Chapter 34 national flag sentiment

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, it brought back my deeply affectionate memories of accompanying the Tiananmen flag for nearly 8 springs and autumns.Today, some past events of the national flag are picked for readers. On October 1, 60 years ago, Chairman Mao Zedong personally raised the first five-star red flag on Tiananmen Square on the Tiananmen Gate Tower.For more than half a century, this national flag, which marks the birth and growth of the People's Republic of China, has been flying high in the sky in front of Tiananmen Square for 60 spring and autumn. Over the past 60 years, the sacred national flag has roughly undergone three major changes during the daily hoisting, lowering, and guarding.One is that from the founding of New China to the 1960s, an employee of the Beijing Municipal Power Supply Bureau went to the Tiananmen Management Office to lead the national flag to be responsible for raising and lowering the national flag; The "national flag squad" of the guard company in front of Tiananmen Square in our battalion is responsible for raising and lowering and guarding; at the beginning of 1983, our battalion handed over the task of guarding the national flag to the national flag squad of Beijing Garrison, which has been changed to the armed police. The team is responsible for lifting and guarding.In the three changes, from one employee at the beginning to two guards in the garrison area, and then to today's National Flag Guard of the Beijing Armed Police Corps, the 36 guards and 60 members of the military band (for major festivals) have been upgraded step by step. The country pays more and more attention to "the first flag of the motherland", and it reflects the increasing improvement of my country's comprehensive national strength.

From 1971 to 1978, I was on duty in Tiananmen Square.At that time, the daily raising, lowering, and guarding of the Tiananmen flag were all in charge of the flag guard squad of our Ministry. Over the past eight years, I have not only looked at the national flag from the sentry post every day, but also returned to my place of residence—the Chinese Revolutionary History Museum and the Little Red Building (located at the southeast corner of Tiananmen Square, demolished during the construction of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall), whenever I raised my eyes I could see the national flag.The national flag fluttering in front of my eyes every day left an indelible impression on me, and her bright red figure still flashes in my mind from time to time.

The national flag is 5 meters long and 3.3 meters wide, which is as big as a house. It can be called the largest flag in the world.At that time, the requirements for the national flag hung in Tiananmen Square were very strict. The flag made of red silk had one large, four small, and five yellow stars on both sides. The flag must be kept bright and clean, without any damage or stain.Therefore, the soldiers responsible for hoisting the national flag have to check the national flag carefully twice a day before setting off the flag and after returning to the residence in Zhongshan Park after lowering the flag.If there is no problem, fold it up, smooth it out, and place it neatly.If a problem is found, it should be replaced in time at the Tiananmen Management Office.At that time, the national flag was changed frequently, and one side had to be changed every day in windy and rainy days.Every major festival, must be replaced with a new national flag.The retired national flags that were replaced were returned to the Tiananmen Square Management Office for safekeeping.However, the national flags with special historical significance (such as the national flag hung on the National Day on October 1st every year) and those that have participated in major events are specially preserved as historical relics for future generations to appreciate and admire.

The flag-raising ceremony at that time was relatively simple. Every day, two soldiers carried the national flag, walked out of Zhongshan Park, and walked across Chang'an Street in unison.Because there is no traffic control when crossing Chang'an Avenue, sometimes you have to avoid passing pedestrians and vehicles.But in most cases, vehicles and pedestrians still consciously stop to make way for the soldiers carrying the flag.The flagpole of the national flag at that time was 22 meters high. It was still the same flagpole that Chairman Mao used to raise the flag at the founding ceremony. The base of the flagpole was surrounded by white marble railings less than one meter high.When the national flag is carried under the flagpole, one soldier holds the national flag, and one soldier hangs the national flag. When the soldier holding the national flag presses the button and the national flag starts to rise slowly, the soldier holding the national flag sees that the national flag has risen to the desired position, and then uses Skillful movements quickly threw the national flag into the air, and then the two soldiers stood at their respective positions on both sides of the flagpole, solemnly gave the standard military salute, and watched the national flag rise until it reached the top of the pole to complete the salute.When the flag is lowered, the tacit cooperation of two soldiers is also required. When the national flag is lowered to the base of the flagpole, one soldier quickly supports the national flag, absolutely guaranteeing that the national flag will not touch the ground, and the other soldier uses long-term practiced skillful movements to lift the flag surface. Fold them evenly until they are packed and returned safely to your place of residence.

