Chinese celebrate 59th anniversary of founding of PR China

Source: Xinhua | 10-01-2008 11:48

by Xinhua writer Hu Lujie

BEIJING, Oct.1 (Xinhua) --The 59th anniversary of founding of the People's Republic of China, which fell on Wednesday, was celebrated by people from different walks of life across the country.

This is the flag-hoisting ceremony at Tian'anmen Square.  The 59th anniversary of founding of the People's Republic  of China, which fell on Wednesday, was celebrated by people  from different walks of life across the country. At  Tian'anmen Square, the heart of the national capital of  Beijing, some 190,000 people from different part of the  country gathered early on Wednesday to attend a special  flag-hoisting ceremony marking the occasion.(Xinhua Photo)

At Tian'anmen Square, the heart of the national capital, a record high of 190,000 people from different part of the country gathered early Wednesday to observe a special National Flag-hoisting ceremony.

Most of the visitors who swarmed to the square beginning midnight and stayed overnight were college freshmen. They just wanted to watch the ceremony as near as they could be.

They sat on the square in groups, playing poker or electronic games while waiting for the red flag with five stars to rise at 6:10 a.m..

The flag rose to the tune of the national anthem. When it reached the top of the mast under the hot gaze of the visitors, 10,000 pigeons signaling good wishes were released into the air from both sides of the Golden Bridge right before the Tian'anmen Gate.

"Happy birthday to China," yelled students from Beijing Science, Technology and Management College, a vocational school. One said, "seeing the red flag rise with the tune of the heart-stirring national anthem, we felt happy, excited and proud."

"Tears started to trickle down my face when I heard the national anthem," said Wang Hai, a migrant worker from the earthquake-hit Sichuan Province.

"When my home town was struck by a powerful quake in May, people from other parts of the country stood by us and aids poured in," said Wang, who now works in Beijing. "I am proud of China."

Chang Aoxue, a rural woman from north China's Shanxi Province, also joined the flag-raising crowd with her two-year-old baby daughter.

"I came here together with my girl to show my gratitude to the Party for encouraging the implementation of a policy saying getting rich is glorious, and good wishes to the motherland," said Chang,"