Ahead of China’s celebration of the Allied forces victory in WWII on September 3, cars have been banned and factories shut in attempt to lift the polluted cloud that often hangs over China’s capital city. The result? The cleanest air on record, for eight days straight.
Rather than the thick fog of diesel smoke and other pollutants that often hangs over the city, skies have become a remarkable shade of blue—so remarkable that Beijing residents and visitors are sharing images of the city on Sina Weibo with the hashtage #ParadeBlue. Here’s one from Beijing’s World park:
“We’ve turned into the United States,” one commentator wrote under the photo. Other photos from the same user (registration required) 国安国米, or Guoan Inter Milan (a mix of two football clubs), shows more of the same park under stunning blue:
Another Sina Weibo user, Girl Han likes to smile (registration required) posted photos of the woods overlooking the Lingshan Mountain region, adjacent to Beijing:
“You didn’t add a filter on your camera?” a commentator asks. “You shot it with your phone? Oh my god!”
And the Tiananmen Square at dusk features a beautiful shade of dark blue, judging from a photo posted by Sina Weibo user, Feed the monster:
The clean air has also been a boon for athletes competing in the 15th IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium, better known as the “Birds Nest” in Beijing:
Naturally, many Beijing residents used to heavy pollution are overjoyed by the change. But some can’t help pointing out how fleeting it is. “Beijing’s blue sky comes so suddenly. I am so delighted,” one blogger commented. “But it will be gone at any time, just as suddenly as well.”