Globally, the use of "flags at half-mast" to signify the remembrance of important people or important events has become a common rule and tradition. According to incomplete statistics, since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the national flag in Tiananmen Square has been lowered to half-mast more than 50 times, of which 33 times are to commemorate the death of important leaders of the country.
The origins of the flag-and-mast ceremony.
"Flag at half-mast", also known as "flag at half-mast", is often used to refer specifically to specific acts at the level of a particular country. When an important person dies, a major misfortune occurs, or other circumstances that require mourning, it is common to see the national flag flying from the top of the flagpole to the flagpole**, which is an act of conveying grief.
In today's society, the symbolism of the flag at half-mast can be regarded as an international lingua franca, and there are precedents for the use of the flag at half-mast to commemorate important people or events in other countries and even in the United Nations. The practice is originally thought to have originated with a group of British sailors in the 17th century.
At that time, a British ship named the Haz Iss planned to sail along the coast of North America, looking for a route to the Pacific Ocean. However, during the voyage, the captain of the ship was tragically killed. In honour of the captain, when the Haz Iss sailed into the River Thames, it lowered the flag on its mast in half to show that everyone waiting in harbour knew about the accident.
Perhaps because the psychology of the dead rabbit and the fox is particularly easy to empathize, this practice, which is full of ritual and solemnity, was soon widely recognized in British society at that time. Not only was it widely used in the nautical world, but it also became popular on land, and gradually spread from England to the rest of the world, eventually becoming a fixed tradition.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, this practice was also adopted, and this ceremony was used to mourn important people in China.
When commemorating Ren Bi, the flag of New China was lowered at half-mast for the first time to mourn.
At the end of October 1950, Ren Bishi, who was only 46 years old at the time, died due to long-term fatigue. The death of this important member of the first generation of leadership is considered a tragedy, and his memory is being mourned across the country.
Due to the arduous revolutionary struggle, as early as before and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Ren Bishi's body had already sent warning signals. Medical experts in the USSR gave a diagnostic report, demanding that he "must rest." However, he himself could not sit idly by while his comrades worked hard and stood idly by, and eventually died young due to overwork.
At that time, it was the first year of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and there were no perfect rules for reference regarding the funeral and memorial matters after Ren Bishi's death. Because there is a need for a comprehensive revival in all areas of China, there are too many trivial and complicated problems that need to be solved urgently.
In this specific context, the memorial activities of Ren Bishi basically followed tradition and practice, and were arranged through collective deliberation. A funeral committee of 242 people was formed under the leadership of ***, and it was decided to stop the day's entertainment on the day of the memorial service and lower the flag at half-mast to mourn the deceased.
The first flag-lowering ceremony after the founding of the People's Republic of China was held on the same day, and the national flag in front of Tiananmen Square was raised to the top of the pole and slowly lowered to one-third of the pole's height. This symbolic ceremony is intended to express the deep respect and condolences of the country and the people for the deceased.
Mao, Liu, Zhou, Zhu, Peng and others personally supported the spirit and covered the flag, and transferred Ren Bishi's coffin to the memorial hall set up by the Working People's Cultural Palace.
At that time, the Babaoshan Cemetery was still under planning, and the initiative for the reform of funeral methods had not yet been launched. In the end, Ren Bishi's body was buried in the way of burial on the northeast slope of Babao Mountain, which covers an area of 300 square meters and is not only unique in size and location, so it is also known as "the first tomb of Babao Mountain".
The chairman personally inscribed the eulogy, and President Zhu wrote the eulogy, marking the first time after the founding of the People's Republic of China to lower the flag at half-mast to mourn. The commemoration activities at the time of Ren Bi fully proved his important contribution to the founding of New China, and also witnessed the deep sorrow and regret of the entire New China for the loss of an outstanding leader.
1976 was one of the most flag-to-mast years in history.
Since the death of Ren Bishi, who first flew the flag at half-mast to mourn, every year there have been heroes who had worked so hard in the revolutionary years to leave us. And there are many of them who have also received the honor of being flown at half-mast for their great exploits for the motherland and the people.
The National Flag Law, which came into force on 1 October 1990, clearly defines the application of the flag at half-mast. Prior to this, 21 deceased leaders had enjoyed the treatment of flags flying at half-mast.
These names, such as He Xiangning, Song Qingling, etc., are familiar to most people.
