0179 Farewell, Flag Guard

At four o'clock in the morning of the next day, the Tiananmen National Flag Guard Squad was formed.

Wang Liang and Sun Weimin came here early.

After seeing the news that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) would be responsible for guarding the national flag and firing salutes since January 1, 2018, Wang Liang wanted to go around here and leave a valuable video material.

Today, Sun Weimin brought a professional HD camera.

Wang Liang didn't know how many times he participated in the flag-raising ceremony in Tiananmen Square, and he couldn't count them.

For a veteran who has accompanied the Republic for a long time, at this moment, the old man has a lot of feelings.

Facing the camera, Wang Liang said: "Friends, the history of the Tiananmen flag-raising ceremony is long, from October 1, 1949 to September 1950, the flag-raising ceremony was in charge of the Beijing Public Security Picket Corps. It was said that it was public security, but in fact, most of the members of the corps at that time were soldiers drawn from the army, and their style was quite tough. ”

"From October 1, 1950 to 1976, the buttons for raising the flag were always in charge of the Beijing Power Supply Bureau. I remember that at that time, the flag was not raised every day, and the national flag was only raised on important festivals such as the Spring Festival, May Day, and National Day. ”

As he spoke, Wang Liang's eyes lit up.

The historical pictures seem to have appeared in front of the old man's eyes.

Wang Liang remembers that in those 26 years, a worker from the Beijing Power Supply Bureau was responsible for raising the flag.

At that time, the sense of ritual of raising the flag was not as heavy as it is now, there was no national anthem played, and there were no onlookers.

It was a one-man flag-raising ceremony.

The worker's name is Hu Qijun, and he is an ordinary electrician, in addition to completing his own work, he also shoulders such a task, and he has been working for 26 years.

"With each passing day, the capital has changed again and again, the dirt roads have become asphalt roads, the bungalows have become high-rise buildings, and the taste has changed unconsciously." Wang Liang was full of emotion.

Wang Liang knew Hu Lao and understood his mental activities when he raised the flag for the first time.

Both happy and scared.

Hu Lao was only 22 years old at the time, and on the night of his first day, he received the national flag from the Tiananmen Square management office.

I was so excited that I couldn't sleep at night.

It's hard to describe that kind of mood in words.

Hu Lao got up for a while to look at the alarm clock, but he was afraid that he would get up late the next day and delay the flag-raising.

At three o'clock in the morning the next day, when it was still dark, he dressed and washed and tidied up meticulously.

Ride a bicycle to Tiananmen Square and carefully tie and flatten the national flag.

When the sun was raising the flag from the east and there was a little bit of red, he pressed the switch on the small distribution box under the flagpole, and the national flag slowly rose into the sky.

"What do you say in those days? That national flag, for Hu Lao, has too much meaning. In old China, Hu Lao was a poor man who couldn't even eat enough, and later became the flag-raiser of the five-star red flag of New China, and he raised the national flag raised by the chairman himself. That mood is really ......," Wang Liang recalled.

The days of the past were shining and bright, and the delicacy of youth had long been shared.

In 2007, Hu Lao passed away.

Little is known by this name, but he is the longest-appointed flag-raiser in the republic.

"From May 1977 to December 1982, the Beijing garrison replaced the obligation of raising the national flag, which I remember very well, and it was called the national flag protection class at that time. At that time, the garrison sent two soldiers to undertake the task of raising the national flag, one to lead the way, the other to carry the flag, and when passing through Chang'an Avenue, they had to give way to the cars on the road, and the scene of raising the flag was not solemn enough. ”

Later, the Tiananmen National Flag Squad of the Armed Police officially assumed the task of raising and lowering the national flag in Tiananmen Square and guarding the national flag sentry post. In the 90s, the Military Commission awarded the Armed Police Tiananmen National Flag Squad the title of [National Flag Guard], and the National Flag Squad was expanded into the Armed Police Tiananmen National Flag Guard. ”

One person holds the flag, two people protect the flag, and they are moving forward.

The sound of clicking footsteps seemed to echo in Wang Liang's ears.

There are so many feelings, how can I say a thousand words?

Cut constantly, the reason is still messy, is it sorrowful?

Don't have a taste in your heart.

At the age of ninety-five, at this age, I can't help but feel sad.

A lifetime has passed in the blink of an eye, and looking back on the past, there are only a thousand tears.

"For 35 years, it has always been the 10th detachment of the Beijing Armed Police Corps guarding here, and they have always stayed here in the storm, cold and heat, and training day after day. In a few days, they should evacuate here, let's go, let's go see them. ”

With that, Wang Liang entered the garrison of the National Flag Guard in the Forbidden City.

That is, the barracks.

Of course, this is an absolutely forbidden place.

Before that, Wang Liang had already said hello.

The old man just wanted to come here to see, perhaps, this is the last time in his life.

At 4:30 a.m., the barracks lights came on.

The fighters were washed and dressed, in an orderly and orderly manner.

Wang Liang and Sun Weimin did not disrupt the rhythm of the soldiers, but just watched quietly from the sidelines, recording every fragment.

In a few days, this will be history.

At five o'clock, the members of the escort team began to train before raising the flag.

One minute on stage, ten years off stage.

This is their daily routine, they have to get up before dawn to tidy up, and they have to walk an average of 25,000 steps a day.

The process of growing from an ordinary soldier to a qualified flag-raiser and flag protector cannot be understood by others.

10,000 recruits every year, three months of military training, four months of intensive training, layers of assessment, layer by layer screening.

In the end, only a few dozen fighters remained.

Standing skills, walking skills, gun skills, eye skills, flag display and flag collection, daily work and rest, each of which is a severe test.

The basic combat skills, the daily training is four hours, the waist is inserted in the cross, the pin is pinned, and the wind is strong and the sun is ......

Walking work, the stride length is the same, the arm swing is the same, and the eyes are the same.

"Collect the flag, you have to quickly fold the national flag into a cone, practice this action, and you will inevitably have blood blisters on your hands."

......

Sleep four and a half hours at night, take an hour and a half at noon, and the rest of the time is all training, except for meal time.

Bitter.

Thirty-five years, 25,000 lifts and falls, zero mistakes.

Some, indifferent.

But for others, their mood is indescribable.

Either sad or regretful.

"Farewell, Flag Guard."

We will not forget the flag-raising ceremony on October 1, 1999, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

We will not forget the flag-raising ceremony on October 1, 2009, the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

On October 1, 2019, the flag-raising ceremony for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, at that time, their figures were destined to disappear.

However, on September 3, 2015, at the flag-raising ceremony of the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the glory and glory written will not be forgotten, and the majestic and mighty scene will eventually become the most precious wealth of the Chinese nation.