On August 31, 2014, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress decided to set September 30 as the Martyrs' Memorial Day.

Since 2014, on September 30 every year, party and state leaders, together with representatives from all walks of life, have presented flower baskets to the people's heroes in Tiananmen Square.

　　How did the Monument to the People's Heroes come about?

What does it mean to the Chinese?

On the occasion of the Martyrs' Memorial Day, the reporter visited the descendants of the builders of the Monument to the People's Heroes and the exhibition curators of the Monument to the People's Heroes, and listened to their stories about the Monument to the People's Heroes.

"A Unique People's Monument"

　　On September 30, 1949, the day before the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference passed the resolution to build the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square.

In the evening of the same day, Mao Zedong and all the members of the CPPCC participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the monument.

　　In the Xiangshan Revolutionary Memorial Hall, a black-and-white photo recorded the vivid moment of the groundbreaking ceremony in the special exhibition "Hundreds of Rivers Returning to the Sea and the People First - The Practice of Negotiation and State-building under the leadership of the Communist Party of China during the Xiangshan Period".

　　Chen Guangming, an 83-year-old Beijing citizen, recalled that on the morning of September 23, 1949, the staff of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference suddenly came to the door and invited his father Chen Zhijing to make a foundation stone.

Father knew that the task was important, and promised to "complete it with all his strength" on the spot.

"In order to lay the foundation stone, our whole family went into battle to polish and clean the stones. The uncle and father even turned on the lights and stayed up all night to make them. Normally, the construction period takes 20 days, and we completed the task in 6 days."

　　From the leaders of the party and the state to the top architects, artists, literature and history experts, folk artists, and construction workers in China at that time, they expressed their opinions widely, and repeatedly deliberated and revised the construction plan.

　　In the archives of the Beijing Archives, there are also 7 sketches of the top of the monument designed in that year.

　　"The finalized plan is rooted in national traditions, and at the same time incorporates excellent Western artistic elements, fully demonstrating the Chinese style and national spirit." said Wu Hongliang, president of the Beijing Academy of Painting, who has been studying the design and construction of the Monument to the People's Heroes for a long time.

　　Construction began on August 1, 1952, and was completed on April 22, 1958.

"Taste carefully, the mighty mountains and rivers of the era are all condensed in the epic buildings, and the weather is so great that I am still excited to think about it today." Academician Wu Liangyong, a famous architect who participated in the design of the monument, once commented.

　　Tobacco sales in Humen, Jintian Uprising, Wuchang Uprising, May 4th Patriotic Movement, May 30th Movement, Nanchang Uprising, Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Wars behind the Enemy, Millions of Heroes Crossing the River... On the monument, one after another, the reliefs condense the earth-shattering scenes over the past 100 years. History of the Chinese Revolution.

　　In 2017, the National Art Museum of China used 3D scanning technology to comprehensively record the data of the relief sculpture of the Monument to the People's Heroes, and restored it to the exhibition hall with high precision and in all directions.

　　"On every relief of the Monument to the People's Heroes, you can feel that this is a classic expression of Chinese national art." Wu Weishan, a well-known sculptor and director of the National Art Museum of China, said that this is a great work in the history of world sculpture, "It is a A unique monument to the people."

"Looking at history as a mirror, observing the past and knowing the future"

　　On July 1, 2021, at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the national flag guards set off from the Monument to the People's Heroes and slowly walked towards the flag pole.

Behind them is a huge relief on the Monument to the People's Heroes of a million soldiers crossing the river. The people's "small wooden boat" marked the great victory of the battle of crossing the river.

　　Wu Weishan said that in the glorious history of the Communist Party's hundred-year struggle, the endless power drawn from the revolutionary history has manifested an eternal spirit and illuminated the path of the future.

　　Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has told many touching stories of heroes, expressed his admiration for heroes, and called on the whole party and the whole country to respect, defend, learn and care for heroes.

　　On April 27, 2018, the Second Session of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress passed the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Heroes and Martyrs.

It stipulates: "The Monument to the People's Heroes standing in Tiananmen Square, the capital of Beijing, is a symbol of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation's spirit of striving for national independence and liberation, people's freedom and happiness, and national prosperity and strength since modern times. Sex Memorial Facility."

