Replica of the gazebo at West Flower Hall, in Tianjin
New Year in Beijing
Two short historic video clips
1. Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao celebrate New Year’s with their close staff and associates from West Flower Hall at the Great Hall of the people in Beijing, in 1972.
2. Deng Yingchao gives a live address, broadcast on CCTV to a delighted nation in 1988, at the start of Year of the Dragon.
West Flower Hall was built in the Ming Dynasty and known as Regent’s Palace. It is located inside the walls of the Forbidden City, and was the home and center of the work of Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao.
Deng Yinghao lived there until her passing 1992. Today this place and surrounding gardens are preserved as they were, with desks, lamps, chairs, paintings and pingpong table all in their original place, as if the couple have just walked out for some air and may return at any moment.
She says:
“Today is the Spring Festival. As a Chinese senior citizen, I would like to express my best wishes to people of all ethnic groups across the country, as well as to my compatriots in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, and overseas Chinese.
The Year of the Dragon is a symbol of auspiciousness. I wish you a happy family, good health, and a happy life. I wish you new progress and new and greater achievements in study and work.”
