Beijing starts 24-day night lighting for Olympics

badun

All decorative lighting facilities in Beijing were lit up on Friday evening and will continue through the end of the Olympics as the host city pledges to create beautiful night scenery during the Olympic Games.

During the 24-day campaign, the longest of its kind in the capital, lighting installations on major architecture and streets will shine from 7:40 PM to 11 PM between August 1 and August 7, the Municipal Administration Commission announced.

On August 8, the opening day of the Olympics, the lighting will last until 1:30 AM.

From August 9 to August 24, the lights will not be turned off until midnight.

An overhaul would be conducted on facilities in Tiananmen Square and eight urban districts. The commission was demanding regular safety checks during the display.

Beijing has more than 2,000 decorative lighting installations, including 200 new facilities that passed a tryout six days ago, according to Jia Jianping, head of the commission's night scene department.

Electricity-saving equipment was used in displays at major cultural sites, such as the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, parks, flyovers and along streets, said Jia, adding there was no need to worry about power supply.