Every year on October 1, China celebrates its National Holiday.  This year marked the 61st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China by Mao Ze Dong and the Communist Party in 1949.

I decided to join the throngs of Chinese tourists commemorating the holiday in and around Tiananmen Square by waving flags and taking photos. Then, I headed to Zheng Yang Men (the Front Gate) to learn a little history and see the vast differences between old and new Beijing.

今天是国庆节，所以我在天安门广场 – jīn tiān shì guó qìng jié, suǒ yǐ wǒ zài tiān ān mén guǎng chǎng
Today is National Day, so I am at Tiananmen Square.

生日快乐! – shēng rì kuài lè
happy birthday

这么多的人 – zhè me duō de rén
so many people

爱国者 – Ài guó zhě
patriot

故宫 – gù gōng
Imperial Palace (Forbidden City)

中国国家博物馆 – Zhōng guó guó jiā bó wù guǎn
China National Museum

人民大会堂 – Rén mín dà huì táng
Great Hall of the People

毛主席纪念堂 – Máo zhǔ xí jì niàn táng
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong

很多孩子有国旗 – hěn duō hái zi yǒu guó qí
flag

开裆裤 – kāi dāng kù
split pants

拍照 – pāi zhào
take photos

庆祝中国人民共和国成立六十一周年 – Qìng zhù zhōng guó rén mín gòng hé guó chéng lì liù shí yī zhōu nián (In the video, I accidentally added a second “zhōng guó” to the subtitle.. this is the correct version)
Celebrate the 61st anniversary of the founding of the PRC

正阳门 – zhèng yáng mén
front gate

老北京 – lǎo běijīng
old Beijing

新北京 – xīn běijīng
new Beijing

皇帝 – huáng dì
emperor

皇后 – huáng hòu
empress

书法 – shū fǎ
calligraphy

勒布朗詹姆斯 – Lēi bù lǎng zhān mǔ sī
LeBron James

星巴克 – xīng ba kè
Starbucks

麦当劳 – mài dāng láo
McDonald’s

肯德基 – kěn dé jī
KFC