China, particularly Beijing, has gained notorious reputation for poor air quality and an overall polluted environment. However, the basis for that reputation was lifted for nearly 24 hours during a parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II. So what was the secret for this “brand new day” for Beijing?

As reported in the LA Times, officials in Beijing placed precautionary restrictions on traffic and factory operations in order to optimize conditions for the parade. These measures included instructing registered vehicles to only be driven every other day and for air-polluting industries to cut back for two weeks.

The result? As seen below, some unfamiliar but welcome crystal clear skies! Apparently, air quality levels dropped drastically after the operations were halted (less than a day later), but we were left with some nice glimpses at potential scenery.