An aerial view of the renovated Great Yu Mausoleum in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, taken on April 9 [Photo/shaoxing.com]

Renovations on the Great Yu Mausoleum scenic area in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province recently finished after more than 220 days starting August 29 last year. The renovations are intended to ensure that the annual public sacrificial ceremony for Great Yu will be held as scheduled on April 19.

Great Yu was an ancient Chinese hero known for taming the floods. He was also the founder of the Xia Dynasty (c.21st century-16th century BC).

Located in Yuecheng district, about 3 kilometers from the city center, the Great Yu Mausoleum was selected as an important heritage site under State protection in 1996 and was placed on the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.

The first public sacrificial ceremony for Great Yu was held on April 20, 1995, co-held by the provincial government of Zhejiang and the municipal government of Shaoxing.

The ceremony was upgraded to national level in 2007.

The ceremony square has been extended from 3,500 square meters to around 18,000 sq m, and can hold 10,000 visitors, while previously the capacity was only 1,500 visitors. A new hall covering 3,275 sq m has been built for visitors to rest and for media workers and art performers to work. A wall of relief sculptures, 92 meters long and 6 meters high, has been built to the east of the new hall, which shows the achievements of Great Yu. 

An aerial view of the renovated Great Yu Mausoleum in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, taken on April 9 [Photo/shaoxing.com]

An aerial view of the renovated Great Yu Mausoleum in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, taken on April 9 [Photo/shaoxing.com]