By the autumn of 1949, the Chinese civil war was drawing to a close, the People's Liberation Army of the Chinese Communist Party having defeated the Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975). On 1 October 1949 Mao Zedong (1893–1976) stood on the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to announce the founding of the People's Republic of China. This date subsequently was declared National Day and since then has been a hugely significant date in China's calendar, the celebrations often coinciding with the launch of major new political campaigns. Until the advent of the reform and opening up of China in 1978, military parades in Beijing and other cities took center stage. Although the emphasis of the National Day festival has now shifted toward the holding of civil events, the military played an important role in the lavish fiftieth anniversary celebrations of 1999, which were notable not simply for their extravagance but also for the massive disruption to life in Beijing caused by the extensive security precautions. The National Day festivities now stretch to a weeklong holiday, during which the country's most popular tourist sites are at their busiest.
Further Reading
Hutchings, Graham. (2000) Modern China: A Companion to a Rising Power. London: Penguin.
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