China concluded its V-Day commemorations on Wednesday (Sept. 3), with 80,000 doves and 80,000 balloons released into the sky over Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing.
All doves were provided by members of the Beijing Racing Pigeon Association, said Sun Peng, secretary-general of the association. District pigeon associations conducted individual inspections of each bird before all doves were centrally housed in 12 release vehicles.
The arrangement of the release vehicles also took into account the birds' behavioral traits. "When doves encounter obstacles during flight, they tend to turn around. This characteristic helps them form circling patterns over Tian'anmen Square," Sun said. When doves released eastward meet those flying westward, they change direction, creating a swirling effect in the sky.
After about 15 minutes of release, Wang Qilai, a pigeon keeper in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, welcomed his pigeons home with excitement. He climbed onto his balcony and blew his whistle to greet them!
Each racing pigeon participating in the release event received a special commemorative leg band and certificate. Netizens commented, "The 'Gugu Team' has done a great job!" and "One pigeon's honor brings glory to the whole family."
However, some users reported encountering a pigeon that seemed to have lost its way. While some commenters suggested that the pigeon "might just be resting," it's not uncommon for pigeons to get lost along the way, with some even "taking" other pigeons home.
If you encounter a lost pigeon, you can offer it some water and food; the leg band also contains the owner's information, so you can contact them.
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