The Olympic flame was lit in Taiyuan, dubbed the Dragon City, at 8:15 on Thursday morning for the start of the third stop of the Olympic Torch Relay in northern China's Shanxi Province.
Folk artists give a gong-and-drum performance before the Beijing Olympic torch starts its relay in Taiyan, Shanxi Province, June 26, 2008. [Xinhua]
Singer Tan Jing led the way. "I am proud to be the first torchbearer," she said, adding that she hoped her run would help pass on the Olympic spirit and love as part of the effort to support the quake relief work.
Torchbearer Tan Jing smiles as she runs with the Beijing Olympic torch during its relay in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, June 26, 2008. [Xinhua]
As many as 208 torchbearers will run in the Taiyuan leg, covering 39 kilometers.
Celebrities like singer Yan Weiwen, member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Guo Fenglian, and the CEO of China's search engine giant Baidu will also participate in the relay.
(BOCOG June 26, 2008)