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But not everyone agrees. Zhang Tianyi, an undergraduate student at Beijing Foreign Studies University, says he would love to watch the National Day parade. But a notice from the school requiring him to participate had thrown awry all his summer plans, which included an internship, a tour to Shenzhen and a hometown visit.
Di Tao, a member of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, has clarified that students whose travel plans for the summer had been disrupted by the drills are entitled to a full refund of their tickets.
"I don't think it's bad that students have different ideas about the parade. They should be allowed to choose whether or not to participate," says Yang Yiyin, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
Meanwhile, at the Beijing No 2 Middle School, heavy rain forces the students to move indoors. But the drill continues.
"Today we'll practice standing, as we have to stand for a long time on National Day and it's not easy without practice," Ji tells his students.
They also practice waving flowers and flipping cards in measured movements.
In total, 900 students from Ji's school, including his daughter, will participate in the parade. They will hold a bunch of plastic flowers at Tian'anmen Square on Oct 1 to make the characters for "National Day" and "long live China".
As in previous parades, the country's leadership will inspect from the Tian'anmen Rostrum phalanxes of soldiers, students and others from all walks of life.
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