Photo: CCTV

The festive atmosphere of the Communist Party of China (CPC) centennial continued into the celebration gala aired on Thursday night, which enabled viewers to travel through the 100 years through the performances, shedding tears for revolutionary pioneers, for struggles on the path to independence and abundance like the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, expressing joy for moments that mark China's achievements like the Beijing Olympics and Hong Kong and Macao's return to the motherland.

Though the gala "Great Journey" ended at 10pm Thursday, public enthusiasm lasted into the  night and topics related to the gala swept the hot search list on Sina Weibo as of Friday. People extended their heartfelt appreciation to people who contributed and sacrificed for the nation and expressed pride and confidence in national rejuvenation.

Topping the search list on Friday morning was "He sees it" -- Chairman Mao looking up into the sky on the screen coincides with the launch of red and yellow star-shaped fireworks resembling the Chinese national flag.

Netizens believe that was a romanticized design to let Mao see the prosperous China in 2021 as he had hoped. Many people also posted other pictures such as Mao's statue waving to a busy street with skyscrapers standing alongside, and Mao's portrait on the wall facing livestreaming of the gala on the computer.

"Mao sacrificed six of his family members to China's revolutionary cause, and his beloved son Mao Anying never returned from the battlefield in Korea. But look, China today will not let him down!" a Weibo user posted.

An art performance titled "The Great Journey" is held in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, on the evening of June 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

Audiences were also deeply moved by the "reunion" of CPC co-founder Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao.

In a performance called "dawn," actors portraying Chen and Li in the hit TV drama Awakening Age revived an impassioned dialogue, the revolutionary predecessors' determination to save China in the dark days of the early 1900s through building a Marxism-guided party.

Jiang Langsha, a 31-year-old resident of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, said she felt a "spiritual shock" watching the program.

"I realize that 'the founding of CPC was an epoch-making moment' and not only a well-known sentence in our history books; it was the opening chapter of the great journey consisting of numerous pioneers' efforts and contributions," Jiang told the Global Times on Friday.

The return of Hong Kong and Macao in 1997 and 1999 and the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were portrayed at the grand gala as well, striking a chord with many viewers who had once witnessed these milestones.

Seeing the Olympic torch lit and Olympic rings raised once again at the Bird's Nest - the opening ceremony venue of the Beijing Olympics, Jiang said she was brought back 13 years when she watched the opening ceremony on TV as a teenager.

"I'm so proud of being a Chinese, seeing those flashbacks of how China became strong and prosperous under the Party's leadership," Jiang said, noting the country had taken a correct path to shake off colonial influence, to display its development with confidence and will continue on the path to achieve national rejuvenation.

An art performance titled "The Great Journey" is held in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, on the evening of June 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

People reached by the Global Times also said the gala, as well as the morning celebration and congratulations of all forms over the past few days, have become a shared topic among friends and families.

Starting Friday, Tiananmen Square reopened to the public and decorations will be kept until July 15 for people to take photos with. The square received 65,000 people in only a few hours from Friday sunrise to noon, Xinhua reported.  

"It [CPC centennial] is a moment that will become our generation's shared memory, and encourages us to carry on the mission inherited from predecessors. We are facing different challenges (from pioneers), but our love for the country and for people is the same. That will continue to light the path and guide us," a 27-year-old civil servant surnamed Xu based in Putian, East China's Fujian Province, told the Global Times on Friday.

Chinese civilization has the tradition of paying great attention to history and Chinese people have a strong connection to ancestors and predecessors. Contemporary generations can easily generate courage and inspiration by looking back at history, observers said, noting the grand festivities across China also informed some external forces not to misunderstand the reality of Chinese society — CPC has acquired legitimacy through its leadership and is embraced by 1.4 billion Chinese people. 

An art performance titled "The Great Journey" is held in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, on the evening of June 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)