In the days leading up to the 60th Anniversary of the founding of New China, a patriotic singing gala was held on Friday night in Beijing. Amateur chorus ensembles from the country's 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions provided a perfect example of people living in harmony.

The Gala opened with the tune entitled "Today's Your Birthday".

The thirty-one participating ensembles performed thirty-one songs created during different periods of New China. The various groups represent workers, farmers, cadre, students, and diverse ethnicities. The number of performers exceeded 15-hundred.

Red classics like "East is Red", "Over the Snowy Mountain and Grasslands", "On the Taihang Mountain" paid tribute to the founding fathers of New China. Other songs such as, "Our Xinjiang" and "Beautiful Grasslands, My Home" were an ode to the sprawling lands and beautiful scenery in China. While songs like "The Story of Spring" and "The New Times" offered a blessing to the Motherland.

During the performance, audience members often sang along with the on-stage choruses.

At the end of the show, Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, brought the show to its climax by joining in a chorus of the "Sing to the Motherland".

Editor: Shi Liwei