In order to make the national flag, which symbolizes the motherland and the sun and the moon, rise and set at the same time as the sun every day, the soldiers of the "national flag class" recorded the different times of the rising and setting of the sun in Beijing throughout the year to ensure that the upper edge of the sun is above the horizon. The flag began to be hoisted at 10:00 pm, and the flag just rose to the top of the flagpole when the lower edge of the sun just jumped out of the horizon.The lowering of the flag also begins when the sun coincides with the horizon, and when the sun just sinks the horizon flag falls to the base of the flagpole.But at that time, because the flag bearers did not implement traffic control when crossing Chang'an Avenue, sometimes they would be delayed for a little time when encountering evasive vehicles or pedestrians.

The requirements for the national flag whistle are very strict, and each shift is two hours.Sentinels must always maintain a straight and steady military posture of "standing like a pine", without squinting, just like a sculpture.In order to stand out with a sense of majesty and upright dignity, the sentries of the "national flag class" suffered a lot and sweated a lot when they were training the sentry posture below.Day after day, year after year, the national flag guards defend the sanctity and majesty of "the first flag of the motherland" with extraordinary youthful sweat and loyal blood.In midsummer, when the sun is high in the sky, the surface temperature under the unshaded flagpole can reach 30 to 40 degrees.The soldiers carried pistols, belts were tied tightly around their waists, and they wore high-waisted black leather shoes specially made in Shanghai.There is no sun protection facility on the head, so I have to stand hard in the sun.The heat wave that seemed to be baking like steaming soon made layers of sweat alkali on the general's uniform.If there is no long-term training and sentry experience, you will faint on the sentry post less than half a shift.It was a cold day and the north wind was bitter, and the temperature in Beijing was around minus 15 degrees. The wind blew almost every day, and the sentinels who guarded the posts felt like needles on their faces, and they were in unbearable pain.When encountering a heavy snow day, the snowflakes blowing one after another make the eyes that cannot be blinked casually hurt and hurt.The lofty ideals and people's admiration for the national flag make them integrate with the motherland and the national flag, becoming the first selfless group of the Republic regardless of fame and fortune.

The saddest thing about standing under the first flag is flying the flag at half mast.In the event of the death of a party or state leader or other major domestic or international disasters, the state will notify the lowering of the flag at half-staff.At this time, the sentinel made the already serious facial expression more dignified with the lowered half-mast, and sometimes shed sad tears involuntarily. In the 1970s, most of the founding fathers entered their octogenarian years. In the first half of 1972, Marshal Chen Yi, Vice Premier of the State Council, and Li Dequan, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference passed away successively. The flag was lowered at half-mast in front of Tiananmen Square, which increased our concerns about the health of the revolutionary heroes. On September 1, I found out at the post that the flag had been lowered to half-mast again, and my heart was shocked.After the sentry sent off, I hurried to the national flag to ask my comrades in arms, only to find out that He Xiangning, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, had passed away. 1976 was a year of catastrophe and disaster for our country. Premier Zhou Enlai, Chairman Zhu De and Chairman Mao Zedong passed away successively.The sentinels standing at half-mast could not help but silently shed tears of grief.Especially after the death of Chairman Mao, the national flag sentry who silently shed tears with deep affection for Chairman Mao became a unique tidbit in the reports of many news media such as CCTV and Beijing TV.On the day of Chairman Mao's death, all our troops came to Jinshui Bridge except the soldiers on duty.Everyone looked up at the fatherly portrait of Chairman Mao on the Tiananmen Gate Tower, and under the leadership of Zhang Kuan, an old guard who has followed Chairman Mao for more than 30 years and the deputy head of the regiment, swallowed tears and solemnly swore: We are the guards guarding your old man day and night Soldiers, swear to the death to defend the first five-star red flag you raised with your own hands, and let her fly forever in Tiananmen Square, which we guard.

Some of these national flag stories are more than 30 years old, and some are nearly 40 years old, but whenever I recall them, they are as vivid as yesterday.Especially looking back on these past events before the National Day, it is even more exciting and passionate.The bright red national flag will always fly in Tiananmen Square.