A great shanzhai Mao-soleum for the Great Helmsman?

Did somebody just unwittingly reveal where the "inspiration" from Chairman's Mao mausoleum came from? Paul French of China Rhyming thinks so:

A small article popped up in the China Daily recently about Xu Yinpei the architect behind Mao's Mausoleum in Tiananmen Square. Of course as any fool can see they basically copied the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC; Xu says not of course but anyone with eyes!! – apparently the State Council told Xu "the memorial should be solemn, aesthetically pleasing and blend in traditional Chinese elements but shouldn't look like imperial emperors' tombs,". In perhaps the funniest quote of the year so far Xu, who did visit Washington and saw the Lincoln Memorial says, "When I saw the building (the Lincoln Memorial), I said to myself: 'What a coincidence!'". Yea sure Architect Xu – we believe you. Also, rather amazingly, Xu claims that "More than 700,000 laborers" worked on the Mausoleum, which even for The Great Helmsman's final resting place seems a rather excessive amount of construction guys!!

Does anyone know if the similarities between the two buildings have been discussed elsewhere?

The Mao Zedong Memorial Hall side by side with the Lincoln Memorial. Can you tell which is which?

Marvel for a moment how strikingly different those chairs are. We say there's no chance this was a shanzhai Mao-soleum. What say you?

Shanghaiist

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