Fireworks light up the sky over Pearl River in Guangzhou on Thursday night, February 7, to celebrate 2008 the year of rat. [photo by Guangzhou Daily]

[photo by Information Times]

[photo by Information Times]

More than 500 thousand people turned out to watch a fireworks display to welcome the Lunar New Year in Guangzhou Thursday (Feb. 7) despite cold winter days in Guangzhou recently.

Starting 8:30 p.m. over Pearl River, the display lasted for 30 minutes, 5 minutes more than last year.

Spectators were impressed by a pattern of Arabic numerals "2008" displayed in 150 metre-high sky, which stands for the year of Beijing Olympic Games. With a diameter of 60 metres, this new style of firework pattern lasted for 40 seconds.

Source: english.gz.gov.cn