Now is the best time to admire the Tidal Bore of the Qiantang River, an annual natural spectacle, in east China's coastal city.

The picturesque scene featuring magnificent tidal bores rushing under the luminous moon attracted crowds of locals and visitors in Haining City, Zhejiang Province on Thursday night.

Since ancient times, the world-famous Qiantang Tidal Bore, which is created by the gravity from the moon and the rotation of the Earth, has been hailed as a "marvelous spectacle on earth."

One of the world's largest tidal bores ushered in the best time of the year for sightseeing with the advent of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which fell on October 1 this year, coinciding with China's National Day.

It has been a great tradition and local custom in the eastern province for over 2,000 years to enjoy the natural wonder and celebrate under the full moon around the festival, when the tidal waves become the biggest bores.

The best vantage point for watching the amazing back-flow bore in Haining City made a big innovation this year to improve tourists' experience.

Tourists flocking to the riversides can enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to not only hear but watch the amazing scene at night owing to the elaborately designed light beam arrays.

The Qiantang Tidal Bore is also called "the Silver Dragon" by locals. Through a tidy array of lights, the enormous natural power is seen pushing the waves forward and pounding against riverbanks harshly, as if countless of silver dragons were vigorously swimming.

Under the background of light beams near the river, viewers can savor a skillful water painting created by nature.

It looks like a landscape painting on water, but on a closer look, it also looks like a flowing music score that plays grandiose symphonies.

According to local authorities, the scenic area has received more than 5,000 visitors within five days by October 1. 

The number of daily views is estimated to reach a peak on October 4, the 18th day of the eighth month on Chinese lunar calendar, when the tidal bores reach their most spectacular moment.

(Video by Hong Yaobin; Cover image by Li Jingjie)