However, of all the names and dates that should be remembered, the most profound was in 1976.
In 1976, many people later called it "the saddest year", and the news of his death spread in early January, plunging the whole country into deep mourning. Subsequently, in July, the 90-year-old ** chairman died, followed by the Tangshan ** incident.
**'s body was already much worse than before, and at this time, the bad news that came one after another brought him a huge blow. On the occasion of his death, there was not only the touching scene of "sending the prime minister on a ten-mile long street", but also the flag was lowered at half-mast in Tiananmen Square, which was also the first time that New China set up a "National Day of Mourning".
However, when this moment came, ** because of his physical condition did not allow it, and he could not even realize his plan to go to the memorial site in person. He could only quietly listen to the staff around him recite the eulogy until he cried bitterly in the sad place.
A few months later, Mr. Zhu died of illness. ** once sadly told the people around him that people are always used to saying "Zhu Mao Zhu Mao", and now Mr. Zhu has passed away and went to meet Marx, and his day is not far away.
In this year full of disasters, Tangshan has a very destructive Tangshan Mass, which makes the original seriously ill and depressed people quickly devote all their energy to the attention to the disaster and the planning of rescue operations. However, this kind of high-intensity work is clearly the opposite of staying healthy.
When September came, ** also left the new China that he had worked hard for and worked hard to build day and night. The deaths of these three important figures were accompanied by nationwide mourning, and the ceremony of lowering the flag at half-mast in mourning was repeated three times. It also became one of the most frequent years in which flags were lowered at half-mast since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
This detail is also enough to show how much sadness and shock the successive departures of the pioneers of the revolution have brought to the country.
The pioneers of the revolution are leaving.
Since the establishment of the country until the enactment of the National Flag Law, in addition to the four people mentioned above, 17 important people have passed away one after another, so the flag at half-mast ceremony is used to mourn these people.
Many of the founding generals have experienced the test of bullets, such as the marshal who died in 1963 *** General Xie Fuzhi who died in 1972, the general who died in 1978 *** General Su Zhenhua who died in 1979, the marshal *** and *** marshal who died in 1986, and the marshal who died in 1990
In the process of building the party and the country, there are also some people who have made outstanding contributions, such as He Xiangning who died in 1972, Dong Biwu who died in 1975, Song Qingling who died in 1981, and Liao Chengzhi who died in 1983.
Including *** and Guo Moruo, these people have undertaken the important mission of building New China. He died in 1972, 1975, and Guo Moruo in 1978.
Whenever these revolutionary pioneers unfortunately pass away, they are often seen as a great loss to the country, the party and the people. At such moments, the use of the flag at half-mast becomes a signal of mourning rituals, while corresponding mourning activities are carried out in the capital and throughout the country, both in memory of the deceased and in order to better pass on their ideals.
After the promulgation of the National Flag Law, with the development of the economy and social progress, by 1990, various rules and regulations were gradually improved and implemented. The official promulgation and implementation of the National Flag Law has provided a clear standard for the move of "flying the flag at half-mast", and there is no longer a need for personal subjective discussion and judgment.
The etiquette for flag-mourning at half-mast includes the death of a person who meets one of the four requirements. In addition, in the event of a major ** or natural disaster, the flag at half-mast ceremony can also be implemented.
The National Flag Law stipulates that the objects of mourning at half-mast mainly include important domestic leaders, such as the chairman, the premier, the chairman of the Central Military Commission, the chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, etc., as well as those who have made outstanding contributions to the country and made significant contributions to world peace and human progress.
These basically include the possibility of a flag flying ceremony at half-mast. Experts in the field have explained in detail the relevant provisions of this regulation, and they believe that the legal regulation of the occasion for the use of the national flag also provides a basis for defining "lowering the flag at half-mast" as a legal act.
After the promulgation of the National Flag Law, 12 leaders were flown at half-mast to mourn, including Deng Yingchao, ** Wanli and others. Details such as the "qualifications" of these persons for treatment and the places where the flag will be flown at half-mast can also be justified in the circumstances stipulated in the National Flag Law.
** Marshal, who held the posts of Deputy Chairman of the Military Commission and Deputy Prime Minister, died in 1992;**Died in the same year, served *** Deng Yingchao served as the chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and also passed away in 1992;** Admiral, who died in 1993, held the position of Vice-President;Yao Yilin, a former vice premier, died in 1994.
