China on Sunday marked the 68th national day with more than 1,15,000 people from across the country get-together at the Tiananmen Square to watch the raising of the national flag. The national flag was guided by guards into the square. The crowd stood in silence as the national anthem "March of the Volunteers" was played, and the five-star national flag was raised.

When the flag opens up 10,000 peace dove was released into the sky. At the backdrop was a 17-metre-tall giant display in the shape of a floral basket, which holds flowers and fruits such as persimmons, pomegranates, apples, peonies and Chinese roses. Watching the national flag raising ceremony at the Tiananmen Square has been a way of Chinese celebrating the national day. Some joined the gathering for tourism, and others came to express the feeling of patriotism.

Major parks in Beijing have been decorated with around 1.6 million potted flowers of 150 different species. On Sunday, the scenic area of the landmark Badaling section of the Great Wall in northern Beijing was opened earlier than normal days to welcome holiday tourists. The ancient Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal opened its first transport hub on Sunday, marking the start of a modern transport era on the 2,500-km man-made waterway, the longest in the world.

"We really got emotional when we sang the national anthem on this occasion," said Yang Yuanyang, a freshman from the Beijing Information Science and Technology University. The national day is celebrated with a week-long holiday, while the Chinese traditional mid-autumn festival or mooncake festival, featuring family gathering, on Wednesday.

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