National Day of the Republic of China

National Day of the Republic of China
A symbol often seen during Double Ten Day (it is the combination of two characters for "10" (十)
Also called	Double Tenth Day, Double Ten Day
Observed by	Republic of China
Type	Historical, cultural, nationalist
Celebrations	festivities, including fireworks and concerts
Date	October 10
Next time	10 October 2024 (2024-10-10)
Frequency	annual

The National Day of the Republic of China (traditional Chinese: 國慶日; simplified Chinese: 国庆日; pinyin: Guóqìng Rì), also referred to as Double Ten Day or Double Tenth Day (traditional Chinese: 雙十節; simplified Chinese: 双十节; pinyin: Shuāngshíjié), is the national day of the Republic of China (ROC). It commemorates the start of the Wuchang Uprising of October 10, 1911 (10-10 or double ten), which led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in China and establishment of the ROC on January 1, 1912.

As a result of the Chinese Civil War, the government of the Republic of China lost control of mainland China and relocated to Taiwan in December 1949. National Day is now mainly celebrated in Taiwan, but is also celebrated by some overseas Chinese.

Celebration in Taiwan

Generalissimo and former ROC President Chiang Kai-shek presiding over the 1966 Double Ten celebrations.

During the establishment of the ROC, Taiwan was under Japanese rule, which began in 1895. In 1945, after surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II, Taiwan was placed under the control of the ROC.

In Taiwan, the official celebration begins with the raising of the flag of the Republic of China in front of the Presidential Building, along with a public singing of the National Anthem of the Republic of China. It is then followed by celebrations in front of the Presidential Building; from time to time, a military parade may occur. Festivities also include many aspects of traditional Chinese and/or Taiwanese culture, such as the lion dance and drum teams, and cultural features coming from Taiwanese aborigines are integrated into the display in recent years. Later in the day, the President of the Republic of China would address the country and fireworks displays are held throughout the major cities of the island. In 2009, all government sponsored festivities for the Double Ten Day were cancelled, and the money intended for the festivals (NT$ 70 million) were reallocated for reconstruction of the damage done by Typhoon Morakot.

National Day Military Parade

The 1950 Double Ten celebration.

Students holding Sun Yatsen placards during the 1965 Double Ten celebration.

Republic of China Army Tanks in front to the Presidential Office during the 1966 Double Ten celebration.

Ma Ying-jeou during the 2010 Double Ten celebration.

Cadets from the ROC Military Academy on march during the 2011 Double Ten celebration.

In the past, the Military of the Republic of China has traditionally put on a military parade. During this parade, troops and equipment are marched past a reviewing platform in front of the Presidential Building. Typically, foreign ambassadors, military officers, and other representatives and dignitaries are invited to view the parade.

The parade has been held intermittently during the period of the Republic of China on Taiwan. The military parade on October 10, 1949 was the first public military parade held in Taiwan with Chen Cheng serving as the Grand Review Officer. The 1964 National Day parade was struck by tragedy when a low flying airforce F-104 Starfighter fighter aircraft struck a Broadcasting Corporation of China tower, causing the plane's fuel tank to fall and kill three people including a woman and her baby in front of the Central Weather Bureau building in downtown Taipei. The other two remaining F-104 aircraft were ordered to look for the crashed aircraft and accidentally collided and crashed in Tucheng City, Taipei County (now New Taipei City) killing both pilots. The parade was not held again until 1975. When Chen Shui-bian became President, the parade was not held until 2007 and then it was entitled a "Celebration Drill" and not a traditional military parade. Since Ma Ying-jeou became president, one parade has been held on the centenary celebrations of the Double Tenth Day.

