The ceremony was also livestreamed online. Among the viewers were faculty and students of a primary school in Shenyang, which was named after CPV martyr Mao Anying, the son of late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong. In memory of the martyrs, the students had selected personal gifts to take to the martyr’s cemetery at a later date.
“My gift is a scarf,” said a girl. “The soldiers braved severe cold and fought in extremely difficult situations. So I hope that it could protect our CPV soldiers from the cold wind.”
Another girl cooked noodles with her mom before school that morning. In north China, it is customary to welcome guests with noodles. “These noodles taste of home,” she said. “The martyrs have returned home.”
A third child brought a model plane. “My dad is a soldier and I grew up listening to his stories about the Korean War. I brought this model so our CPV soldiers can see how strong our motherland is now.”