BEIJING -- A ceremony was held on Friday to commemorate the 155th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a great national hero, patriot, and forerunner of China's democratic revolution.

The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, held the ceremony in downtown Beijing's Zhongshan Park, which is named after Dr. Sun.

Flowers were laid in front of a statue of Dr. Sun by officials from the CPPCC National Committee, the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and the Beijing municipal government. Those participating in the ceremony bowed three times in front of the statue to pay their respects.

Born in 1866 in Xiangshan county (now Zhongshan city) in South China's Guangdong province, Dr. Sun is known for his leading role during the 1911 Revolution, which overthrew the imperial Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and put an end to more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China.