This Day, That Year: April 22

Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

On April 22, 1958, after six years of construction, the Monument to the People's Heroes was completed on Tian'anmen Square in Beijing to commemorate the martyrs of revolutionary struggle during the 19th and 20th centuries.

The monument is 37.94 meters high, covering an area of about 3,100 square meters. It contains 17,000 pieces of marble and granite.

The lower plinth depicts the country's revolutionary movement－the destruction of opium at Humen in 1839, the Jintian Uprising in 1851, the Wuchang Uprising in 1911, the May 4th Movement in 1925, the Nanchang Uprising in 1927, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign in 1949.

An item from April 6, 1982, in China Daily showed students holding a ceremony in memory of the heroes during the Tomb Sweeping Festival.

It is estimated that China has about 20 million martyrs. However, only 1.93 million have been named in the government's directory, while the rest could not be identified. The number has grown by about 300 annually in recent years.

In 2014, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, set Sept 30 as Martyrs' Day to honor those who sacrificed their lives for national independence and prosperity.

Observers said Martyrs' Day would encourage the Chinese people to contribute to the country's renewal.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs announced that China will set up dedicated cemeteries for military personnel and their relatives as a way to honor their service and enhance national identity and pride.

The remains of more than 1.4 million martyrs are resting in around 4,200 protected memorials, ranging from cemeteries to columbaria, according to the ministry.