74th anniversary of the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China

On 1 October 1949, at the Gate of the Heavenly Calm, Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China. On this occasion, every year the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Warsaw holds a reception to celebrate the event with its guests.

This year, the reception was held on 26 September at the embassy building. Special guests at the event included Wojciech Gerwel – Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Jakub Chełstowski – Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship, Zbigniew Wojciechowski  – Deputy Marshal of the Lublin Voivodeship, as well as ambassadors and diplomats from other countries. The reception was also well attended by friends of the embassy from all walks of life, Chinese entrepreneurs and representatives of Chinese institutions in Poland, as well as Chinese people and students living and studying in Poland.

This year’s ceremony was special for several reasons. H.E. Ambassador Sun Linjiang gave a speech in Polish and Chinese. It was a very nice gesture on the part of Mr Ambassador to welcome the guests in Polish.

Here is an excerpt from his speech:

For seventy-four years under the strong leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, China has done two remarkable things: rapid economic development and long-term social stability. Over the past ten years, China’s contribution to global economic development has been 38.6%. At present, it can be seen that China’s economic situation is in a clear recovery phase. We are likely to achieve the expected GDP growth of around 5% for the full year. China’s economy is very resilient, has great potential and is full of energy for growth. Its strong fundamentals have not changed. We have the ability to promote sustainable economic development, and we are providing steady impetus to the recovery of the global economy. 

This year marks the tenth anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s introduction of the concept of “community of human destiny”. Over the past ten years, the practice of building a “community of human destinies” has been steadily developing. From bilateral to multilateral, regional to global relations, the concept has achieved comprehensive and innovative results. The Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative have established themselves, bringing tremendous development and stability to the world and creating prosperity. China has always been a builder of world peace and defender of international order, contributing to global development. China is willing to cooperate with all parties to promote the construction of lasting peace, universal security, common development, an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world, and jointly create a better future for mankind!

The Polish-Chinese friendship has a long history. Since the two countries established diplomatic relations 74 years ago, friendship and cooperation have become key to building mutual relations.

We are deepening high-level exchanges and strengthening our roles as leaders. President Xi Jinping and President Andrzej Duda maintain close ties, having met last year during the Beijing Winter Olympics. The two countries frequently hold ministerial dialogue, and vice ministers have introduced strategic dialogue. 

We are strengthening our practical cooperation in order to develop both countries and achieve benefits. Within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative and within the framework of cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, economic and trade cooperation between Poland and China maintains a stable development momentum.  China is Poland’s second most important trade partner. Poland is China’s largest trading partner in the CEE region. The value of bilateral trade between our countries amounted to more than USD 43 billion in 2022, an increase of 2.7% compared to the previous year. Chinese companies have invested around $4 billion in Poland. Recently, China and Poland signed an agreement on the export to China of Polish beef and blueberries, which will soon make it possible for the Chinese to enjoy the taste of Polish products.

We are strengthening cultural exchanges between our countries and our ties. We are maintaining friendly exchanges at all levels in fields such as culture, technology, education, sports and local affairs. The embassy already issues all types of visas to China. There are eight direct flights a week between our countries. Poland has been included in the list of destination countries for Chinese tourist groups.
I am convinced that more and more Chinese tourists will come to Poland.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,

After becoming Ambassador, I visited many beautiful places, made many friends, and came to understand Poland’s potential. China cherishes the traditional friendship with Poland, always treating Poland as a priority partner in Europe. I am ready to cooperate with all friends and promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Poland that benefits both nations.

At the end of his speech, H.E. the Ambassador, on the occasion of two holidays – the 74th anniversary of the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China and the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday – wished all the best to China and Poland, the longevity of Sino-Polish friendship, and health and happiness to all the guests and their families.

Wojciech Gerwel, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, was the second to speak. In his speech, he recognised China’s development achievements and the country’s role in promoting global peace, development and prosperity. He also expressed his wish to further deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

Another nice touch to the ceremony were the artists, both Chinese and Polish, who delighted the guests with their performances. The first to perform was the Chinese students’ choir ‘Fanghua’ (translated as ‘Flowers of Youth’), which sang the Chinese song ‘I love you, China’ and the Polish song ‘Kukułeczka kuka’. It is worth noting that for many years the song “Kukułeczka kuka” was one of the most recognisable Polish folk songs in China. In turn, one of the ten most important ancient Chinese melodies was presented by Chinese artists Yu Mingjie and Zhou Lei – a duet of Chinese traditional instruments guzheng and konghou – “Sunset on the xiao drum”. Oriental sounds filled the hall full of guests, and each piece performed was rewarded with applause.

 The concert by the Chinese artists was followed by the Song and Dance Ensemble “Śląsk”, well known to the Polish audience, who sang Polish folk songs: “Karolinka”, “Szła dzieweczka do laseczka”, and the Chinese folk song “Kołysanka chińska”. The artistic part concluded with a performance by the young Polish pianist Mikołaj Seroka, who played Chopin’s Polonaise in A flat major, Opus 53 and the Chinese folk song ‘River Liu Yang’.

