National Day

October 1st in each year is the National Day of China. The Chinese people have achieved a great victory for the people's revolution under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. On October 1st, 1949, the founding ceremony was held at Tiananmen Square in the capital Beijing. In the rumbling sound of the gun salute, Chairman Mao Zedong solemnly proclaimed to the world: "The People's Republic of China, the Central People's Government have set up!" And then he raised the first five-star red flag personally. 300,000 soldiers and civilians gathered at Tiananmen Square and formed a grand military parade and celebration parade. The establishment of New China had realized independence and liberation of the Chinese nation, and created a new era of Chinese history.


December 3rd, 1949, the fourth meeting of the Committee of the Central People's Government accepted the recommendations of the CPPCC National Committee and adopted the "Resolution on the National Day of The People's Republic of China" and decided that October 1st in each year is a great day for proclaiming of the People's Republic of China, for the day is put as the National Day of the People's Republic of China. National Day is a feature of modern nation-state and it is accompanied by the emergence of modern nation-states, and it becomes particularly important. It has become a symbol of independent states, reflecting the country's state system and system of government. Once National Day, the special way of commemorating, has becoming a new and universal form of the festival, it would bear the function
of reflecting cohesion of the country. At the same time, celebrations with great scale on the National Day would be also reflecting of mobilization and   rallying point of the government. The three basic features of National Day celebrations are showing force and enhancing national confidence, reflecting the cohesion, and expounding rallying point.
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China on October 1st, 1949, the ways of celebration had been changed for several times.


In the early days of founding (1950 ─ 1959), large scale celebrations and troop review ceremony will be held on the National Day each year. In September 1960, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council decided to reform the National system under the principle of diligence and thrift. Thereafter, from 1960 to 1970, grand rallies and mass demonstrations were held in Tiananmen Square on the National Day of every year but without the troop review ceremony.
Since the founding of New China, there are 14 troop review ceremony that had been held for National Day celebration. Among them 11 were held from 1949 to 1959, and the one held for 35th anniversary of founding of the People's Republic of China in 1984, the one for 50th anniversary in 1999, the one for 60th anniversary in 2009 respectively. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of founding of the People's Republic of China, October 1st, 2009, the State Council held a grand military parade and the mass demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. After the finish of the demonstration, people often gather in parks or public places enjoying song and drink in celebration of festivals.