In the center of Lijiang's Gucheng District, Red Sun Square serves as a physical bridge connecting the historic Ancient Town and Black Dragon Pool Park. At its eastern edge, a massive monument of Mao Zedong stands facing west, catching the afternoon light. Completed on October 1, 1969, to mark the twentieth anniversary of the People's Republic of China, this 4,500-square-meter space remains a rare survivor of its era.

The monument stands exactly 14.209 meters tall, a height achieved through a series of precise, symbolic measurements. The lower platform rises 1.949 meters, grounding the structure in the year of the nation's founding. Atop the pedestal, the 7.1-meter standing figure represents the July 1 founding of the Communist Party. Together, the statue and its base measure 12.26 meters, a direct reference to Mao's December 26 birthday.

The physical details invite close observation. Carved in heavy stone, the figure wears a military uniform, capturing the moment Mao reviewed the Red Guards from Tiananmen Gate. Visitors can touch the cool white marble reliefs on the base, which depict the revolutionary path through Shaoshan, the Jinggang Mountains, Zunyi, Yan'an, and Tiananmen. Behind the statue, a three-tiered wall mimics the traditional "water-dropping" architectural style of the region. This stone backdrop, crowned with twenty red flags, bears the sharp, sweeping brushstrokes of Mao's handwritten poem, Man Jiang Hong, etched deep into the surface.

Today, the square is a National Patriotism Education Demonstration Base. It is also a place of quiet leisure. Tourists pose for photographs under the statue's gaze, while local residents gather in the open space, their voices blending with the rustle of nearby trees.