China celebrated its 77th National Day on October 1 with a flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Despite the autumn chill, people from across the country gathered and waited through the night.

Among them: parents with their children, grandparents with grandchildren and young people inspired by stories of earlier generations. For many, watching the national flag rise was more than a way to mark the founding of the People's Republic of China. It was a family wish fulfilled, and a moment of shared pride.