large public square in Beijing, China: site of pro-democracy demonstrations (1989) leading to violent government suppression
See Tiananmen Square in American Heritage Dictionary 4
An extensive open area in central Beijing, China, the world's largest public square. Adjacent to the Forbidden City, it has long been the site of festivals, rallies, and demonstrations. In 1989 Chinese troops fired on student demonstrators, killing an estimated 2,000 or more.