Unless you’ve been living in your nuclear bunker past few weeks (if so, maybe best to stay there until September 6 or 7), you’ll have heard about the September 3 military parade.
Marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia, the parade will feature a procession of marching soldiers – roughly 12,000 – and rolling tanks over Chang’an Avenue and through Tian'anmen Square. Plus fighter jets. Because nothing shouts "Eternal Peace" (the English translation of Chang’an) like a massive military parade and patriotic holiday, which is officially titled “Victory of the Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War”.
Unfortunately, the parade isn’t open to the public, but the good news is that there is a three-day holiday over September 3-5 to mark the event. So, September 3 will be observed as a national holiday, followed by two days of vacation on Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 5. The bad news is that Sunday, September 6, will be a make-up workday.
Additionally, many of the features that marked the rehearsal weekend a couple of weekends ago are back: closed subways, Sanlitun shutdown… all that fun stuff. We’ve put together a handy FYI of everything you need to know about the parade as you contemplate the upcoming holiday.
For jetsetters and high flyers:
There will be a three-hour no-fly zone around Beijing on September 3 from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Beijing’s Capital Airport and Nanyuan Airport will be closed for those three hours with no flights in and out. If you are flying out later in the day, note that airport security will be strict and boarding will close 45 minutes in advance.
From August 20 until September 3, there is a city ban on flying small aircraft “including drones, model airplanes, unmanned balloons, gliders, among others.”
For onlookers:
Tiananmen Square, Wangfujing, and Qianmen will be under martial law during the parade. Chang’an Avenue and its extensions will also be off-limits to all traffic and civilians during the parade (see below, image from chinanews.com)
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For drivers:
Since August 20 car restrictions have been enforced on Beijing roads; a single-odd license plate quota system has slashed the number of cars on streets to half the usual number. The car restrictions last until September 3.
Gas stations in Dongcheng District near the parade route on Chang’an Avenue will be closed on September 3. Stations in Xicheng District near the route will also be closed for the day. A number of gas stations will be closed on September 3 from midnight to noon, and others will close on September 2 at 11pm, to September 3 at 6pm. In sum: fill up your cars on September 1.
For public transporters:
According to the Beijing Subway, stations along Chang’an Avenue will be closed to the public from 10pm Wednesday, September 2 to 1pm Thursday, September 3.
The entire Line 1; Sihui and Sihui East on Batong Line will be closed from 8pm, September 2 to 1pm, September 3
Seven subway stations on Line 2, including Qianmen, Chongwenmen, Xuanwumen, Hepingmen, Jianguomen, Changchunjie and Fuxingmen, will all be closed from 10pm Wednesday, September 2 to 12am Thursday, September 3,
Four stations on Line 4, Xidan, Xisi, Lingjinghutong and Xuanwumen, two stations on Line 5, Dongdan and Chongwenmen, and Guomao station on Line 10 will also be closed from 10pm Wednesday to 12am Thursday.
More than 20 stations on seven subway lines in the downtown area will be closed from 12am to 1pm on Thursday, September 3.
Sihui long-distance bus station will stop operating from 2pm Tuesday, September 1 to 8am Friday, September 4.
For investors:
The Shanghai Stock Exchange will be closed from September 3 until September 6, and will re-open on Monday, September 7. Relief for some, we're sure.
For sightseers:
The Beijing Military Museum will be closed from September 1 to 3, the Beijing New Culture Movement Memorial will be temporarily closed on September 3, and the Capital Museum will be closed from September 1 to September 3. Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum will be closed until September 5 and the Forbidden City will be closed until the 6th.
Tiananmen Square and Zhenyang Gate will be closed until September 7. Zhongshan Park, Chaoyang Park, Longtan Park, Taoranting Park, Honglinjin Park, Yaowahu Park, Lianhuachi Park will be closed until September 8. The National Museum will be closed to the public until September 9, and Yonghegong Llama Temple will be closed until the 10th. The National Theatre, Zhongshan Music Hall, and Beijing Concert Hall have suspended all performances.
For workers:
If you have to work on the September 3 holiday, you are entitled to double overtime, or 200% of your normal wage. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security put out a notice confirming this.
For TV addicts:
All entertainment broadcasting will be suspended in Beijing from September 1 to 5 including reality shows, talk shows, variety shows, singing shows, dramas and costume dramas. That’s right, your fave shows including The Voice of China, and Baba Qu Nar will be off-air for a week. We recommend getting cozy with Chinese streaming site Iqiyi (or your loved one, whatever).
Want to catch the real entertainment? The parade will be broadcast live on CCTV1 10am before the evening anniversary gala, Victory and Peace, which kicks off at 7.50pm.
For shopaholics:
Echoing the rehearsal weekend of August 22-23, many Sanlitun shops, bars, and restaurants appear to be under instruction to temporarily close their premises from 3pm Wednesday, September 2 until 3pm Thursday, September 3. See our guide to the premises affected during the rehearsal to get an idea of who might be closed. Again, call ahead to make sure your go-to spot is open.
In the lead up to September 3, all packages delivered to and from Beijing must be made under a real name and will be subject to additional security checks, such as requiring signatures.
For bird watchers:
Won’t somebody think of the birds?! Well, apparently somebody did (read: the government), which has resulted in the removal of urban birds from the city. The birds were banished using a variety of methods including trained falcons, bird-hunting dogs and tearing down nests. Organizers were concerned that the birds were a threat to the lives of the pilots performing in the air show. They were apparently not hunted and had the “choice,” to settle elsewhere.
That’s about it. Follow us on WeChat (That’s_Beijing) or Twitter (@Thats_Beijing). Unless you're trying to use Astrill on iOS, that is.
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