As the torch made its way through the city, the crowds did not forget Sichuan nor its tragedy. "Go, go China, Go, go Sichuan and Go, go the Olympics," they shouted.

Rows of donation boxes were set up all along the relay route, and among the 416 torchbearers were four city residents - a doctor, two soldiers and an IT engineer - who had traveled to or will soon head for Sichuan to help in the rescue efforts.

"This week has shown China is becoming stronger," said Lu Qinxia from Shandong Province, who watched the relay with daughter Jiao Zhuangting, 2. "We believe in China and we believe our country will host a very successful Olympic Games."

The first-day relay covered nearly 63 kilometers and passed through Huangpu, Luwan and Yangpu districts and the Pudong New Area.

Shanghai Daily Editor-in-Chief Zhang Ciyun finished his 75-meter run with the torch early yesterday afternoon near Pudong Century Park as the city's No. 140 torchbearer.

Yesterday's relay section came to an end at 2:30pm with a 45-minute ceremony inside Binjiang Forest Park on the eastern bank of the Huangpu River in Pudong.

A large screen was erected inside the park and repeatedly played touching scenes of after-quake rescues.

As city officials and hundreds of Shanghai torchbearers lined up on the stage to donate for quake victims, the audience passed around a donation box to help the cause as well.

It was announced at the ceremony that as of yesterday, the city had donated up to 1.285 billion yuan (US$185.10 million).

Liao Changyong, a famous baritone from Sichuan Province, led the singing of "Our Homeland." There was barely a dry eye. He consoled his people in the Sichuan dialect and said he believed his hometown will revitalize its great beauty. Liao studied in the Maoxian County Middle School.

Today, the Shanghai relay will move on to areas away from downtown and cover a total of 136.55 kilometers.

(Shanghai Daily May 24, 2008)