Tiananmen

I imagine this scene needs no introduction.  The square re-opened the day after the September 3 parade, after being closed for about a week prior to that, and it seemed like at least a million people turned up to visit it.  It was a hazy rainy day with visibility to match and consequently not great for photography.  Not helped of course by the crush of people and long queues at sites and security checkpoints. Nonetheless, taken by everyone it seemed in good spirits.

Seven extra blips today provide other glimpses of what the average photographer had to contend with. A few shots inside and around a rather soaked Forbidden City too.

This is the view in 1901, students demonstrating at the square in 1917, and at the founding of the PRC in 1949. 

Incidentally, the portrait of Mao is replaced every year and has been painted (or, rather, repainted) by the same artist, Ge Xiaoguang, since 1977 (there have only been two artists responsible for the portrait since it was first hung in Tiananmen in 1949).

Tiananmen Square produced of course one of the most iconic blips in history:  Tank Man.