For Canadian Millen Sandhu, 21, the dilemma was whether to look east or look west. Waiting along with scores of others, Sandhu and his three friends held up their phones to capture the spectacular moment tens of thousands of lights illuminated the buildings on the Bund in Shanghai.
Every evening at 7 pm, people gather on either side of the Huangpu River to witness the magical moment the skyscrapers on the Lujiazui stretch on the east bank of the river and the historical buildings lining the west bank are illuminated in tandem, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle for those watching.
"You can't see something that is so traditional yet so technologically advanced anywhere else. It is a mix of everything in one. This seems like living in the future," said Sandhu, a fourth-year undergraduate student from the University of British Columbia.
Visiting China on a 10-day vacation, the student, who majors in opera performance, learned about the light show on social media.
The dazzling night lights along both sides of the Huangpu River have long been one of Shanghai's most iconic sights. Shen Qiang, head of Huangpu district's Bund scenic area management office, told the Shanghai Observer that more than 40,000 visitors were recorded on the Bund waterfront at 7 pm on Aug 15.
Janet Beemer from the United States, who is visiting her daughter Katie Welch Hu in Shanghai, couldn't stop gushing about her experience. "I love it. It's amazing. There's so much history on this side, and all the new modern buildings and architecture across the river," she exclaimed.
Terming the show unique, Beemer said that though she had seen some light shows in other countries before, none matched Shanghai's scale.
The history Beemer refers to are the buildings on the west bank of the river that were mostly built in the early 20th century. At 7 pm sharp daily, the chime of the Customs House clock signals the start of the spectacle of golden lights spreading from one building to another — with all 38 landmarks lighting up within 10 seconds.
The lighting adds a dynamic, layered and almost painting-like dimension to the skyline. And it's a show that has been enthralling crowds for 36 years.
According to Li Wei, deputy director of Huangpu district's lighting office, the lights are not controlled individually by each building. Instead, they're connected and controlled in real time via a network, using dedicated channels and high-speed wireless communication to achieve the rolling effect of the buildings lighting up one after another.
As signal transmission speed varies and voltage load considerations have to be taken into account, it takes between five and 10 seconds to light up all of the more than 30,000 lights that create the final effect.
Across the Huangpu River, Shanghai's iconic high-rises in Lujiazui come alive with their own distinctive light patterns. Take the Oriental Pearl Tower for example. Once the city's tallest building at 468 meters, it lights up in specific colors or displays scrolling messages on important occasions.
For some visitors, once is not enough to savor the experience in full. Visiting Shanghai for the first time, French tourist Ophelia Diaz swore she would be back the next day to witness the light show again.
Learning about the light show from a Chinese online travel agency, Diaz said she saw a light show in Hong Kong a couple of years ago and made it a must-do for her visit to Shanghai.
"It's really nice. It's really iconic. Everyone should go and see it," said Diaz after waiting for 45 minutes to catch the magical sight.
Welch Hu, Beemer's daughter who lives in China, said: "I went to Times Square in New York City, which is kind of similar, also very international, also very bright, but not the same.
"The feeling is different; the culture is different; it's definitely something special about Shanghai. I think we will come back sometime in the future for sure. It was fun."
