I hadn’t planned on visiting the flag raising or lowering ceremony held daily in Tiananmen Square. I don’t like hanging around waiting for things to happen and as such don’t do it unless I think it’s going to be worth it.
We had spent a very long and tiring day sightseeing and, as chance would have it, were passing through Tiananmen Square en route to our hotel as sunset approached. As a bit of a crowd was gathering we decided to hang around for the daily flag lowering ceremony, not knowing how long we would have to wait. I didn’t realise until I was later writing this review that the actual flag raising and lowering time is published in advance.
When the action eventually began we were a couple of rows back in a fairly large crowd which had gathered around three sides of the flag pole. Being taller than the average Chinese person (of which the largest part of the crowd was composed), I still had a good view of proceedings. Note that the ceremony attracts very large crowds on days like New Year’s Day (1 Jan) and National Day (1 Oct).
At the appointed hour, a group of around fifty soldiers marched into the square from their barracks behind Tiananmen (the gate), lowered the flag and marched back from whence they came with the flag. The crowd melted into the square and that was it.
What I did find interesting to learn was that the sun takes two minutes and seven seconds to fully rise above the horizon (same to set). As a result, the national flag rises from the ground to the top of the flagpole in exactly two minutes and seven seconds and is lowered in the same time.
The ceremony is worth a look if you are in the area but otherwise no big deal if you miss it.
Flag raising and lowering times can be ascertained from this site, among other places – http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/tiananmen/flag-raising.htm. Just bear in mind, if you want to see the flag raising ceremony, that for much of the year it starts prior to the subway opening and to when most buses start operating so you will probably need to take a taxi or night bus 205 or 210 to get to the Square.
This blog entry is one of a group (loop) of entries based on a number of trips to Beijing. I suggest you continue with my next entry – Tiananmen Square LED Screen – or to start the loop at the beginning go to my Beijing Introduction.
The Rambling Wombat 