Farmers dance on the street in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet autonomous region, on Thursday to celebrate the Serfs Emancipation Day.JOGOD / XINHUA

A flag-raising ceremony was held on Thursday morning in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet autonomous region, to mark the 54th anniversary of the abolition of feudal serfdom.

Some 3,000 people watched the ceremony at the square in front of the Potala Palace following a week of celebratory activities including dancing, singing and Tibetan opera.

Thursday marks the fifth Serfs Emancipation Day. In January 2009, Tibet's lawmakers designated March 28 as a memorial day for the 1959 democratic reform in Tibet.

The reform ended the era of feudal serfdom and freed about 1 million serfs and slaves, who at the time accounted for more than 95 percent of the region's population.

Tsering Phel, 72, of Damxung county on the outskirts of Lhasa, was born a serf. She said she remembers the eight serf families in her hometown used to suffer from hunger, cold and bullying by slave owners.

"After the reform, our fate changed," she said. "There are no more serfs. Women and men have equal status."

She said it was the fifth time she had attended the national flag-raising ceremony.

"By watching the ceremony, I want to show my support and gratitude. I also taught my children and grandchildren to be grateful for their comfortable lives today," she said.

Kunsang, 63, a retired soldier in Lhasa who also attended the ceremony, said his parents used to be serfs and his childhood years were dominated by hunger and poverty.

"The bygone hardships are unimaginable today," he said. "With favorable policies from the central government, retirees like me are taken care of, with basic living necessities and healthcare guaranteed."