97-year-old Qi Ying, one of the veterans who watched Wednesday's grand military parade from the Tian'anmen Rostrum in Beijing, is no stranger to the historic site.
76 years ago, he was in Tian'anmen Square, as a witness to the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
"The military uniform has improved a lot. The uniform I wore when I served in the Eighth Road Army couldn't compare to today's. If I wear this and walk outside, people would look at me with admiration," said Qi, after trying on the military uniform prepared for the parade.
Dressed in the Type-87 military uniform, Qi was visibly moved as he recalled moments from the past.
"It was taken in 1952 or 1953 at Zhongshan Park. After the founding of the PRC, military uniforms began to include peaked caps. Before that, there were none," he said looking at an old photo of himself in his military uniform from the time.
Qi joined the army at the age of 12, serving in the Fourth Subdivision of the Eighth Route Army's Jin-Cha-Ji division. At that time, the Hundred-Regiment Campaign, a landmark campaign fought during the war against Japanese aggression, was underway, and many of his comrades sacrificed their lives on the front line.
The campaign between August 1940 and January 1941 was the largest and longest strategic offensive launched by the Eighth Route Army in north China since the start of the Party-led people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression. During the campaign, about 200,000 troops from 105 regiments engaged in battles against the invaders.
In July this year, Qi visited the memorial hall commemorating the Hundred-Regiment Campaign in Yangquan, in north China's Shanxi Province, to honor his fallen comrades.
"In the memorial hall, when we passed the portrait of Marshall Nie Rongzhen, the guide was moved to tears. He said that's because my father saluted the photo," said Qi Suping, his daughter.
Qi said he was eagerly anticipating the parade on Wednesday, because returning to Tian'anmen carries a profound meaning for him.
In 1949, as a young soldier, he was assigned guard duty on the west side of the square during the founding ceremony of PRC.
"My father said though he was on duty that day, he could clearly hear what Chairman Mao said. This is very impressive. It was exciting for him to witness the important moment, hearing the announcement of the birth of New China," said Qi Suping.
"Back then, the guns held by soldiers, artillery and even tanks showcased in the parade were all captured from enemies in battles, particularly during the Liaoshen Campaign," said Qi Ying.
"Today all our weapons and equipment are produced domestically and are advanced by global standards. We have fighter jets, bombers and aircraft carriers that are all produced domestically. Our national defense is strong. I wish everyone cherishes our life today and I wish our country prosperity and a better future," he said.
Witness to PRC's founding returns to Tian’anmen Square for V-Day parade
