A parent of "gaokao" candidate prays by signing candidate's name on a banner hanging outside an exam site of the national college entrance exam at Changsha No. 1 Middle School in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, June 7, 2014. The exam, known as the "gaokao", began on Saturday. A total of 9.39 million people have registered for the exam this year to vie for 6.98 million vacancies in universities and colleges. (Xinhua/Bai Yu)