SHAOSHAN, Central China -- The Olympic flame arrived at Xiangtan and county-level city Shaoshan, birthplace of Chairman Mao Zedong, taking the last leg of torch relay in Hunan province on Thursday.
Torchbearers pass the Beijing Olympic flame in front of the residence of late Chairman Mao Zedong during the torch relay in Xiangtan, Central China's Hunan Province, June 5, 2008. [Xinhua] |
Following a one-minute silence tribute to those killed in May 12 Sichuan earthquake, the relay started from the East Red Square at 8:10 a.m. local time, going through Lotus Road, Shuangyong Road, Three Bridge Road, Hutan Square, Fuzhou Road, North City Ring, Hunan Science and Technology University, covering 15.8 kilometers to reach the Xiangtan University, the end of the first-segment relay.
With 168 bearers in Shaoshan passing the torch, the relay moved to Shaoshan, 50km away from Xiangtan, to have the remaining 40 torchbearers carrying the torch over a distance of 2.8 kilometers.
The second leg relay passed through Red Sun Square, Hero Road, Station Road, Mao Zedong's Home to wrap up the relay in Mao Zedong Bronze Statue Square.
A donation ceremony was held to raise money for the post-quake reconstruction in Sichuan.