The musical repertoire chosen for the ceremony was intended to emphasise the close ties linking the two countries, not only in the cultural field, but also in many other areas.

This was not the end to the surprises prepared by the evening’s hosts. There was also a culinary part with many original and tasty Chinese dishes, highly regarded not only in Poland. There was no end to the tasting of Chinese specialities and conversations. The event was attended by more than 600 people.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival is still little known in Poland, a few words about it below:

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

In China, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the second biggest Chinese holiday after Chinese New Year. It is
a solemn day that involves worshipping the moon and the deity associated with it. It is also a time when the Chinese enjoy spending the day with family and loved ones.

History of the Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival is estimated to be around 3,000 years old. Its origins can be traced back to the first recorded Shang dynasty, but it only began to be practised during the Zhou dynasty. In ancient China, offerings were made to the moon while praying for a good harvest in the coming year. Later, the very practice of admiring the moon became very fashionable. This inspired poets to create poems about it. Later, the day itself also became a romantic festival of love. During the Zhou Dynasty, the festival was mainly celebrated by rulers and aristocracy, but it was the Tang Dynasty that popularised it among ordinary citizens. On this day, they would gather with their families and have dinner together while admiring the moon. This is how the custom of celebrating together was born. The specific date of the festival was fixed during the Song dynasty and falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month according to the lunar calendar. Consequently, according to the Gregorian calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival always falls in a different month. However, it usually takes place between September and October. It is important to know that this is not an accidental date, because exactly on this day, the moon is the roundest and brightest of the other days of the year. In Chinese culture, it represents the unity and reunion of the family.

Traditional dishes of the Mid-Autumn Festival

Mooncakes

The most important food associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival are mooncakes. They come in different flavours depending on the region. For example, Cantonese-style mooncakes have a sweet dough but are often filled with duck or pork meat. However, the most popular mooncakes are filled with watermelon, red bean or lotus paste. The theme of the Mid-Autumn Festival is reuniting with loved ones and giving thanks. With their shape, the mooncakes symbolise not only the full moon, but also hope for the annual reunion with family and happiness.

Duck

This is a dish that is very popular during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Duck is seasoned in several different ways in every region of China. Sichuan cuisine roasts and salts it heavily, in Fujian they prepare it with taro (sweet potato), and the classic Peking duck is known for its slightly crispy skin and tender meat.

Crab

Crab is a speciality in Shanghai, as it is crab season in autumn. Usually eaten with ginger and in
a vinaigrette sauce, they are high in protein and amino acids. Reportedly, crabs prepare to lay eggs during the season, which the Chinese say gives their meat a better flavour.

Fruits

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chinese usually eat watermelons, pears, pomelos and pomegranates. The watermelon seeds symbolise fertility and their round shape symbolises family unity. In Shaanxi, it is often cut in the shape of a lotus, which is thought to bring good luck.

Pears are a homophone of the word ‘leave’, so the Chinese consider them a symbol of separation. However, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people eat them to prevent separation from their loved ones in the coming year. Sharing pears with other family members is avoided, as there is a superstition that one will then actually be separated.

The Chinese word for pomelo is very similar to the pronunciation of the word ‘blessing’. For this reason, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people sacrifice them to the moon with requests for blessings and good luck for the whole family.

The pomegranate, on the other hand, is a symbol of the desire to have children. The seeds inside are associated by the Chinese with the emergence of new life. Therefore, during the festival, pregnant women eat pomegranate seeds in the hope that the moon goddess will bless both them and their child.

Traditions and customs

Among the most important traditions is, of course, getting together with the family and having dinner together. If possible, this is best done outside, under the moon. On this day – as with Chinese New Year – the number of travellers in the country is huge. Chinese people return en masse to spend the next few days with their families.

Chinese people prepare for the festival with great joy, decorating the streets with traditional lanterns. Even primary school children prepare their own lanterns. Later, they hang them with their parents outside their flats and houses. It is also a good tradition to put interesting riddles on the lanterns, which other people then try to guess.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, there is also a parade with a traditional dragon dance. The shows take place in the evenings, when lanterns decorated in the streets can illuminate the entire dance. The dancers carry the dragon’s costume on high stilts so that they can move its body freely.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Tellus in metus vulputate eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin. Non blandit massa enim nec dui nunc mattis enim. Vestibulum rhoncus est pellentesque elit ullamcorper dignissim. Nulla porttitor massa id neque aliquam vestibulum. Odio euismod lacinia at quis risus sed vulputate odio. Laoreet sit amet cursus sit amet dictum. Elementum curabitur vitae nunc sed velit dignissim. Pulvinar elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac tincidunt vitae. Elementum integer enim neque volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis. Leo vel orci porta non.