List of Republic of China National Day Parades

Parade Year	Exercise Name	Grand Review Officer	Venue	Parade Commander	Number of Troops	Remarks
2011		Ma Ying-jeou	Taipei		1,000+	The centennial event featured a skydiving show of 12 paratroopers of the Army Airborne Training Center above the plaza in front of the Presidential Office. Military parade involving 1,000+ personnel, 71 aircraft and 168 vehicles. On the part of the ground troops only the ROCAF Honor Guard Battalion and the ROCAF Composite Headquarters Band joined the parade on behalf of the armed forces.
2007	同慶操演	Chen Shui-bian	Taipei	Wu Sihuai	3,000	Exhibitions presented on national defense, non-traditional military parade
1991	華統演習	Lee Teng-hui	Taipei	Ro Wenshan	12,566	ROC Eightieth Anniversary (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)
1988	光武演習	Lee Teng-hui	Taipei	Chen Tingchong	13,166	ROC Eightieth Anniversary (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)
1987		Chiang Ching-kuo	Taipei			It was the last military parade held during Chiang Ching-kuo's administration. It was held on October 11, the day after the Double Ten Day celebrations due to Chiang's ailing condition.
1986		Chiang Ching-kuo	Taipei			ROC Seventy-Fifth Anniversary (Diamond Jubilee)
1982		Chiang Ching-kuo	Taipei
1981	漢武演習	Chiang Ching-kuo	Taipei	Hsu Li-nung	11,966	ROC Seventieth Anniversary (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6)
1980		Chiang Ching-kuo	Taipei
1978	漢威演習	Chiang Ching-kuo	Taipei	Chiang Chung-ling
1975	大漢演習	Yen Chia-kan	Taipei	Zhang Jiajun
1964	興漢演習	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Hau Pei-tsun		Two F-104 aircraft collided after an air formation, killing both pilots
1963	復漢演習	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Yuan Guo-Zheng	15,370
1961	復興演習	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Cheng Wei-yuan		ROC Fiftieth Anniversary (Golden Jubilee)
1960	鼎興演習	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Chu Yuan-Cong
1957	中興演習	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Hu Xin	12,000
1956	光復演習	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Liu Dinghan	21,500
1955	光華演習	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Cheng Wei-yuan
1954	n/a	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Xu Rucheng		Artillery battle underway in Quemoy. Flyby aircraft requisitioned for defense of Quemoy.
1953	n/a	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Zhou Yuhuan	19,000
1952	復華演習	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Tang Shou-chi	10,046
1951	n/a	Chiang Kai-shek	Taipei	Ai Ai		ROC Fortieth Anniversary
1949	n/a	Chen Cheng	Taipei	Unknown		First military parade held in Taiwan under the control of the Republic of China.

Celebration outside of Taiwan

Other countries

Banners and flags hanging in Montreal's Chinatown in celebration for the 100th National Day

Overseas Chinese played a key role in the birth of the ROC since the nation’s founding father Sun Yat-sen, a medical doctor by training, received financial support mainly from the overseas Chinese communities abroad to overthrow the imperial Qing dynasty and establish the second republic in Asia in 1912. Outside of Taiwan, the National Day is also celebrated by many Overseas Chinese communities. Sizable National Day parades occur yearly in the Chinatowns of San Francisco and Chicago.

Hong Kong

2012 Double Ten Day Celebration in Hong Kong.

The ROC National Day was a public holiday in Hong Kong until the government of the United Kingdom cut its diplomatic ties with the ROC Government. After the civil war in mainland China, the National Day was celebrated in regions inhabited by Chinese patriots who remained loyal to the Republic, such as Tiu Keng Leng. Before the sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred to the PRC in 1997, many ROC supporters there would display patriotic and colorful flags (mainly the national flag of ROC) to celebrate the National Day. Taiwan agencies such as the Kwang Hwa Information and Cultural Center in Hong Kong have annually held a public ceremony to celebrate the National Day of ROC with members of pro-ROC private groups. The day continues to be celebrated in Hong Kong after the transfer of sovereignty to the mainland, but the national flags publicly shown have been removed by Police of Hong Kong ever since July 1997. Flag-raising ceremony at Hung Lau, Tuen Mun, Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary base, is the most noticeable event.

Mainland China

As the Communist Party of China seized control of mainland China in 1949, October 10 is now celebrated in the People's Republic of China as the anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution and the Wuchang Uprising.

See also

• History of the Republic of China
• 10/10/1943 uprising against the Japanese occupation of British Borneo
• Hong Kong 1956 riots
• Double Tenth Agreement

External links

• Republic of China Centenary Foundation (Chinese (Taiwan))