A grand evening gala to celebrate New China's 60th founding anniversary started Thursday evening at the Tian'anmen Square when 60 birthday-candle-shaped fireworks exploded into the sky and lit up the vast square.

Red, pink, white and orange fireworks shot up into the night sky, lighting up the Tian'anmen Rostrum and 56 giant decorative columns, which were set up on the square to represent China's 56 ethnic groups.