Avenue blooms with flowers to mark victory

Visitors have been making a beeline for Beijing's Chang'an Avenue over the past few days to admire the floral installations that have been put up to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Ten three-dimensional displays now adorn the stretch between Jianguomen and Fuxingmen, transforming the capital's central boulevard into a vibrant commemoration ahead of the grand parade on Sept 3.

"The five installations on the eastern side depict the heroic and inspiring victories of the Chinese nation. The five displays on the western side, on the other hand, showcase the remarkable achievements of the new era in the journey toward national rejuvenation," said Song Xuemin, a senior official at the Beijing Forestry and Parks Bureau.

The installations feature more than 100 varieties of flowers and plants, including 40 new species cultivated by various research institutes in the capital that are being showcased for the first time. Crops such as millet, sorghum and sugarcane have also been integrated into the designs, a first for the city's floral projects, to depict the self-reliance and agricultural resilience of the war years, Song said.

One of the highlights of the floral exhibition is the "Ode to the Yellow River" installation, which combines sound, mist effects and flowing water to portray the Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River as the patriotic composition Defend the Yellow River plays in the background.

Visitors have been making the most of the installations, with teenagers posing in front of them with victory signs, while others paid their respects to war heroes by saluting the installations.

A Beijing resident surnamed Zhang, who is in her 70s, summed up the mood of the people. "I love this set of displays. I've come to Chang'an Avenue specifically to see them. ... We live happy lives today thanks to the heroes who sacrificed their lives back then," she said.

Adding to the grandeur of the installations are thousands of flowers that have been planted to cover an area of more than 3,200 square meters, and rose-themed decorations at five key bridges. All the installations will remain on display through the National Day holiday in October.

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn