Hopefully these pictures can let you experience China’s national day parade as it was enjoyed by hundreds of millions on the morning of October 1st (only the very loyal, and high ranking cadres and military folk actually made it to the bandstand that morning). The painting of Mao looking over the square has been replaced with a smiling, benevolent and satisfied looking comrade, “Old Hu” inspected the troops poking out of the sunroof in the same Hongqi from 1949, and after a very proud and spine-tingling display of “model” soldiers and firepower, the parade began. Perhaps the most elaborate display of socialist pagentry possible today, the parade cost billions of RMB, and (of course) made the DPRK’s birthday celebration look like a mere joke.

Below are some shots of thrilled, smiling crowds and saluting policemen and soldiers. Judging from the blue skies, and the nicely balanced crowds of citizens, we’re pretty sure these were “filler shots” filmed at the rehearsal that happened the previous week.

Aerial shots provided uplifting views of the poignant messages that were delivered via cards flipped by the masses seated in the square they read as following:

“loyalty to the party”/ “socialism is good” / “protect world peace”

The final image is an amazing recreation of the Fu Baoshi painting that hung in the Great Hall of the People. It was commissioned for the hall in 1959 and for decades it provided a most dramatic background for diplomatic missions.

Passing by the square always makes for iconic shots, here we see long-range missiles, harmonious cities, and a surging red flag on a sea of red.

The following shot was probably not among the many digitally reconstructed images of planes flying overhead, and the following two shots were definitely candid.

Among the more than thirty high-tech floats, the following are definitely choice representatives, and my favorites:

“democratic politics” float / “constitutional law” float / “public hygiene” float / “my Chinese heart” float (indicating overseas Chinese).

And of course there were minorities––fifty-six of them, creating a colorful Chinese diaspora. They are happy. Always.

No celebration is complete without this lady, or some version of her soprano singing in puffy sleeves and some construction built of false hair. Here, she is dressed in lanterns, and is a prelude to the finale…

The finale was the “tomorrow will be better” float.

Of course it is the children. Leaving environmental concern behind in celebratory fervor, the precious jewels of the nation released their balloons into the sky, and then rushed the gates, screaming and waving glittery hoops.

Watching China’s National Day celebration from lee ambrozy on Vimeo.

China’s national day parade as filmed from some Beijing friends’

television, maddening pagentry with running commentary...

 

Watching the parade––part 2 from lee ambrozy on Vimeo.

The second part of the beginning of the floats, picking up with the third

chairman of the party, a huge oil painting of Old Jiang, supported by a sea of supporters.

Personally, on grand scale level, the parade and celebrations are deemed exciting, extraordinary, and lavishly beautiful, yet sickening.
I was raised in China until I came to the US when I was 10. I was once a proud young pioneer who would die for my red scarf tied around my neck to remember the blood shed of soldiers who fought for our freedom. But seriously, these celebrations seem like pure propaganda. I’m especially not fond of the rehearsal picture and the use of artificial method to brighten the sky. These perfectionist ideals are terrifying. The grand military displays we’ve seen here on TV are memorizing. But the party celebration seemed robotic and fake. The dancing kids with all that make ups make me think how come China has not changed a bit for 60 years. Sorry for being a hater and perhaps I’m not looking at bigger picture. But to my eyes these are mere government propagandas, it’s too well planned, controlled, and I could neglect them easily.

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