Mao mausoleum reopens in China, attracts tourists and souvenir stalls

The reopening in Beijing of the mausoleum of Mao Tse-tung, the founder of Communist China, has prompted long queues of tourists.

Reports say that two hours after the reopening, an electronic screen announced that seven thousand visitors had already paid homage to Mao.

The mausoleum in Tiananmen Square had been closed for nine months for repairs.

Correspondents say that in the spirit of China's new commercialism, dozens of stalls at the exit offered tourists an endless variety of Mao souvenirs -- from lapel pins to packets of Chairman Mao Memorial Hall cigarettes.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service