　　"The foundation stone laying ceremony for the Monument to the People's Heroes was held the day before the founding ceremony, and the day before the National Day was set up as the Martyrs' Memorial Day and a flower basket was presented to the Monument to the People's Heroes. This is not a coincidence of time, but a historical necessity." The Central Party School of the Communist Party of China (National Administration Dong Zhenhua, deputy director of the Philosophy Teaching and Research Department of the College) said.

　　"Without the bloody battles of the revolutionary martyrs, there would be no good life today; without the heroic Chinese people, there would be no great motherland that is prosperous and strong." Dong Zhenhua said, respecting heroes means respecting history and the people, and only in this way can the Chinese nation survive. Breathing, endless.

　　The Monument to the People's Heroes stands in the center of Tiananmen Square, on the central axis of Beijing.

"This marks that China, which has been centered on imperial power for thousands of years, has become a socialist country centered on the people. The people are the creators of history and real heroes." Chen Mingjie, director of the work office, said.

　　Yan Shujun, a scholar who has studied the history and culture of Tiananmen Square for more than 20 years, insists on going to Tiananmen Square to take pictures all the year round: "There are Yan'an villagers wrapped in white towels, veterans who have come here specially, and young pioneers wearing red scarves. All have their own heroes and their own heroic dreams, and the monument is their best sustenance."

　　"Heroes are the pioneers who emerge from the people and stand out from the ranks of the people. To commemorate and call for heroes today is to inspire the emergence of new heroes in the new era, and these heroes will inspire all Chinese sons and daughters to continue to move towards brilliant future. future." Wu Weishan said.

　　"Take history as a mirror and learn from past experiences. The Monument to the People's Heroes witnesses history and enlightens the future." Dong Zhenhua said.

"Heroes inspire people to always strive"

　　Portraits for the times, statues for the people, and statues for heroes have always been Wu Weishan's professional pursuit.

　　Three years ago, Wu Weishan spent several months polishing a bronze statue for Wang Jicai, the "model of the people", and donated it to Kaishan Island: "Sculpture is to shape the spirit, and the spirit of the hero must be passed down from generation to generation."

　　On July 27, 2018, 58-year-old Wang Jicai suffered a sudden illness while on duty and passed away after the rescue failed.

　　On Kaishan Island, the 2.4-meter-high bronze statue of Wang Jicai stands, "looking out" to the sea.

The moment he saw the statue, his wife Wang Shihua, who accompanied Wang Jicai to guard the island, burst into tears.

"Seeing the statue is like seeing Pharaoh, seeing the years we fought together - he was inspecting, and I was recording. It all seemed like yesterday." Wang Shihua said choked up.

　　Today, the "Kaishan Island Couples Post" deeds exhibition hall on Kaishan Island has been named as a national demonstration base for patriotism education, and groups of visitors have landed on the island to search for heroic deeds... Wang Shihua visits the island dozens of times every year. Share their ordinary and great 32 years with you.

　　"I will share with you every ordinary day and every ordinary job of Pharaoh and I." Wang Shihua's words are simple and sincere, "Staying at your job and doing your job well can also become a hero, I hope everyone can guard The 'Kaishan Island' in a good heart."

　　"Heroes are eternal symbols and will inspire people to forge ahead forever." Yan Shujun said that it is necessary to improve the selection and commendation mechanism of heroes, vigorously spread the heroic deeds of heroes, and especially let young people establish heroic feelings and cultivate their heroic complex.

　　Before the Qingming Festival this year, the 2022 Capital Youth Pioneer Post event was officially launched.

Liu Yi, director of the Middle School and Youth Affairs Department of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League, said that it has been more than 30 years for outstanding young pioneers to stand guard in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes in the name of red scarves and receive patriotic education.

　　Over the past 28 years, Wang Youran and her mother Zhu Ying from Beijing No. 5 Middle School have stood at the Young Pioneer Post in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes.

　　"I will go from here to a broader future, show the responsibility and responsibility of young people in the new era, and hope to become a pillar of society one day." Wang Youran said.

　　(Reporters Li Bin, Kong Xiangxin, Guo Yujing, Wu Wenxu, Ma Xiaodong)