On the first day of 2017, Sixth Tone presents 26 photos looking back at some of the people, incidents, disasters and moments that shaped the past year.

By juxtaposing some of these photos, the similarities and differences of the events and characters in them are shown.

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Nie Shubin’s father and sister cry after hearing that the Supreme People’s Court ruled Nie innocent, Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, Dec. 2, 2016. Nie was sentenced for the rape and murder of a woman and was executed 21 years ago. Peng Ziyang for Sixth Tone

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Wei Zexi’s father holds a portrait of Wei as his wife leans on his shoulder at a funeral home, April 13, 2016. Wei Zexi succumbed to cancer at 21 after his family had learned of controversial treatment through research on China’s Baidu. Wan Jia/VCG

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Nie Shubin’s father sits in front of his house as reporters gather around him to take photos and live broadcast, Niezhuang Village, Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, Dec. 2, 2016. Xie Kuangshi/Sixth Tone

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Internet celebrities hold Xiaomi Selfie Lights as they live broadcast themselves during a new product release at China National Convention Center, Beijing, July 27. Liu Xingzhe/VCG

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Children climb up a cliff on a vine ladder to get back home after school, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, May 14, 2016. Chen Jie/VCG

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Tourists walk on a sightseeing walkway in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, Aug. 1, 2016. Shao Ying/VCG

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A woman holds a dead pig at her flooded farm in Xiaogan, Hubei province, July 22, 2016. Wang He/Dixphoto

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A sedan is partially submerged as buildings are seen in the background in Wuhan, Hubei province, July 7, 2016. Chen Weibin/VCG

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An employee wearing a Donald Trump mask poses for a photo at the Shenzhen Lanbingcai Latex Crafts Factory in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Oct. 18, 2016. Anthony Kwan/Getty Images/VCG

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A Mao Zedong statue is being constructed in rural Kaifeng, Henan province, Jan. 4, 2016. The statue was funded by several entrepreneurs and villagers. It was demolished shortly after its completion as it lacked government approval. Zi Qing/VCG

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A coach wipes away tears of a girl during gymnastics lessons at the Shanghai Yangpu Youth Amateur Athletic School in Shanghai, May 4, 2016. Aly Song/Reuters/VCG

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Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui takes a selfie with television presenters during an entertainment show with China's Rio Olympics medalists in Hong Kong, China August 28, 2016. Bobby Yip/Reuters/VCG

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A man struggles after he fell off a bridge while waiting to watch a tidal wave on the banks of Qiantang River in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, July 25, 2016. Chance Chan/Reuters/VCG

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A giant panda cub falls off a stage during a panda show in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Sept. 26, 2016. VCG

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Seized e-bikes are seen in a holding yard in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Oct. 25, 2016. Authorities cracked down on e-bikes starting in March. IC

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An aerial photo shows vehicles for the G20 summit in a parking lot in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, July 18, 2016. VCG

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A woman covers her head with a piece of paper as people wait in the rain outside Shanghai Disney Resort on opening day, June 16, 2016. Li Kun for Sixth Tone

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People crowd in a hotel for the opening of a new residential estate they hope to invest in in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Feb. 29, 2016. Rapidly climbing real estate prices have Chinese desperately buying or investing in new projects. Yang Xiaoxuan/VCG

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A woman and a girl cover their heads with scarfs during a dust storm in Shenyang, Liaoning province, March 31, 2016. VCG

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A man dances with a woman as they wear pollution masks during a day with heavy air pollution in Beijing, Dec. 16, 2016. Zhong Shihai/VCG

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Sun Wenlin (left) and Hu Mingliang kiss during their wedding ceremony in Changsha, Hunan province, May 17, 2016. Wu Yue/Sixth Tone

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People gather at a divorce registration center of a civil affairs bureau in Shanghai. Still-committed couples hope to avoid rumored restrictions that would make it more difficult for married couples to purchase a second home. Zhang Ruiqi/IC

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An aerial photo shows excavators digging around an abandoned well into which a 5-year-old boy fell in Li County, Hebei province, Nov. 8, 2016. Wang Xiao/Xinhua

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An aerial photo of the construction site of a power plant cooling tower where a platform collapsed and killed 74 workers, Fengcheng, Jiangxi province, Nov. 24, 2016. IC

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A seaplane crashes into a bridge in Jinshan District, Shanghai, July 20, 2016. Jia Ru/Sixth Tone

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People gather on a beach as they watch the launch of Chang Zheng 7 rocket in Wenchang, Hainan province, June 28, 2016. Li Jianguo/VCG