Two set of garments worn by Zhou Enlai (1898-1976), the first premier of the People's Republic of China (PRC), at international diplomatic conferences during the 1950s went on display in Shanghai on Monday. Photo: screenshot from CCTV

Two set of garments worn by Zhou Enlai (1898-1976), the first premier of the People's Republic of China (PRC), at international diplomatic conferences during the 1950s went on display in Shanghai on Monday, drawing netizens' tributes to this well-respected leader.

Located in the memorial hall of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a memorial museum in Shanghai, an exhibition of Zhou Enlai's possessions during his diplomatic career kicked off with an opening ceremony on Monday as the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC approaches, according to media reports. 

The trench coat and a modern Chinese tunic suit, which Zhou wore separately at The Geneva Conference and The Bandung Conference, went on public display for the first time.

Wearing the dark blue trench coat, Zhou, along with other members of the Chinese delegation, attended The Geneva Conference in 1953 and actively proposed solutions to help the conference out of a deadlock. 

In 1954, Zhou, wearing a light modern Chinese tunic suit, attended The Bandung Conference. His proposal of "the need to seek common ground while reserving differences" pushed China's call of a foreign policy of peace to the world.

"We chose to hold this important exhibition to pay tribute to Zhou days before July 1, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, as he was an important figure who helped China build a brand-new image on the international stage through these conferences," Zhang Yuhan, director of the display research department in the museum, told China News.

Zhang told the news organization that "the descendants of Premier Zhou accidentally found those clothes at home. They would like to find a place where they can present the clothes to the rest of the world."

The topic "trench coat and modern Chinese tunic suit worn by Zhou Enlai displayed for the first time" has been trending on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo, with over 240 million views as of press time. Chinese netizens expressed admiration and respect for Zhou, with some saying that "Premier Zhou is a real idol in China." 

Some netizens paid tribute to Zhou by posting old photos and precious footage of Zhou on social media, to express their gratitude for his contributions to China's diplomacy. 

Zhou's famous remark "to study for the rise of China" was the most quoted by Chinese netizens to show their respect on Sina Weibo.

Other items among Zhou's personal belongings such as a rug, a calendar and pencils, as well as the commemorative stamps, and historical photos are also being showcased during the exhibition.

Global Times