Tian'anmen Square Attracts Tourists from All Directions on China National Day

Anchor: As a tradition for China's National Day, a flower bed display on the world largest city-center square, Tian'anmen square has always been a major attraction for tourists from home and abroad. This year's setting, however, is a little different from the previous ones.

Our reporter Yao Yongmei takes a closer look.

The tradition of displaying flower bed at Tian'anmen square could be traced back to 1985 when Beijing decided to decorate the square with flower settings designed to reflect the social and economical development of the country.

On the heels of last year's 60th anniversary parade, this year, the flower display is taking on a more natural look.

Xing Yu, Chief designer of the flower bed, says that the shape symbolizes the prosperity of the country.

"The display this year is themed as 'flower prosperity'. The central flower bed stretches 50 meters in diameter and is 3 metres high. It shapes like a peony flower and two streamline green belts were placed on both sides of the square."

A local Beijing resident who comes to the square every year to see the display says that the size this year is significantly smaller than before.

"Because it is not a big historical year like last year, and I think the government is trying to be economical, so it's not too extravagant."

Even so, travelers from abroad are still amazed by the massive arrangement of flowers.

"They are very beautiful, love the colors, and I think they obviously have gone through a lot of troubles to make it look very attractive, especially now, ya, it's great!"

"They look terrific, absolutely great, the fountain's terrific and the flower bed is beautiful. There's nothing like this in Australia. This is unbelievable, this is great."

Standing at the center of the country's capital, Liu Chunhua,a traveler from northeastern China's Jilin Province, expresses her feeling about the radical change of the country.

"We have benefited so much from the country after the implementation of the opening up and reform policy. Take the flood in our province this year for example, without the help from our nation, we couldn't get through. Two of my relative's houses were flushed away and now they have their new houses built with the money from the government within just two months."

The flower bed display will be removed after the National Day holiday, which lasts from the Oct 1st to the 7th.

For CRI, I am Yao Yongmei.