At the 2025 parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, 80,000 doves took to the skies in a magnificent spectacle. These doves all came from the households of nearly 10,000 ordinary citizens across 10 districts in Beijing. The Beijing Pigeon Fanciers Association initiated a voluntary collection campaign six months in advance, with each household contributing between 5 and 100 homing pigeons. Some families with a long tradition of pigeon-keeping actively participated, such as the Dong Yang family, which has been involved in releasing doves for national ceremonies for four generations, a feat regarded as "shared glory for the family and the nation."
2025年抗战胜利80周年阅兵仪式上，8万羽和平鸽振翅高飞，场面壮观。这些和平鸽均来自北京10个区的近万名普通市民家庭。北京市信鸽协会提前半年发起自愿征集，每户提供5 - 100羽家养信鸽。部分养鸽世家积极参与，像董洋家族四代都投身国典放飞，这被视为“家族与国家共同的荣光”。
Selecting these 80,000 doves from a pool of candidates was an extremely rigorous process. From over 600,000 candidate pigeons, the selection boasted a staggering 86.7% rejection rate. The selection criteria encompassed multiple aspects. In terms of health, the pigeons had to have no history of disease, pass physical examinations and vaccinations, and be free from parasitic infections. Regarding flying ability, they underwent regular "extra flight" training, with many "veteran performers" having participated in grand celebrations such as the 70th National Day and the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Stable homing ability was also crucial, with pigeons having long-distance flight experience, such as those that won the Beijing 1,000-kilometer national race, being given priority.
要从众多信鸽中选出这8万羽，选拔过程极为严苛。从超60万羽候选鸽中精选，淘汰率高达86.7%。选拔标准涵盖多方面，健康状况上，鸽子需无疾病史、通过体检与疫苗接种，确保无寄生虫感染；飞行能力方面，要日常进行“加飞”训练，不少“老演员”还曾参与国庆70周年、建党百年等盛典；归巢稳定性也很关键，具备长距离飞行经验，如北京市千公里国家赛冠军鸽会被优先选中。
To ensure the smooth participation of the doves in the parade, meticulous efforts were made in transportation and on-site coordination. Starting from the afternoon of September 2, after undergoing centralized inspections in each district, the doves were loaded into 12 specially designed release vehicles equipped with ventilation systems and water troughs. Staff members regularly replenished water and fed the pigeons easily digestible wheat grains before departure to minimize stress reactions. The release vehicles were positioned on the east and west sides of Tiananmen Square, taking advantage of the pigeons habit of turning around when encountering obstacles to create a soaring effect in the sky. Additionally, the vehicles entered the venue early in the morning to allow the doves to familiarize themselves with the surroundings.
为保障鸽子顺利参与阅兵，运输与现场调度工作细致入微。9月2日下午起，鸽子经各区集中检查后，装入配备通风设备和水槽的12辆特制放飞车，工作人员定时补水，出发前还喂食易消化的麦粒以减少应激反应。放飞车分列天安门广场东西两侧，利用鸽子遇障碍调头的习性形成空中盘旋效果，且凌晨提前入场让鸽子熟悉环境。
These doves also enjoyed special treatment. Each pigeon was adorned with an exclusive commemorative leg ring and received an honor certificate.Pigeon owners regarded them as "national heroes," and the government provided a subsidy of 15 yuan per pigeon. Some owners even adjusted their doves diets accordingly. After being released, the doves returned home at astonishing speeds. Pigeons from Haidian District reached their homes in as little as 3 minutes, while the entire flock from Shijingshan District returned within 15 minutes. A small number of lost doves received spontaneous assistance from citizens, and online searches were launched to find their owners. The release of the 80,000 doves embodied the concept that "national celebrations are co-created by the people," showcased the combination of biological instincts and scientific management, and highlighted the parades attention to environmental details, making it a warm and unforgettable moment during the ceremony.
这些和平鸽还享有特殊待遇。每羽鸽子都有专属纪念脚环和荣誉证书，鸽主视其为“国家功勋”，政府还补贴每羽15元，部分鸽主会额外调整食谱。放飞后，鸽子归巢速度惊人，海淀区鸽子最快3分钟就飞抵家中，石景山区鸽群15分钟全员归巢。少数迷途鸽子也得到市民自发救助并全网寻主。8万羽和平鸽的放飞，体现了“国家盛典由人民共创”的理念，生物本能与科学管理的结合，以及阅兵对环保细节的重视，成为阅兵仪式上温暖而难忘的一幕。
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