The more modern tradition of government-sponsored tourist shows dates back to 1994, when the usual tourist fare featuring local food specialties and tourist promotions is on offer. This year, the festival will take place from September 12-16, with celebrations organized by the Zhejiang provincial tourism bureau and Jiaxing city government.

Visitors are advised to bring waterproof gear and stand back from the guardrails due to the recent typhoons that have swept through Hong Kong and Hainan. In 2002, Typhoon Sinlaku made the bore more ferocious than usual, causing minor injuries to vehicles and 10 tourists.

Visitors report that the wave sounded like muffled thunder that grows into a roar, like an avalanche. Many Chinese describe the sound as that of 10,000 advancing horses.

Just as the Southern Song organized boat races ahead of the wave, a new pastime has developed among China's increasingly mobile population: racing the bore by car.

"The China International Qiantang River Bore Festival" is one of the largest tourist oriented festivals in China. Yanguan town of Haijing, located some 45km (about 28 miles) from Hangzhou, is the best place to watch the Qiantang tide. The annual festival is therefore usually held on the 16th day of the eighth lunar month in the area.

During the festival, visitors converge to appreciate one of the greatest wonders of the world -- the Qiantang River Bore. Sacrifices are often made to the bore and various activities are also held to celebrate the annual tide-watching festival, according to local customs.