Tian'anmen Square and its surrounding area, the center of Beijing, has been spruced up for a host of important celebrations to mark New China's 60 birthday on October1.

Visitors, eagerly swarming to the square to absorb the festive atmosphere before Thursday, are having to spend more time, and stand in long queues in drizzle Tuesday waiting to pass security checks before they make their way on to the square.

Tian'anmen Rostrum to the north of the square has been decorated with eight huge red lanterns, a brand new portrait of Mao Zedong, and two banners reading "Long Live the People's Republic of China" and "Long Live the Unity of All People of the World".

Three temporary reviewing stands capable of accommodating 10,000 people have been erected in front of both wings of the rostrum and on the northern side of the Great Hall of the People. Red carpets have been rolled out to complement the stands.

On the square itself, the Monument to the People's Heroes has been thoroughly cleaned, while to the north of the monument stands upright a portrait of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a forerunner of the Chinese democratic revolution.

Jia Yingting, deputy chief of Tian'anmen Area Administrative Committee, said Tuesday four giant electronic screens, erected around the square for the first time this year to air slogans and video programs, added a sense of dynamism to the square.

The most eye-catching objects on the square are 56 huge pillars, planted along its eastern and western sides. They symbolize the different ethnic groups inhabiting China.

In vibrant red and gold, each pillar features a young dancing couple draped in festive costume, plus a representative image and a corresponding title for each ethnic group.

(Xinhua News Agency September 30, 2009)