Peng Zhen, Wan Li, Li Peng and others passed away one after another after 1995 and received the courtesy of flying the flag at half-mast, and the positions they held and the work they undertook also complied with the relevant provisions of the "National Flag Law".
Of the 33 Chinese leaders who have enjoyed the flag at half-mast, the closest to the present is former Premier Li Peng, who died in 2019. During his serious illness and before and after his death, the main leaders of our country expressed their condolences through visits, condolences and other means, and expressed their condolences to his family.
Li Peng died on July 29, 2019, at the age of 91. According to the law and official decisions, in addition to the memorial ceremony held in Babaoshan, Tiananmen Square, Xinhua Gate, the Great Hall of the People, **, as well as all provinces, autonomous regions, special administrative regions, ports and ports, embassies and consulates abroad and other places also held a ceremony to lower the flag at half-mast to mourn.
From dignitaries to ordinary citizens.
The National Flag Act was enacted in 1990, and this move is of great significance. It clearly stipulates that the flag may be flown at half-mast nationwide nationwide or in specific regions and places to show mourning when a large number of major natural disasters, health incidents or other unfortunate events result in a large number of **.
After the attack on the embassy of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999, in order to commemorate Xu Xinghu and other three martyrs, flags were lowered at half-mast at Tiananmen Square, Xinhua Gate, and the Great Hall of the People to mourn. In 2010, eight Chinese peacekeepers in the Haitian peacekeeping force were tragically killed, and the Ministry of Public Security also held a ceremony to lower the flag at half-mast to mourn.
Since Wenchuan in 2008, flag-mourning at half-mast has become an act of ordinary people. At that time, after the event, the official announcement declared May 19-21 as a national day of mourning, and even the Beijing Olympic torch relay that was underway at the time was suspended after consultation, a measure that included not only the flag-flying at half-mast but even other ways to express mourning.
Domestic experts generally agreed that the decision was in line with public opinion, and that the Olympic torch relay that was underway at the time made way for national mourning, which was also positive. Although the Olympics are major events, it is also the right thing to do in the face of life-critical events. This shows that at the national level, loss of life is seen as a paramount matter.
The whole country also lowered the flag at half-mast for the occurrence of the 2010 Yushu** and 2010 Zhouqu flash floods and mudslides in Qinghai to mourn the victims.
On April 4, 2020, the day of the Qingming Festival, various forms of silent mourning ceremonies were held across the country, with the common theme of mourning the martyrs and deceased compatriots who died in the fight against the new crown pneumonia epidemic. It was also the most recent ceremony to commemorate the lowering of the flag at half-mast for ordinary people, and the national flag in Tiananmen Square was once again half-lowered for ordinary people.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic is a major public health emergency that has occurred in China with the fastest spread, the widest scope and the most difficult prevention and control.
The flag-lowering ceremony at half-mast, traffic suspension, entertainment suspension, vehicle honking and silent mourning on behalf of all parts of the country are all commemorations of the victims and the deceased by the country and the people, and they are also concrete manifestations of respect and cherishing for life.
In the opinion of experts, the trend brought about by the continued implementation of the National Flag Law is commendable and affirmative. This phenomenon means that the flag is lowered at half-mast to show mourning and remembrance is no longer limited to important people and martyrs, but extends to ordinary people, and also demonstrates the concept of New China attaching importance to the people and respecting life.
Not only did our country mourn the flags at half-mast for its own people and events, but more than a dozen foreigners were given the courtesy of flying the flag at half-mast by our country. Interpreted in accordance with the provisions of the Flag Act, it is clear that these individuals apply to the last case — that is, to make a significant contribution to world peace and to the progress of humankind.
Combing through this list, we will find that most of the people who received this honor are leaders of countries in the socialist camp, or leaders who have maintained friendly relations with our country for a long time, such as former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh, Yugoslav leader Tito, and Sihanouk, known as the "Red Prince", and so on.
Of course, there was also a leader in the capitalist camp, the French "father of the nation" Charles de Gaulle;Stalin, on the other hand, was the former leader of the "Big Brother" state, and the only foreign leader for whom our country performed two flag-flying ceremonies at half-mast.
To a certain extent, this kind of behavior also shows our country's concern for world peace and state-to-state relations, and for some internationally influential people, the emotion of mourning will also resonate.