Red letter day

The National Day parade is not just about phalanxes of soldiers striding past the Tian'anmen rostrum, showing off state-of-the-art missiles and everything.

It is the civilian pageant, featuring the dozens of festooned vehicles, that follows, the televised carnival tonight at the Tian'anmen Square, and the tons of fireworks that are to illuminate the skies of Beijing, and everywhere, and to enthrall audiences across the country, that will more aptly illustrate the Chinese feelings on such a very special day.

Forgive us for being more or less beside ourselves today, and tonight. There are a thousand reasons for the Chinese to be proud, and to celebrate, on the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic.