Fan Peixian (first from the left) raised the national flag in the courtyard. Chen Zhiqing, get up! People who don't want to be slaves! Build our flesh and blood into our new Great Wall... "On the morning of October 1st, on a simple red brick flag raising platform in Fanjia Lane, Ningfeng Village, Changhe Town, Cixi City, Zhejiang Province, the melody of" March of the Volunteers "played. 75 year old veteran Fan Peixian waved his arm to display the flag, while his son Fan Xinyan steadily pulled the rope with both hands and slowly raised the national flag. Next to the flag raising platform, members of the Cixi Green Vest Veterans Volunteer Service Team and students from Baiyun Primary School saluted the military and Young Pioneers respectively, singing the national anthem in unison. Some villagers spontaneously came to the scene to watch the simple yet solemn flag raising ceremony. This is the 25th year that the Five Star Red Flag has flown in this rural courtyard. Persisting in raising the national flag every day was a rule set by my father before his death. ”Fan Pei said first. His father, Van der Kham, was a veteran of the Korean War who had just enlisted in 1951 and went abroad to fight with his troops. After retiring in 1957, Van der Kang first responded to the national call to support the construction of Ningxia, and then returned to his hometown to farm. My father often said that life at home is getting better and better, and we must always remember the kindness of the Party and serve our country. "Under the guidance of Van der Kang's words and deeds, Fan Peixian and Fan Xinyan successively embarked on the military career. In September 1999, Van der Koon was about to celebrate his 70th birthday, and the whole family discussed holding a birthday banquet for the elderly. After learning about it, Van der Koon held a "family meeting" and announced that the birthday banquet would be simplified, and the saved money would be used to build a flag raising platform. Afterwards, Van der Koon personally drew and designed a simple flag raising platform in his own yard, using three wooden sticks to form a flagpole that was over 10 meters high. On the morning of October 1, 2000, the whole family gathered in the courtyard, and Van der Kang put on his pre ironed Zhongshan suit early. At 7:30, the national anthem was played, and with the assistance of Fan Peixian, Van der Kang personally raised the five-star red flag. That day, more than 200 neighbors came to watch the ceremony, "Fan Peixian recalled. From that day on, regardless of wind or rain, the flag was raised in the morning and lowered in the evening without hesitation. Every National Day, the whole family rushes home to attend the flag raising ceremony. Villagers also come over, and when there are the most people, they can line up from the courtyard to the alley, "said Fan Peixian. In September 2019, Fanjia Xiaoyuan raised and lowered its flag nearly 7000 times. The flagpole connected with wood has been replaced with a more sturdy stainless steel flagpole. Over the past 19 years, there have been nearly 80 old national flags used at home, all of which have been treasured by Van der Koon in cabinets. As he grew older, Van der Kang's health deteriorated and the flag raising task fell on the shoulders of Fan Peixian and Fan Xinyan. Before his father's sickbed, Fan Pei made a promise: when he got old, he would let his son raise the flag, and when his son got old, he would have a grandson. As long as there is someone at home, the five-star red flag will be raised on time. On the morning of Van der Kham's death in early 2022, the five-star red flag was still raised on time in the Fan family courtyard. Nowadays, there are veteran volunteers and students from local primary and secondary schools attending the flag raising ceremony at Fanjia Courtyard. At the end of each flag raising ceremony, Fan Peixian and veteran volunteers will stay at the flag raising platform to share their military experience and the patriotism of three generations with the children gathered around them. (New Society)