The Beijing Olympic torch relay concluded its journey in Nanchang on Friday, the capital of central China's Jiangxi Province and the last leg of the province.
The launching ceremony began with one minute of silence to mourn the victims in the earthquake in Sichuan. Performances and ceremonies were simplified and downscaled.
The relay kicked off at 8:10 a.m. on Bayi Square, with Peng Bo, men's 3-meter springboard gold medalist in Athens Olympic Games as the first torch bearer.
Along the route, charity boxes were set up to raise money for the victims. Jiangxi has so far collected more than 80 million yuan (about 11 million U.S. dollars) in the three legs including Ruijin, Jinggangshan and Nanchang.
After Nanchang, the Olympic torch will continue its relay in Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province.
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2008)