Global Times: Perfect, precise performance: A behind-the-scenes look of how the honor guards trained for the parade

China marked 80th war victory with patriotic ceremony at Tian’anmen, showcasing young honor guards’ discipline and duty.

Beijing, China, Sept. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At 9 am on September 3, the grand gathering to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held in Tian'anmen Square.

In front of the Zhengyang Gate, 56 salute cannons symbolizing 56 ethnic groups roared in unison.

After hearing the command, 222 honor guards, escorting the five-star red flag, descended the steps from the base of the Monument to the People's Heroes and marched majestically toward the flag area. At the national flag post, the flag-raiser waved his arm, and the flag formed a perfect fan in the air. The audience sang the national anthem as the five-star red flag slowly rose, and a powerful wave of fervent patriotism swept through Tian'anmen Square.

The honor guards of the great country commanded awe. What kind of mission and responsibility do these Chinese soldiers, with an average age in their early 20s, bear? Before the grand gathering, the Global Times visited a training site of honor guards to witness firsthand how officers and soldiers trained to be a qualified honor guard.

The formation with the most changes

Accompanied by the sound of 80 gun salutes, the honor guards walked down from the north platform of the Monument to the People's Heroes and marched toward the flagpole base. From their resolute faces and their perfectly synchronized steps to the powerful sound of their steps, the honor guards once again awed the world with their actions.

Zhang Zhen, captain of the honor guards, said that to better remember history and honor the martyrs, every aspect of the mission has been specially designed. The formation departs from the Monument to the People's Heroes, representing that the New China was founded through the blood and lives of countless revolutionary martyrs.

"The distance from Monument to the People's Heroes to flagpole base is 220 meters and the members will march 272 steps. First, they march in 80 synchronized steps, symbolizing the 80 years since the victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Chinese people have continuously moved from victory to new victories. Then, they march in 136 marching steps, symbolizing that the Chinese nation, composed of 56 ethnic groups, has emerged from hardships and risen from hardships in the past 80 years. Finally, they march in 56 synchronized steps, symbolizing that standing at a new historical starting point, the Chinese nation, composed of 56 ethnic groups, is united and unyielding, and will forge ahead toward the grand goal of building a strong country and national rejuvenation regardless of wind and rain," Zhang told the Global Times.

The honor guards were the first formation to appear at the gathering, and has the most frequent formation changes, the longest marching route, and the most changes in footwork.

Members of the formation make turns, walk down on stairs and go through other changes. They also have to switch among marching, synchronized and other style of steps, while holding, supporting and raising their guns. "In the absence of music, achieving precise coordination with the rhythm of the salute is not easy," Zhang said.

Behind such high standards and precision lies unwavering dedication to training.

Entering the training site of the honor guards, the backs of the soldiers on the training field stood out - their clothes were soaking wet, yet each figure stood straight. Looking from the side, the legs of 18 members in each row aligned in a straight line with every kick, creating a geometric beauty.

Also stood out was many mirrors on the training site. "This was originally our dressing mirror, but now it is a training mirror on the training ground. When practicing in front of the mirror, members can easily find their own shortcomings and correct their mistakes," Zou Chao, vice captain of the honor guards, told the Global Times.

"Marching step!" From the formation, the loud and clear commands from Liu Yongjiu, captain of the Army unit of the formation, are often heard. As the executive captain on the field, Liu not only has to master the marching steps like every team member, but also has to complete a series of sword-handling movements such as drawing the sword, holding the sword upright, supporting the sword, and raising the sword. He also has to control his pace and speed to coordinate precisely with the rhythm of the salute, issue seven accurate commands and ensure that the commands can be transmitted to every team member within 16 meters of him.

Liu can now perform this set of movements smoothly and in one go, and the only way to achieve this goal was to practice hard thousands of times despite success or failure with great concentration, so as to form muscle memory.

At the far end of the spacious training ground, a flagpole base stood. Flag-raiser Zhang Wei held a 5 kilograms dumbbell in his right hand, repeatedly swinging his arm upwards to the right, simulating the motion of unfurling the flag.

In addition to simulating flag-raising movements, flag-carrying training is also very important. The flagpole and flag together weigh about 17.5 kilograms. To ensure that there is no shaking during the march, Zhang Wei ran 5 kilometers carrying the flagpole each morning to improve endurance and hung a water bottle to practice stability.

In 2015, Zhang Wei, a high school senior, decided to become a flag-raiser after participating in a patriotic education program with the honor guards. Seven years later, on January 25, 2022, Zhang Wei performed his first flag-raiser duty. To date, he has performed more than 4,000 flag-raising missions. 10 years later, Zhang Wei served as the flag-raiser for the grand gathering marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. "This is a test of my original aspirations, setting a higher standard and striving for perfection," he told the Global Times.

Young soldiers become main force for mission

Dong Wang was born in 2001. As a newly recruited soldier, he came to the Guard of Honor with the goal of becoming a part of "showing the image of a great country." Unexpectedly, he ranked low in the early assessment due to substandard movements. In order to participate in the mission, he repeatedly trained in front of the mirror. Now Dong has realized his goal and has become an "exemplary solider."

"More than 90 percent of our members are new recruits, and the majority are born after 2000. They have distinct characteristics: they are very confident, very brave, and responsible," Yang Jingwei, political commissar of the honor guards, told the Global Times.

During the mission, not a single member flinched; instead, they all said, "I'm going." Even during the hottest days of summer, the soldiers were often drenched in sweat on the training grounds. No one complained of hardship or fatigue; everyone was filled with high morale. "Our training is rigorous, and the members hold themselves to very high standards," Yang said.

Han Chao, born in 2000, is a flag bearer. Although he has participated in thousands of flag raising or lowering missions, this is his first time to be able to escort the flag from the Monument to the People's Heroes toward the national flag post. He said that during a recent rehearsal, listening to March of Steel Torrent, while watching the formations march forward, was exhilarating. Even though it had been several days since the rehearsal, he was still full of excitement. "I really felt that our motherland is strong and our military is powerful," Han told the Global Times.

There is also a reoccurring theme during interviews with the honor guards. While using different expressions, they echoed a powerful message: "When the country needs us, we are ready to go to the battlefield at any time."

After spending several months with the members day and night, Yang got to know the post-2000 soldiers very well. They often said that compared with the bloodshed and sacrifice of their revolutionary predecessors, the sweat in training was nothing, but every team member had the same spirit of not fearing hardships and charging into battle. Through the hard work on the training ground, the team members became more courageous and responsible, and their love for the Party and the country became deeper, Yang said.

Source: Global Times:
Company: Global Times
Contact Person: Anna Li
Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn
Website: https://globaltimes.cn
City: Beijing
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