Tiananmen Square,Beiujing tiananmen Flag Raising Ceremony At Dawn

First view of the Tiananmen Square flagpole, still dark around 4:40 am

Saturday morning.   The lumenescent dials of my watch on the nightstand read exactly 4 am.  I wasn't trying to wake up this early, it just happened.  Yesterday, I had asked the guys if they would like to go see the sunrise flag raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square, but no one had wanted to get up that early. 

4:15 am.   Now I'm wide awake.  Not getting back to sleep.  What the heck...I'm gonna do it!!  I'll probably never be here again, so this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities!  It was highly recommended in my guidebook, and I think it will be cool!  I know the hotel is fairly close to the square, but I don't know just how far or in which direction.  It was still pitch dark out, and I didn't want to wake anyone, so I fumbled around in the dark for my clothes and shoes, and went to get dressed in the bathroom.

Just after 5 am now, sunrise is approaching fast

   I was feeling around in the dark for my watch, wallet and room key, when I accidently knocked a wooden tissue box off the nightstand.  It fell with a loud "thunk", waking Lee up.  "Nice job, Mr. Clumsy!" Lee muttered from his side of the room.  "oops, sorry to wake you!" I whispered..."but since you're up now, I'm going to the flag raising ceremony.  Wanna come?"  "uh, no thanks!" he replied, "I'm staying in bed!"       Ok, your loss!  Well, at least I don't have to leave a note now!    I gathered my cameras and camcorder equipment, including my new tripod, and packed it all in my backpack.  I tip-toed out, and quietly closed the door behind me, so as not to wake the other two, then made my way downstairs to the lobby.

procession of soldiers, going to raise the flag

  It was dark and chilly, so I wore both my sweatshirt and leather jacket.    The front desk and lobby, which had been a bustle of activity when we checked in, with a full lobby and no less than six clerks on duty, was now completely empty except for a single night clerk behind the desk.   He looked up, and seemed genuinely surprised to see a tall Westerner with a backpack on at 4:30 in the morning!  I asked him, "which way to Tiananmen Square?"  He made a motion with his fingers like a Yellow Pages Ad...  "You Walk?" he asked.  "Yes!  I walk!"    He came out from the desk area and led me out the front door, and past the fountain.  He pointed down one of the main streets outside the hotel, and said "That way, 10 minute!"    I smiled and thanked him, and plodded off alone into the night.

Sunrise! The flag was up around 5:25 am

  

I must say, it was quite exhilarating, to be walking off by myself, in the pre-dawn hours, in a city halfway around the world where I couldn't speak the language or even read a street sign!  But, I'm on a mission now!  I did get a few quizzical looks from the few Chinese folks that I did encounter at that hour, but the streets for the most part were empty.  After hiking several blocks in the dark, I noticed in the distance the flashing lights of two police cars.  Accident?   As I got closer, I saw hundreds of people, just past the police cars.  It was then I saw the flag pole, and put two and two together.  Just ahead of me to my left was the square, and already a huge crowd had gathered! The police cars were closing off the roads for the ceremony!  During my walk, the black of night had transformed into a pre dawn glow, and the sun would be poking her head out soon.

This is where I stood, just outside the Forbidden City

   I was across the street from the square, and there was a chest high fence on both sides of the road...no way to cross!  I looked to my right, and realized I was standing in front of the entrance to the Forbidden City!

If I was inclined to walk all the way down to the other end of the sidewalk,  there was an underground passageway that led across the street and down to the square...but I wasn't sure if I could get all the way down there before the ceremony started (it was a little after 5 am now, and the darkness was disappearing fast)   Some Chinese people had started to gather at the fence as well, so I decided to stay put.  I was across the street, but it was a front row seat.  I could probably set my tripod up right here, and be able to film the ceremony with my camcorder on it and take pictures at the same time!   If I went into the square,  even if I made it on time, there would be no way to muscle my way to the front.

These guards stood watch, blocking the sidwalk until the ceremony was over

..the gatherering crowd was just too big.  So, I guess this is as good a place as any!  I set up my gear and waited.  

It wasn't too long before I heard some music starting, and everyone moved over to my left.   I then saw a procession of soldiers, carrying the flag, emerge from the entrance to the Forbidden City!  I wasn't expecting that to be the place they would come from, for some reason.  I guess I picked a pretty good spot after all!  The crowd was now in my way, so I took the camcorder off the tripod and held it up high, to film the soldiers crossing the street. (guards had removed a section of fence just before they emerged) 

The Chinese National Anthem was playing as they ceremoniously attached the flag, and slowly raised it, just as the first glimmer of sunlight was poking over the horizon.

Sunrise!

  They time it so that the flag is up at the exact moment of sunrise.  Many in the crowd were singing along to the National Anthem. There were several hundred people there, but all Chinese! I was the only Westerner I saw.  I got many looks and smiles from those in attendance. (they seemed surprised to see a tall caucasion there. I guess not too many tourists get up that early!)    It was an amazing ceremony to watch!  Once the flag was up, the procession of soldiers marched around, back across the street in perfect step, and disappeared back into the Forbidden City from where they had come. Very cool!  And to think, if I hadn't randomly woken up at 4:00 am,  I would have missed it all!   Once the ceremony was over, the police and soldiers opened up the sidewalk and road again.

lets see...3 extra hours sleep, or getting this shot. hmmmm.

    It was then that I walked over, and took the underground passageway to Tiananmen Square.

I walked all around the square, taking pictures, and waving my hand "no" to all the persistant hawkers who were  selling kites, watches, red "Mao" books, postcards, etc.  in the square.  Being the only tourist up at that hour, I was a prime target!  I walked around to the People's monument, taking pictures of the sunrise behind it.  I also was able to get several shots of the sun rising behind the flag they just raised.  After about an hour in the square, I walked back through the underground passageway to get some pictures of the front of the Forbidden City, before the crowds started filling in.  It was about that time that I started to see the first tourists.

Statue outside the Forbidden City

  I didn't see the first Westerner til after 7:00 am...and I'd been out since 4:30!   I'm glad I got the opportunity to share in this experience, which is obviously very important to the Chinese.   I started walking back to the hotel, arriving a little after 7:30.   All the guys were still asleep!  Not wanting to wake them, or go back to sleep myself, I grabbed my swimsuit and headed on down to the pool!

Beijing day tour