The lighting design is intended to create a majestic atmosphere. The atrium's dome is composed of 99 layers of bronze bricks (9,999 pieces). A circular hole with a diameter of 2 meters is opened on the ceiling, and it's surrounded by multiple smaller holes, together bringing natural light into the space. The daylight greatly brightens the space, and also produces interplay of light and shadows on interior surfaces. At night, the indoor ambient lights hidden behind the 24 solar terms-featured benches along with the wall lamps hidden under the dome light up the dome and atrium.

At special festivals (such as the Da Yu Memorial Ceremony), beams of light rise into the sky and break through the darkness, symbolizing the power of spirit will last for eternity. The architecture resembles the shape of a square tripod (Ding), with facade wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. The lights rise up from the bottom of the building. After repeated tests, the distance between lighting fixtures was precisely determined, and those lamps were attached to the side of drainage ditch baffle in a hidden manner.

Projection lamps mounted at the main entrance display the traditional Chinese patterns on the facade, and meet the requirements for lighting and atmosphere under special modes.