Tiananmen Square: Eyewitness to China's Historic Rise
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For the first 30 years of my life, I’ve been used to the familiar grounds of Chinatown in Manila, interacting with local Filipino-Chinese folks when I buy something in Ongpin Street, Manila, accompanying my parents when we visit our Chinese-speaking relatives or just when my wife and I wanted to eat something Oriental.
But nearly three years ago, I remembered having an opportunity to travel to the real roots where my forefathers came from—that is, when I went to Beijing, China with some friends for a two-week trip.
On our way there, while boarding the Cathay Pacific plane to Beijing, I began to imagine what Tiananmen Square looked like. How big it was and why it occupied a significant piece in China’s rich, rich history.
I began to recall the historic events that took place before that ancient Square, which has seen kings and queens rule ancient China for thousands of years.
You see, Tiananmen Square is considered as the largest square in the world. It was also witness to the major events that shaped the nation of China.
As I stepped into the grounds of the historic square following a 45-minute train ride from Beijing’s downtown, I was thrilled to see the place, and how big Tiananmen really was!
Enjoying the cool breeze while walking towards the National Museum of China, I imagined how many thousands of young people—pro-democracy protesters gathered on that same site in 1989.
These thousands of students actually gathered on June 3, 1989 to voice out their growing sentiment for a democratic rule to replace the decades of Communist rule, which Chairman Mao Zedong established on May 1, 1949.
Hundreds of protesters though, were reportedly killed by Chinese military while scores more were wounded in an effort by the Chinese government to crush the pro-democratic students and prevent any momentum.
As I looked into China’s history books, I realized how significant Tiananmen Square was in the nation’s pursuit of identity during the 20th Century.
The May Fourth movement of 1919 was a trigger point for China as thousands of students gathered at the Square to protest the handing of Shandong to Japan.
Thirty years later, Chairman Mao proclaimed the People’s Republic of China before another huge crowd of students and peasants who were all hungry for a new identity for their nation.
The Square was also a favorite site for Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution, where he stood up on top of the Tiananmen Square Gate to address the millions of Red Guards that jammed not just the square but the entire capital city of Beijing just to be able to get a peek of the famed Chinese leader.
For the record, the Cultural Revolution in China, which happened between 1966-1976 was a period of tremendous social and political movement and chaos that brought China’s economy in disarray.
Now, Tiananmen Square is a peaceful square with several preserved sites and monuments still standing to tell the many stories of Beijing.
The Forbidden City, which hides behind the Tiananmen Square Gate, is now bustling with small shops for tourists, who wanted to take a closer look at the Palace of China’s last emperor—Puyi.
The National Museum of China, located at the west side of the Square’s Gate, contains a huge number of well-preserved artifacts of Ancient China and many other memorabilia from Chairman Mao and his leaders.
If you plan to visit Beijing, Tiananmen Square should be high on your list, not just because it’s the largest square in the world, but also because of the many historical memories you’ll gain from it.
