Well-known Chinese writer Feng Jicai, an Olympic torchbearer in Tianjin, on Wednesday spoke highly of the human civilization element in the sacred torch relay.

Feng, the executive chairman of the Chinese Federation of Literary and Art Circles, told reporters, "The torch embodies the combination of western and eastern culture, and the relay is, in a sense, a human civilization relay." He noted that as for culture and civilization, every generation has the responsibility to preserve and develop the heritage and pass it to the next.

Feng, aged over 60, will run 200 meters in Tianjin during the Olympic torch relay. He said he made warm-ups on the running machine for a long time in order to be fully prepared. He believed that he would accomplish this holy task in his best form and high spirit.

Feng used to be a professional basketball player and the 200-meter run is just a piece of cake for him. "Although I have been already over 60, I have good physique with two-year experience of playing basketball. To run for 200 meters is not difficult for me," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2008)