"It's a huge honor for me to become a torchbearer. I hope I can also become a bridge connecting the Olympic spirit and the quake region," said 30-year-old Jiang.

People wave flags to celebrate the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Xiangtan, known as the hometown of Mao Zedong, central China's Hunan Province, June 5, 2008.

"I hope to pass the Olympic spirit and Olympic dream to the quake survivors. I hope they can get more and more adamant in the reconstruction.

"Although I ran only 100m with the Olympic torch, but it's a brilliant part of my life."

Mao Zedong's nephew Mao Anping ran in the 198th place.

Shaoshan is a county-level city in Xiangtan, Hunan Province. It is best known as the birthplace of Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China.

Torchbearer Jiang Aibing salutes to the bronze statue of Mao Zedong before he lights the cauldron during the closing ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay at Mao Zedong Square in Shaoshan, known as the hometown of Mao Zedong, central China's Hunan Province, June 5, 2008.

Shaoshan is also the birthplace of Mao's Family Restaurant, a popular restaurant chain that has spread to many other cities.

Peng Dehuai, born on October 24, 1898, was another renowned figure born in Xiangtan. He was a prominent military leader.

After the Hunan relay, the Olympic flame is flying to the summer resort of Guilin in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

(Xinhua News Agency June 5, 2008)