A spectacular tidal bore appeared Tuesday morning along the Qiantang River in east China's Zhejiang Province, capturing the attention of crowds of onlookers.
At around 11:10 on Tuesday, onrushing Qiantang tidal bore marched along the Fish Scale Pond, a landmark for tidal bore watching, towards the direction of Yanguan Tourist Resort in Haining City, a renowned destination where tourists gather to admire the magnificent tides every year.
The Qiantang River runs for more than 500 kilometers through Zhejiang, passing through the provincial capital Hangzhou before flowing into the East China Sea via the Hangzhou Bay south of Shanghai.
The river is known for having the world's largest tidal bore, which is locally called the Silver Dragon. The tides usually reach their peak between the 15th to 18th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, with spectacular scenes wowing countless visitors.
The river roared to life in merely 10 minutes. According to data from the Qiantang tidal bore observation station, when tidal bore rushes towards the Fish Scale Pond, its pressure can reach six to seven tonnes per square meter, showcasing the immense power of the river water.
As the water was pushing ahead, a short one-line tide appeared, followed by some ripple tides.
Affected by Typhoon Bebinca, the tide level in the Qiantang River is relatively high, although it is in the period of medium tide.
Aerial footage captures spectacular tidal bore on Qiantang River
More than a month ahead of the Chinese New Year, restaurants across China have reported a booming demand for reunion dinners, with popular places already fully reserved.
The family reunion dinners on the eve of the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important meal of the year for Chinese people. It has long been an essential part of celebrating the Chinese New Year. This year, the festival falls on Feb 17.
In Taiyuan, capital city of north China's Shanxi Province, one restaurant said all tables for the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner have been reserved.
"We now have 36 private rooms and 13 tables in the hall. The New Year's Eve dinner is fully booked. Many families started reserving as early as November 2025," said Han Huiyan, a restaurant manager.
To meet the demand, many restaurants start to offer takeaway banquet package that can be easily prepared at home, allowing families to enjoy a variety of festive dishes without dining out.
In Ningbo, a city in east China's Zhejiang Province, many popular restaurants said that they are approaching full reservation levels. To reduce peak demand, some restaurants now offer off-peak reunion dinners starting later at night.
"We now offer a 'second round' of New Year's Eve dinners, which start at 19:30. We also offer discount for such New Year's Eve dinners, a promotion of 20 percent off set menus," said Sun Lijuan, a restaurant manager.
In Lianyungang, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province, smaller private rooms of a local restaurant have been nearly sold out, and customized menus and home-delivery services have drawn strong interest.
"This year we have specially launched the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner delivery service. Bookings are very strong and customers really like this option," said Geng Maoran, a restaurant general manager.
Restaurants see surge in bookings for Chinese New Year's Eve dinners
