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A grand performance is staged in the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, on the Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2009.(Xinhua/Zhang Ling)
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BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The grand National Day evening gala on Tian'anmen Square warmed up when about 60,000 people began dancing to the popular song "I Love China" Thursday evening.
At the center of the square, about 4,000 performers in a huge formation waved large peony bouquets and formed Chinese knots. When music changed, flowers and knots were suddenly replaced by an ocean of red ribbons.
In Chinese culture, peony is a symbol of prosperity and Chinese knots an auspicious gift of blessing and unity. Red ribbons are widely used at celebrations.
At the southern end of the square, behind a 1,000-member chorus, a 90-meter-long, 25-meter-high screen-like installation was set up for firework display.
There will be three pieces of firework drawings on the installation during the gala -- gunpowder was arranged on thousands of spots on the screen and they would be lighted in a preset order to "draw" pictures.
The "drawings" showed the beautiful landscape of China. Sun, mountains and a waterfall appeared on the screen one by one.
"The fireworks at the evening gala is more varied than any previous National Day gala," said Cai Guoqiang, the firework designer.
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A grand performance is staged in the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, on the Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2009.(Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
Photo Gallery>>> |
Civilian pageant highlights China's 60-year rise to world stage
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Civilian formations marched in Tian'anmen Square as another centerpiece of the National Day fete marking the 60th birthday of the People's Republic of China.
Leading the mass pageant was the formation presenting the national flag and national emblem. A total of 1,949 young men held up and escorted the flag, the largest-yet displayed during China's national day parades in Tian'anmen. The flag weighs about 150 kilograms and covers nearly 600 square meters, bigger than a basketball court. Full story
Civilian parade begins on Tian'anmen Square
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Civilian paraders marched through Tian'anmen Square Thursday morning as another centerpiece of the National Day fete to mark the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
Leading the mass pageant was the formations presenting the national flag and national emblem. Full story
Chinese wish for national unity, reunification in festive parade
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese people expressed their desire for national unity and reunification Thursday morning in a mass procession celebrating the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
Following a grand military parade, the mass procession, in 35 formations with different themes, began at around 11:20 a.m. in front of the famous Tian'anmen Rostrum at the heart of Beijing. Full story
Final children parade looks into better future
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A parade of about 5,000 children with colored balloons and wreaths in hand walked by Tian'anmen Rostrum in central Beijing Thursday, along with a float in the shape of a giant basket filled with flowers, in celebration of the60th founding anniversary of New China.
The square formation called "Tomorrow will be better" was the largest and final one in the mass pageant. The float named "Flourishing flowers" was also the final of 60 running through the mass pageant. Full story
Foreigners take part in China's National Day parade
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- China, for the first time, had a formation composed of foreigners for its National Day celebration parade since the founding of New China in 1949, a sign of its increased openness to the outside world.
A total of 181 foreigners from 53 countries participated in the parade. Dozens of foreigners wore Chinese-style dresses or their national costumes on the float themed "One World", and others marched in T-shirts with "I love China" on them and waving China's national flags. Full story
Dazzling Taiwan float joins "Splendid China" formation
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Applause and cheers engulfed Tian'anmen Square Thursday morning when a float featuring the scale model of Taiwan's landmark 101 Tower and colorful local fruits appeared at the celebrations of New China's 60th founding anniversary.
The dazzling float of the "Treasure Island" was the last one of the "Splendid China" formation to pull into the square at the heart of Beijing, following 33 others representing China's 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. Full story
Overseas Chinese show love of China
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Overseas Chinese attended the parade on Thursday morning for China's 60th National Day celebration to show their attachment to the country where they were originated from.
The formations, passing Tian'anmen Square, featured two huge red Chinese knots, decorative handicraft which began as a form of art in the Tang and Song dynasties in China. The handicraft is normally used to convey "unity" and "harmony". Full story
Float demonstrates Chinese cultural prosperity
BEIJING, Oct.1 (Xinhua) -- A float with a shining fan-shaped picture of traditional Peking opera performer on a civilian parade formation showcased Chinese cultural prosperity since the founding of the People's Republic of China six decades ago.
Paraders dressed in long-sleeved shirts and white pants marched past the Tian'anmen Rostrum. A banner on the float reads "promoting the socialist cultural development and prosperity". Full story
Float depicts China's rural transformation at National Day parade
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Jubilant Chinese farmers performed folk dance on a float moving past Tian'anmen Square Thursday morning, revealing their rejoice at New China's grandest National Day parade.
With a theme of "Constructing the socialist new countryside", the float was surrounded by farmer representatives wearing colorful folk clothes and waving wheatears. Full story
Special Report: 60th Anniversary of Founding of PRC
