Teachers send best wishes to students for gaokao(1/4)

A big red decoration is hung on the door of a classroom to wish students good luck for this year's national college entrance exam, or gaokao, at a high school inChangsha, central China's Hunan Province, June 6, 2023. (Photo: China News Service/Yang Huafeng)

Wednesday marks the beginning of gaokao in China. Teachers send Zongzi (a pyramid-shaped dumpling) , red envelopes and pastries to wishes students a success in this year's exam.

Zongzi,whose first Chinese character zong is a homophone for the last character in yiju gaozhong — an expression that means passing with flying colors in one go.”

Teachers offer Zongzi to students to wish them good luck for this year's gaokao at a high school in Changshan, central China's Hunan Province, June 6, 2023. (Photo: China News Service/Yang Huafeng)

Plates of pastries are offered to wish the students good luck for this year's gaokao at a high school in Changshan, central China's Hunan Province, June 6, 2023. (Photo: China News Service/Yang Huafeng)

Students release balloons to relieve stress before undertaking this year's gaokao at a high school in Changshan, central China's Hunan Province, June 6, 2023. (Photo: China News Service/Yang Huafeng)