Yan Zhen, a member of the PLA Guards of Honor, sheds a tear during the 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony at the National Stadium in Beijing on Friday. BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS
A People's Liberation Army soldier has become a well-known figure in China's cyberspace after a photo of him experiencing an emotional moment went viral online.
Yan Zhen, a member of the PLA Guards of Honor, was photographed by a Reuters journalist during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest.
In the photo, a teardrop was running down the young soldier's face as he took part in the ceremony to raise the national flag at the Games.
"I was standing on the stage with my heart full of pride," the soldier, in his early 20s, told Xinhua News Agency after the photo gained wide public attention online.
"I was thinking that all of the prosperity and power of my motherland were gained through so many people's struggle and devotion. My feeling at that moment was a mixture of pride and affection, so I just couldn't hold back my tears."
In an interview with China Central Television, Yan said: "As a member of the flag-raising team for the opening ceremony, we knew that the national flag is a symbol of national dignity and pride. My chest was filled with pride at that moment."
The photo of a tear running down the honor guard's face went viral on Chinese social media platforms and touched a lot of people.
The most liked comment related to the event on CCTV News' WeChat account said, "Why are my eyes always brimming with tears? Because I love this land so deeply," quoting the famous Chinese poet Ai Qing (1910-96).
Another comment read, "I was moved by the soldier's love of our country."
Many netizens said they also shed tears when reading Yan's story.
Yan said he is in the fifth year of his service in the PLA Guards of Honor, which is stationed in northwestern suburbs of Beijing.
He was selected for the opening ceremony's flag-raising team after rounds of tests and then took part in a three-month training session.
His commanding officer Han Jie told CCTV that young honor guards like Yan practiced the flag-raising procedure many times each day so they could show an outstanding image to the world.
Founded in March 1952, the PLA Guards of Honor is the highest ceremonial unit inside the Chinese military.
