In the crowd

After eight years of escorting the flag, Chu said his only regret was not having witnessed a flag-raising or lowering ceremony as an audience member.

But Zhang Zixuan managed to do so when he returned to Beijing after a visit to his hometown. One scene deeply touched him, he said.

A father standing in front of him carried his son on his shoulders, while the boy's mother supported the child from the back. The family of three was overjoyed watching the formation marching from the Golden Water Bridge to enter the square and lower the flag.

"It felt completely different when you stood among the audience," Zhang Zixuan said. "That kind of atmosphere and enthusiasm are something you can never feel while being in the formation."

After years of raising and lowering the ensign, Zhang Zixuan said he has realized the importance of the national flag as a unifying symbol.

"It represents the dignity and the image of a country. Every day people come here to watch the ceremony," he said.

"The moment we step on the avenue in perfect unison and the moment I unfurl the flag, the perfect display is to let people see and feel from the bottom of their hearts that our army is strong. And only when the army is strong, can the country be strong and peaceful," he said.