Olympic torch relay underway in Taiyuan

The torch relay for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is underway in Taiyuan, the provincial capital of Shanxi province.

The starting ceremony was at about 8 am Beijing Time, at a square in front of the Jinci Temple. The Jinci Temple is an ancient ancestral temple built in the western Zhou Dynasty, some 2,600 years ago.

At the beginning of the ceremony, a minute's silence was observed to remember the victims of Wenchuan earthquake. Then the torch was lit and passed over to local leaders.

208 torch bearers will run through the city along a route stretching 39 kilometers. The relay is an opportunity for the city to show its Olympic spirit and its unique historical and cultural attractions.

A unique feature of this leg is the torch will be carried in a train for 600 meters. It will also be passed through Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group, a large-scale state-owned enterprise. A square in the compound of the steel-manufacturer will also be a destination of the day's relay.