On March 22nd, the Summer Palace witnessed an epic sunset.

Oh my god! Yesterday's fiery sunset in Beijing had me so excited! Did you guys see it? My WeChat Moments feed was flooded with pictures! I'm telling you, this was absolutely the most stunning sunset I've ever seen in all my years living in Beijing! Around 6:30 pm, I was slacking off at the office when I suddenly heard people shouting downstairs. I looked out the window—whoa! The entire sky was like a canvas splashed with red paint, the clouds ablaze! I grabbed my phone and dashed to the subway station. On the way, I saw tons of people just like me, running and snapping photos. One guy on a shared bike was even more impressive, steering with one hand while holding a gimbal with the other to record a video. It was nerve-wracking to watch! If you're looking for the best spot to watch the sunset, it has to be the Summer Palace! The surface of Kunming Lake was like a mirror, reflecting all the red clouds in the sky. The golden light of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge against the backdrop of the fiery sunset felt like stepping into the heavenly palace from Journey to the West! Let me tell you, at a time like this, forget about composition. Standing on top of the Foxiang Pavilion and looking west, the Fragrant Hills looked like they were on fire; turning east, the CBD skyscrapers were all edged with gold. The most spectacular view was to the north, over the Jade Spring Hill, where the clouds were layered like an ink painting. My phone couldn't capture the depth at all! The sound of camera shutters filled the air. One older gentleman with a tripod was so excited he kept slapping his thigh: "Twenty years! I've finally caught such a perfect sunset!" Have you noticed? This kind of weather is so interesting. Everyone in my WeChat Moments, from Chaoyang residents to Haidian scholars, was posting pictures of the same sky. I was squatting by the Stone Boat on the lakeshore taking a time-lapse video when two girls next to me shouted, "These clouds are as red as hot pot broth!" I laughed so hard my hands shook and I almost dropped my phone in the water. Seriously, this kind of city-wide excitement is way more exhilarating than any man-made light show! But honestly, this kind of weather is a rare treat. A friend at the Meteorological Bureau told me it's a combination of strong convective weather, perfect sunlight angle, and just the right cloud height. I recommend everyone download the "LiJing Weather" app, which can predict the probability of sunsets in advance. Oh, and remember to bring a lens cloth! I didn't notice the dust on my lens yesterday, and when I got home, all my photos had halos. I was so annoyed!