The flag-raising ceremony is held in Tian'anmen Square on Sept 3.

A line forms at midnight to wait for the ceremony in August.

Children wait for the flag-raising ceremony in Tian'anmen Square during the summer vacation this year.

A woman is raised high to take a picture of the ceremony on Aug 1.

Cheng Yiting, a 21-year-old student, is not surprised that the video she posted on social media of people sprinting in Tian'anmen Square, Beijing, to secure a place in the front row to watch the flag-raising ceremony went viral.

"Everyone wants to watch the ceremony in the front row to see the national flag being raised as the sun comes up, which makes Chinese people feel proud," she said.

Cheng said she was greatly touched by the ceremony held in the heart of the capital and the nation's political center, which over the years has been watched by countless people from China and elsewhere.

The flag-raising is considered by many Chinese to be an event they must attend at least once in their lifetime, especially since the number of honor guards was greatly increased and additional ceremony was introduced to the occasion on May 1, 1991.

"This daily event sends a powerful signal that a strong nation is always behind its people. In addition to feeling proud of China, I felt a strong sense of security while watching the ceremony," Cheng said.

According to the white paper Youth of China in the New Era released by the State Council Information Office in April, although young Chinese sometimes experience conflicting ideas, they always love the country sincerely and continue to pursue lofty values and ideals.

The document added that young people's pride in the nation increases when they learn about the speed at which it has progressed, the "Chinese miracle", and governance of the nation through vivid examples and objective data showcasing the country's achievements, and through their own experience.

Liu Shuoyang, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of Applied Economics, said different generations carry different responsibilities, but people's patriotic enthusiasm remains unchanged.

"The flag-raising ceremony can bring out and further enforce patriotic enthusiasm in young people, better motivating them to serve the country," said Liu, who recently accompanied a group of students to watch the event.

"Many students have tears in their eyes when they see the national flag being raised. I am sure they feel proud to be Chinese," Liu added.

Cheng, a fourth-year undergraduate student at Sichuan University of Media and Communications in Chengdu, the Sichuan provincial capital, said she and her friends took a trip to Beijing to watch the flag-raising ceremony during the summer break, an event that was on top of their to-do list.

Before traveling to the capital, they read social media posts offering advice on how to secure a good place to watch the ceremony. They decided to arrive in Tian'anmen Square just after midnight on Aug 11, although the ceremony that day was scheduled to begin at 5:22 am.

Cheng was surprised to see that a large crowd of young people had formed a line to watch the ceremony long before she and her friends arrived.

"Some people say the younger generation is less patriotic than the older generation, which has been through tough times and even wars for the country. But it is clear that young people who have grown up witnessing China become a stronger nation are also passionate about the country," she said.

After waiting in line for about four and a half hours, the crowd went through a security check. The first group of people to enter Tian'anmen Square started running toward the flag post as fast as they could. Cheng said she and those around her were astonished to see such a scene, which she keeps replaying in her mind.

On Aug 13, she posted footage on the short-video platform Douyin of the people running, which quickly went viral.

One user commented under Cheng's post, which has received more than 455,000 likes, "Maybe the Chinese national team should come to Tian'anmen Square to look for sprinters."

Sprinting to see the flag-raising ceremony in the square has also trended on microblogging site Sina Weibo since Aug 20, with the topic being viewed more than 64.2 million times.

After joining the race to find a good place, Cheng and her friends made it to the front row to watch the ceremony. As the sun started to rise and the sky brightened, the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army raised the national flag, to the accompaniment of the national anthem.

"From staying up all night waiting with others, to finally seeing the ceremony — the whole experience is special," Cheng said.

It was not the first time that she had seen the ceremony, as she watched it with her parents when she was 4.

"I was too young to understand the significance of the ceremony at that time. Now, I know what it means for people, and why they say watching the ceremony is a must-do event, or even a pilgrimage," Cheng said.

Dream fulfilled

At about 3:30 am on Sept 15, Zheng Chuansong, 87, was among a large crowd waiting to watch the flag-raising ceremony, which he had long dreamed of doing.

"Now I am finally here, I feel so happy. But what makes me even happier is seeing how many young people have arrived this early," said Zheng, who comes from Ezhou, Hubei province.

Zheng had never traveled outside Hubei before. His trip to Beijing was organized by Zheng Kun, 26, his granddaughter, who wanted him to fulfill his lifelong dream before she went to study overseas at the end of last month.

Zheng Kun said she had seen videos of people sprinting to be in the front row for the ceremony, and she understood why they are so eager to watch the event.

"I would do the same, were it not for my grandfather, who can only walk slowly. Seeing the Guard of Honor and the national flag being raised right in front of them must make people even more emotional," Zheng Kun said.

"I watched the ceremony when I was younger, and I can still remember how proud I was. It will be extra special for me this time because my grandfather and parents are here," she added.

Close by, Yin Ziyang and Zhou Kaikai were also waiting in line. The two construction engineers were on a business trip to Beijing, and Yin, 22, raised the idea of squeezing the flag-raising ceremony into their packed schedule.

"My parents often said they wanted to watch the ceremony when I was growing up, so their wish naturally became mine, too," Yin said. "My parents and I would have regretted it if I had not been able to see the ceremony during my time in Beijing."

Yin initially believed that a little persuasion might be needed for Zhou to agree to his plan to watch the ceremony, which included booking a hotel near Tian'anmen Square and getting up at 3 am, but Zhou readily accepted the idea.

"It was a great suggestion, and one that I could not refuse," Zhou, 24, said. "After seeing the grand and solemn flag-raising ceremonies in Tian'anmen Square during major events on television, I always wanted to know what it would be like to watch this event in person."

Cheng, the Chengdu student, said she is glad to know that many people, especially the younger generation, have shown a great interest in the ceremony after it become a hot topic on social media.

"Although young people may not often express their love for the country, others shouldn't underestimate how patriotic they are and how united they can be when the country needs them," she said.

"Seeing the efforts young people are willing to make to see the ceremony as close up as possible, patriotism is no longer an abstract concept to me."

cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn