Beijing to dress up in its finest for anniversary

Various kinds of displays have been arranged throughout Beijing to immerse the capital in a festive atmosphere as it welcomes the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday.

Large themed flower beds along Chang'an Avenue, cultural relics exhibitions in the Summer Palace and some reopened historical sites inside Beihai Park are ready for the celebration of National Day. The holiday runs from Tuesday to Oct 7.

Some 230,000 national flags have also been unfurled at government offices, parks and squares.

In Tian'anmen Square on Thursday morning, a long line of visitors gathered outside the north entrance waiting to see the decorations in front of the Tian'anmen Gate and Jinshui Bridge for the grand celebration.

Xing Qing, a 55-year-old Beijing native, snapped a photo south of the Jinshui Bridge on Tuesday afternoon. Xing, a former member of the Beijing women's soccer team, said she was emotionally connected to the city and can't wait to see the upcoming celebrations.

"I hope to record every moment before and during the National Day holiday in Beijing to collect them as memories for the next generation," she said.

A giant basket-shaped flower arrangement is also expected to be installed in Tian'anmen Square.

In Beihai Park, buildings constructed for the birthday of the mother of Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) opened to the public on Friday. The complex covers 16,653 square meters.

"It's important to show the capital's historical and cultural values to people during the National Day holiday after the buildings' renovation was completed," said Hu Tong, deputy director of the park.

Exhibitions and activities are also being planned at the Beijing Botanical Garden. Rare species of plants from around the world soon will be unveiled.

Beijing will be illuminated by landscape lighting for the holiday week, the city's urban management committee said. More than 40 spots at Olympic Forest Park, the CBD area and Sanlitun shopping area in Chaoyang district will be lit up with themed light shows.

A light show in Tongzhou district, the capital subcenter, started on Thursday night along a 11.4-kilometer-long grand canal landscape belt.