"Due to the huge noisy crowd waiting in the square for the ceremony, instead of hearing the national anthem being performed live by the military band, all I heard were the drumbeats and all I saw of the flag-raising was the flag itself but nothing of the flagmen's activities," Shao complained. Shao was only one of about 250,000 viewers who flooded the square for the ceremony that morning.

In the week-long National Day holiday, Beijing is bulging with tourists from many walks of life and from many corners of the nation.

Though traffic in Beijing's main streets is not as heavy as it usually is in daytime, cabs and private cars carrying passengers eager to view the night lights in Tiananmen Square jam Chang An Avenue until midnight.

Flowers and lamps dot residential districts making patterns and Chinese characters which say things like Happy National Day.

"It's easier to shot better pictures of the city at night because of the display of lights," a Beijing Daily photographer said.

The holiday is being called China's 7th tourism "gold season." In 20 major catering enterprises in Beijing, customers added up to 60,000 per day since Oct. 1, up 12 percent from a year earlier, and their turnover rose by 29 percent.

However 60 percent of residents in the three big cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are keen to visit nearby sights instead of dashing to the hot spots as previously.

Zoos, amusement parks and big parks are the latest choice for some Chinese. "Visitors in Beijing Zoo outnumber the monkey there by tens of folds," said a mid-aged man surnamed Zhang. "I'd rather say it's monkeys visiting human beings there."

The Beijing resident decided to try the city railway system newly put into trial operation to see about the northern part of the city with his family.

"I cannot see any difference between the city railway carriage and the traditional train," he mother said. "But it's nicer than the train!" her grandson adjoined instantly.

While Zhang and his family were enjoying their hometown, Chen Lijing had left her hometown, Baoding in Hebei Province, to visit Beijing with her son.

"While I was working in the factory, my income could only buy bread for my family. We could not afford the fee and spirit to travel," said Chen, 38, who was laid off from a textile mill two years ago.

"At that time, I was really knocked down because of my age and lack of skill," Chen said.

"But now, with the help of my sisters and the government allowance for reemployment, I started my new career selling breakfasts," Chen said, adding she is planning to run a mini- supermarket.

"I made a deal with my son to visit Guilin if he studies well." Chen added.

"And to visit Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand as well!" her 11- year-old son added impatiently.

(China Daily October 4, 2002)