A total of 786,500 people from home and overseas attended the five-day 2002 China International Qiantang River (Haining) Tide-Watching Festival, which came to an end Thursday in Haining City, Zhejiang Province, in east China.
For thousands of years, local people have been fascinated by the spectacular tidal waters that occur during the same period every year.
The first international tide-watching gala was held in 1994 to boost the local tourism industry. To date, 6.69 million people from all over the world have participated in the annual event, enjoying the wonderful Qiantang tides.
This year, the festival became a carnival featuring tide-watching activities, cultural and tourism programs, and shopping spree.
( People's Daily September 27, 2002)
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