect Frank Albert Waugh, who promoted the building of amphitheatres as investments in public health, democracy, and national celebration—drawing inspiration from the ancient Greek amphitheatres1. The amphitheatre at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum is a fine example of the global reach of this idea.
Let us look at the story in more detail. One day before the “Father of Modern China,” Sun Yat-sen, died of gallbladder cancer in 1925, he expressed his wish for his body to be preserved in a mausoleum, similar to Lenin’s. After his death, his body was embalmed and temporarily stored in the Temple of Azure Clouds in Beijing. A committee soon launched an international competition, inviting architects and designers from China and abroad to submit designs for a mausoleum to be built on Purple Mountain in Nanjing.
The design brief required that the project reflect both traditional Chinese architectural principles and modern sensibilities, symbolizing national pride, creativity, and progress. The winning design was submitted by Lu Yanzhi and later completed by Poy Gum Lee2 between 1926 and 1929. The result stands today as a monumental example of early twentieth-century Chinese architecture.
But what about the amphitheatre? The story continues. The completion of the mausoleum coincided with another major construction project in Nanjing, then the capital of China. In preparation for the National Athletic Games, President Chiang Kai-shek commissioned a large stadium in 1931, designed and built that same year by the young architect Yang Tingbao. The project demonstrated not only Yang’s ability to design efficiently but also his talent for merging Chinese philosophy and symbolism with modern materials and construction methods. Yang Tingbao (杨廷宝) would later become known as one of the “Four Modern Masters of Architecture” in China.
Upon completing the stadium, Yang proposed building an open-air theatre near the new mausoleum to host memorial ceremonies and artistic performances. Supported by the Chinese-American community of San Francisco, construction began in the autumn of 1932 and was completed in August 1933.
The open-air theatre covers an area of more than 4,200 square meters and showcases Yang’s skill in blending Western modernism with traditional Chinese elements. Its natural setting and semicircular form echo the architectural characteristics of ancient Greece, while its backdrop references the yǐngbì (影壁)—also known as zhàobì (照壁)—a traditional Chinese courtyard wall placed opposite an entrance to conceal the view beyond. These walls were often decorated with bas-reliefs, as is the case here.
The north-facing concrete backdrop wall is approximately 17 meters wide and 11 meters high, with a gentle curve. It is clad in Zhanjia cement stone, and its upper and side sections are adorned with bas-reliefs and three sculpted dragon heads. The wall functions not only as a visual background but also as an acoustic reflector, enhancing the theatre’s excellent sound quality.
The reinforced concrete stage measures roughly 22 meters in length and 13.3 meters in width, raised about 3 meters above ground level. The elevation difference between the stage and the ground is filled with a series of planted terraces. On either side of the stage stand platforms supporting reinforced concrete pergolas covered with wisteria.
In front of the stage lies a small crescent-shaped pool with a radius of 13 meters, designed to collect rainwater and to operate as a fountain with cascading water features. Beneath the stage are technical rooms and dressing facilities.
The grassy, tiered seating area follows the natural slope of the terrain and is shaped like a fan. The semicircular layout, with a radius of 57 meters, is divided into twelve sections accessed by five staircases and can accommodate about 3,000 spectators.
1 Waugh’s book Outdoor Theaters: The Design, Construction and Use of Open-air Auditoriums. (1917) is made publicly available at archive.org.
2 Poy Gum Lee was an American-Chinese Architect known for his “Chinese Deco” style and to have contributed to the spreading of western construction methods n China.