Beijing China: TIAN'ANMEN SQUARE

Day 1 in Beijing: TIAN'ANMEN SQUARE
(Destination 5 of 6)

is the largest city square in the world. 
 

This is where significant (and at times, infamous) events in Chinese history unfold, including that of the proclamation of the People's Republic of China by Mao Zedong on October 1, 1949. 


The square is right outside the Tian'anmen Gate of the Forbidden City.

(Photo: Left shows tourists still inside Forbidden City leaving through the Tian'anmen Gate.  Right shows outside the Gate, where the square begins; from Tian'anmen Sq, that is the entrance to Forbidden City.  The gate has the picture of Mao Zedong and an honor guard stands before it.)

We witnessed the flag lowering at the Square at sundown of Sept. 19; it was past 6pm.  The daily flag raising and flag lowering is an event to see in Beijing. Many tourists and Chinese nationals come to see this.  

This nationalistic scene is quite unusual for a Pinoy; except for those working in government offices (who attend flag raising and lowering activities once a week), an ordinary Pinoy does not have an opportunity to witness the flag being raised and lowered daily. The Chinese do this daily, complete with snappy and very young (as young as 18years old) soldiers as honor guards.  The honor guards, in a formation, march from the Forbidden City, cross the street, and enter the Tian'anmen Square towards the flagpole.  The folding of the flag is even more interesting, kind of like watching Jet Li with his kung-fu moves in the movie Forbidden Kingdom.  

I was just a bit uncomfortable especially during the long waiting time for sundown (because the flag has to be lowered at sundown!), because my thoughts turned to the massacre of protesters that happened in the Square in 1989.

At the other side of the square, from the Forbidden City gate, is the Monument of People's Heroes and the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao Zedong.

Night view of Tian'anmen Square showing the Tian'anmen gate and the Monument for People's Heroes; railway station

Our final stop for the day was the Kung Fu Show.