The National Flag-Raising Ceremony
A very interesting thing to do at Tian'anmen Square is to watch the national flag-raising ceremony while listening to the national anthem at sunrise. This is the perfect activity for visitors who have come to Beijing for the first time. The national flag guards of people's Liberation Army (PLA) troops based at Tian'anmen Square march out every morning and raise the flag exactly at sunrise. Every day hundreds of thousands of tourists from home and abroad gather in the Square to watch this solemn ceremony. Exact times for sunrise and sunset are posted next to the 32.6-metre-tall weighing 7 tons flagpole in red, digital numbers. On holidays and special occasions the Square is filled with flower arrangements and fountains. There are people all over the Square flying kites, as it is a popular site for local people to go and fly their kites, which range from simple one-piece jobs, to elaborate metres-long dragons.