What do "54" and "28" mean in "54 cannons firing" and "28 shots"? What do they mean?

The 54-gun salute symbolizes the 54 nationalities that took part in the first plenary session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and the 28-gun salute marks the 28 years of heroic struggle of the people under the leadership of the Chinese ****anufacturing party

China's implementation of the salute for ceremonies began with the founding of the country in August 1949. 28, to show that from the founding of the Chinese ****productivity party to the Chinese people **** and the founding of the country after 28 years of glorious history.

In mid-August, Gao Cunxin, commander of the special forces of the North China Military Region, conveyed the instructions of Commander Nie Rongzhen of the North China Military Region to the newly formed salute regiment of the Military Region: "The founding ceremony is scheduled to be held in the late afternoon of October 1, and the first item of the celebration is the playing of the national anthem, hoisting of the national flag, and firing of the salute; the salute is to be 54 doors, representing the 54 aspects of the CPPCC; and to sound the salute of 28 rounds. Representing the victory of the Chinese People's Revolutionary Struggle for 28 years under the leadership of the Chinese ****producing Party. This was set by Chairman Mao himself, and the task must be well accomplished. The Artillery Regiment consists of the North China Special Forces." Zhao Daman was the chief commander of the Salute Artillery Regiment, and Han Huaizhi, chief of staff of the Chariot Regiment, was the field commander. Then 108 mountain guns were transferred from Zhangjiakou and other places to serve as salutes for the Founding Ceremony. These salutes are mainly captured Japanese 75 mm nine-four type mountain guns, and Shanxi Arsenal imitation of Japanese mountain guns manufactured 75 mm one-four type mountain guns. The Japanese nine-four type mountain artillery gun body length of 1560 mm, the projectile weight of 6.34 kg (grenade), the range of 8300 meters, the whole gun weighs 536 kg. With the salvo, and then from each artillery unit to select the platoon, company and battalion cadres with good military and political quality, among them there are also combat heroes.

October 1, 1949, 3 p.m., the founding ceremony ceremony was held in Tiananmen Square, in the 108-gun salute fired 28 powerful sound of artillery, ushered in the birth of the Chinese people **** and the country. After the Founding Ceremony, according to Premier Zhou Enlai's instructions, the salute regiment of 108 guns as the country's precious cultural relics are all deposited in the specially built artillery depot, to be properly stored.

Before the Founding Ceremony, in September 21, 1949, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference opening ceremony, in front of the Hall of Huairen in Zhongnanhai fired a salute, then with nine salutes, fired 54 times. Later, when celebrating the 5th and 10th anniversaries of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), a ceremonial salute was fired, and the salute was still the same as that of the Mountain Cannon used in the Founding Ceremony.

Later in the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the 45th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the 50th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, as well as in 1990, Beijing, the 11th Asian Games, all fired a 28-gun salute. Many countries in the grand celebrations are fired when the salute, but the number of sound, sound time is also different. Such as the British monarch's birthday to fire 62, the opening and closing of Parliament to fire 41; the United States on the Fourth of July military camps across the country to fire 50 to show that the United States of America 50 states; May 9, 1945, the Soviet Union in the celebration of the victory of the anti-fascist war on the day of the salute to fire with 1,000 pieces of artillery 30 loud.

In accordance with international practice, the salute is divided into celebration salute and welcome salute two kinds of artillery. Firing the welcome salute is a grand ceremony to welcome the state guests of honor on one of the highest specifications of courtesy. Where the head of state, 21 shots; welcome foreign heads of government, then 19 shots. China fired the welcome salute began on June 13, 1961 to welcome the Indonesian President Sukarno ceremony. At that time, before President Sukarno's second visit to China, he asked our country to send eight fighter jets from the Air Force to escort the presidential plane before it arrived at the airport; and to fire a 21-gun salute at the welcoming ceremony at the airport in accordance with the international specifications for welcoming heads of state. Since China has never fired a welcome salute since the founding of the country, Premier Zhou Enlai gave the task of firing the salute to the ceremonial battalion of the guard division of the Beijing Garrison. Battalion Commander Wang Litang from the Tiananmen Management Office of the artillery storage preserved in the Founding Ceremony 108 salutes, selected 24 salutes, temporary organization of soldiers for training, and successfully completed the task. During the activities of welcoming state guests after this, there was still no welcome salute fired. In order to build up our salute artillery unit and make the ceremony of welcoming guests more in line with international practice, in June 1963, Premier Zhou Enlai instructed to build an additional salute artillery company in the Central Security Division. Division commander Zeng Shaodong will set up a salute company's task to the ceremonial battalion, the higher authorities will have carried out the Founding Ceremony salute task of an army 126 regiment familiar with the business of the cattle Maolin and other transfer into the ceremonial battalion, cattle Maolin as company commander, and three platoon commanders, 24 artillerymen, but also all from this unit towers out. And from the division and the other companies of the honor guard battalion drew dozens of people, formed a salute company. Those in the war years of outstanding performance, has long been decommissioned nine-four type of mountain guns, because the gun body is short, easy to carry, loud, and from the warehouse, "please out" to re-service. 6 horses will be 28 guns pulled to the Nanyuan ceremonial battalion. In order to make the sound of the salute fired neatly, the ordnance department was asked to organize a special person to improve the launching device of the artillery. At the beginning of the manual pull fire, and then improved to electric manipulation of firing. May 16, 1964, the Sudanese Armed Forces Supreme Council Chairman, Chairman of the Council of Ministers Abboud is the country began to formally use the salute to meet the first guest of state.