On October 1, 1949, the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China (PRC) was grandly held in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, the capital of the PRC. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have achieved national independence, liberation of the people and the great unity of all ethnic groups, thus ushering in a new era in the history of China.

The scene shown in the oil painting The Founding Ceremony is the Tian'anmen Rostrum. Five red pillars are arranged on the left, and the artist boldly removes a pillar on the right to leave enough space for expression in the center of the painting. The festive atmosphere is created by the red tone of the carpet, red pillars, lanterns and the red flags in the square, while the red symbolizes a sense of solemnity and grandeur. On the Tian'anmen Rostrum, the leaders of the PRC announced to the world that the Chinese people had stood up. Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China, stands in front of the microphone. Behind him in the first row are the vice presidents, from left to right: Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Song Qingling, Li Jishen, Zhang Lan, and Gao Gang. The first person from the left in the second row is Premier Zhou Enlai. The first person from the left in the third row is Secretary-General of the Central People's Government Committee Lin Boqu.

This oil painting was created by Dong Xiwen in 1953, copied by Jin Shangyi and Zhao Yu in 1972, and modified by Yan Zhenduo and Ye Welin in 1979.