beijing speech long refreshments austere zhang weiguo communist party official hubei province central china thrill strongly persuasive infectious cohesive rally-appeal zhang say chinese president party boss xi jinping give nearly three-and-a-half hour speech beijing cavernous great hall people kick 19th communist party congress come auditorium feel infect motivation infinitely enhance scene far cry convention democratic republican party unite state rock concert-like atmosphere balloon fall rafter raucous cheer crowd instead delegate wear conservative business suit turn page speech unison clap politely cue give start china 's important political event five years vibe academic conference party politics chinese characteristics delegate china dozens ethnic minority group require always wear traditional costume often elaborate headgear news photographers swarm olympian wear national team jacket military men women well police don crisp uniform include xi wear red identifications badge enter great hall event require airport-level security check x-ray machine metal detectors outside food drink allow journalists many queue rain since dawn permit one mobile phone inside xi lay vision strong confident china stretch decades future speech subject intensive study party members across country come months serve model content language still marathon even chinese politicians standards audience doze need refreshment uniform servers stand order height pour tea hot water great hall people paper cup outside main auditorium one server present 18th party congress five years ago say nothing change everything service get good though say stage party powerful central committee former leaders sit host host periodically march wing unison pour fresh steam water porcelain mug two-hour mark start take toilet break luo jialin member sichuan province delegation rush post office great hall people buy five book congress-themed stamp great hall postmark 450 yuan 68 commemorative want bring back home say luo speech broadcast live image group people watch quickly circulate social media doctor hospital tibetan monks prisoners detention center even children kindergarten one post show cat sit front tv broadcast speech print copy xi speech foreign reporters produce 12 languages include lao portuguese eight five years ago chinese version run 68 page picture seldom-seen 91-year-old former president jiang zemin peer copy chunky magnify glass fly across internet late someone identify jiang magnify glass german-made post picture ad taobao price tag 1,598 yuan 240 6.6219 chinese yuan renminbi long speech lot tea party meet chinese characteristics