The Hall is also used for many special events, including national level meetings of various social and political organizations, large anniversary celebrations, as well as the memorial services for former leaders.

[1][2] After the first Five-year plans of China was completed ahead of schedule in 1956, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party began to consider building a larger auditorium in Beijing.

At the Beidaihe meeting in late August 1958, the CCP Central Committee decided to build a number of major architectural projects in Beijing including the Great Hall of Ten Thousand People, and requested that it be put into use in October 1959 before the tenth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

In early September 1958, the Beijing Municipal Planning Bureau determined that the Great Hall of Ten Thousand People and the Museum of Revolutionary History would be located on both sides of Tiananmen Square.

[6][7] In the early morning of September 9, 1959, Mao Zedong, Chairman of the CCP Central Committee, visited the construction site.

[8] During the visit, Wan Li, the vice mayor of Beijing, suggested that the Great Hall of the People had not yet been officially named.

[10] In that night, the Great Hall was fully completed and put into use, and Mei Lanfang performed the Drunken Beauty (贵妃醉酒) in the 10,000-strong auditorium to show his condolences to the construction troops.

[24] The Great Auditorium, with volume of 90,000 cubic meters (3,200,000 cu ft), seats 3,693 in the lower floor, 3,515 in the balcony, 2,518 in the gallery and 300 to 500 on the dais.

The State Banquet Hall with an area of 7,000 square meters (75,000 sq ft) can entertain 7,000 guests, and up to 5,000 people can dine at one time (as was done on the occasion of Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China).

[28] The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) also holds its National Congress every five years in the Great Hall of the People.

After the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution, the Great Hall of the People was closed and used only for large-scale meetings and the offices of central leaders, receiving activities.

[29] At the evening of January 27, 1979, Deng Yingchao, on behalf of the CCP Central Committee, announced that "the Great Hall of the People will be open to the masses.

[31] The Great Hall has been used for meetings with foreign dignitaries on state or working visits, as well as large anniversary celebrations attended by top leaders.