Start of National Day break moved for first time The mainland yesterday began the week-long National Day holiday in a mixed mood after the triumphant return of the country's third manned space flight and a snowballing tainted-milk scandal that has affected more than 50,000 children. For the first time, the official beginning of the holiday was moved from the actual date when the People's Republic of China marks the anniversary of its founding, on October 1. China's three Shenzhou VII astronauts were welcomed as heroes on their return to Beijing yesterday, and Premier Wen Jiabao said at a reception in the capital that the mission was a 'monumental achievement'. Newspapers and television broadcasts gave blanket coverage to Sunday's return of the crew. Patriotism also reigned at an awards ceremony yesterday for people who made contributions to the Olympics and the Paralympics. President Hu Jintao said the hosting of the events showed nothing less than China's ability to make contributions to human civilisation. Downplayed were continuing concerns from parents regarding milk, dairy products and food tainted by the industrial chemical melamine. Xinhua said more than 750 samples of milk were found to be pure after testing. State media typically uses National Day to highlight the achievements of the government, including an increased supply of food. China shortened the Labour Day and the Lunar New Year holidays starting from this year, but the National Day break remained at seven days, as the government ordered people to work last weekend in order to 'borrow' two days to extend the holiday, which will let them return to work next Monday. The change has caused confusion and irritation among some travellers, who made their plans months in advance. Christina Tao, who works for a bank in Shanghai, is using the holiday to travel to Singapore but booked the trip three months in advance to secure tickets. As a result, she ended up on a flight on the second day of the holiday instead of the day before, as originally planned. 'I booked three months ago, but I didn't know the schedule for the holiday. Usually the holiday starts the first day of October,' she said. For those people travelling domestically, the holiday was marked by big crowds, higher prices for food and lodging in tourist areas, and other inconveniences as the entire nation went on the move. Shanghai's main train station handled a record 250,000 passengers on the first day of the holiday, and its two airports nearly 30,000 people, television reports said. 'I'm going home because the holiday is longer,' said a young man before he boarded the train. White-collar worker Rachel Zeng braved the crowds in Hangzhou , a tourist favourite. 'I'm not going to any tourist attractions, except to stroll around West Lake,' she said. Others decided travel was simply too expensive and inconvenient. 'I'm reading and going out with friends to stroll around - just that,' said Nora Nie, a student at a Beijing university. The flag-raising at sunrise in Tiananmen Square is a major attraction on National Day. The capital's public bus system is expected to carry 100 million people over the holiday. Retail stores rely on the holiday for more consumers and increased spending, a throwback to the Asian financial crisis in the 1990s, when the government used longer holidays to boost domestic consumption.