As much coverage as the recent solar eclipse received in the Chinese and the international media, relatively little attention (if any at all) has been devoted to this occasion as a nationalist spectacle in China. Having observed the eclipse at the Tiananmen Square on Wednesday morning, I was struck by the degree to which the celebration of an astrological event became so interwoven with an apparent celebration of China.
On Wednesday morning, July 22, Tiananmen Square, the scene 20 years ago of what’s known here as the June Fourth Incident, and elsewhere as the Tiananmen Square Massacre, one of the largest and most violent protests against the communist government, was overrun last weekend by spectators—cosmopolitan but most certainly with the majority still coming from China. For the latest event, however, tour groups, photographers, families, students—all occupied the square in anticipation of a full solar eclipse, which takes place only once every 500 years.
The eclipse was scheduled to peak at 9:20 AM, but photos were already being snapped as of 8:30. Mothers brushing their daughters’ hair, young couples, old people in wheel chairs—all ensured that what was happening on the ground was a spectacle worth taking in.
Most notable, however, was the number of Chinese flags in the crowds, the marching party youth, and the extent of security personnel present in the Square on that morning. Couples holding hands were holding flags in their spare hands, while posing for photos. Kids raised the flags over their tiny heads, posing for their parents, and even some foreigners held onto the flags in an attempt to better blend into the crowd.
Party youth assembled on the stairs leading up to the central monument in the Square. They stood still for about twenty minutes and then marched along the monument, being photographed and applauded throughout. The pioneers seemed both flattered by the attention and slightly nervous to misstep along the way.
In contrast with—or perhaps because of—the patriotic symbols dotting the crowds, the square was heavily guarded with police and security personnel. It seemed like there was nearly one policeman for every 15 people—gazing warily outwards, and seemingly less excited about the eclipse than the public they were made to watch over.
While heavy security is a normal element for public gatherings in most countries, in highly charged Tiananmen Square, the location still carries some heavy political baggage. While the foreign media was allowed to film the eclipse and the people in the square, there was no sight of any Chinese media, and the police stopped foreign journalists when they attempted to interview individual Chinese. Even across the Square, on a narrow sidewalk, the police were present checking reporters’ permits and closely monitoring the interviews.
Gathering at such a central location is still a very risky locale for any political movement, considering the consequences of earlier attempts. Moreover, there are many issues-driven mass protests in China taking places daily across the country, proving that gatherings are not as unusual an occurrence as during the Tiananmen protests two decades ago. Indeed, this particular eclipse gathering was more of a happy celebration than an attempt to “use the chance” to come together in a politically sensitive environment.
It was apparent that even during a seemingly apolitical gathering, there is a tangible sense that the Chinese government remains wary when large crowds assemble in Tiananmen Square. The Eclipse was thus celebrated with a dual sentiment–celebrating China, and a political unease about public expression and large gatherings in a place that has once a symbolic threat to the very foundations of the Chinese Communist Party.
Maria Repnikova is currently studying for her PhD in politics at Oxford, focusing on China-Russia comparative media politics. She is originally from Latvia and has studied in the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.