Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state attended a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes at Tiananmen Square in central Beijing on Tuesday morning.
The event was held to mark China’s 12th Martyrs’ Day, a day ahead of its National Day.
The other leaders included Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng. They were joined by representatives from all walks of life at the ceremony.
At 10 a.m., all participants sang the national anthem, and then paid a silent tribute to the martyrs who had sacrificed their lives to the liberation of the Chinese people and the development of the People’s Republic of China.
Nine huge flower baskets were placed in front of the Monument to the People’s Heroes. Xi and other leaders walked up to the foot of the monument, where he straightened the ribbons on the baskets before leading other senior officials in a walk around the monument to pay their tributes.
The ceremony was presided over by Yin Li, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC.
It’s estimated that China has about 20 million martyrs. Among them, many were soldiers, revolutionaries and early communist leaders. But many ordinary Chinese people also sacrificed their lives for the common good.
Martyrs’ Day was established in 2014, with September 30 chosen to coincide with the day in 1949 when the foundation of the Monument to the People’s Heroes was laid.
Since its establishment, commemorations have been held nationwide. Local governments and social organizations organize public tribute ceremonies at memorial sites, while officials, students, soldiers, and citizens present flowers at martyrs’ cemeteries. Authorities also arrange visits to the families of martyrs to provide support, and online memorial platforms encourage people especially younger generations to learn about heroic deeds.