The National Day of People’s Republic of China (simplified Chinese: 国庆节; pinyin: guóqìngjiē) is one of the country’s major public holidays. Tracing back to its beginnings, the Central People’s Government approved the Resolution on the National Day of the People’s Republic of China on December 2, 1949, and officially declared Oct 1st to be National Day. Patriotically speaking, National Day unquestionably bears the most historic and national weight than others.
Traditionally, the military parade is the most eye-catching event of the day. A triumphal ceremony of troops with cutting-edge technologies and weapons induces patriotism and nationalism in viewers nationwide.
Fireworks, concerts, operas, documentaries, comic dialogue, folk dancing are all entertainment that can be found on National Day. Some sing of our motherland, traditional folk dances demonstrate our brilliant art, and actors deliver fabulous operas filled with patriotic praise. The whole nation has a jovial atmosphere.
Eventually National Day came to be called ‘Golden Week’ and occurs every year from October 1-7. Travel agencies have witnessed an exponential growth of tourists in and out of China. Tourism and recreational industries bloom, and the transportation industry prospers. People who suddenly have free time fill movie theaters and boost the profits of both domestic and international films. It is clear that Chinese purchasing power is alive and well.
Although Golden Week significantly contributes to Chinese economic growth, there are voices appealing to cancel the vacation. Their argument has multiple points. Firstly, the government is obliged to allocate more money into transportation, recreational facilities maintenance and police force safeguarding order. Secondly, National Day is for a country to come together and celebrate its foundation, but that meaning is often lost over the duration of seven days. Finally, though tourism flourishes, facilities are overworking to accommodate the overwhelming number of tourists causing safety concerns.
Be that as it may, though National Day is no longer a purely patriotic holiday, Golden Week seems here to stay.
Reported by LIN Yifu
Edited by Megan Mancenido
The Nanyan Observer 