The Beijing Olympic torch relay concluded its journey in Huangshan Friday, a city famous for its natural sceneries and cultural heritages in central China's Anhui Province and the last leg of the relay in Anhui.
The relay set off at 2:00 p.m. local time with Xu Dongming, the conserver of the global-famous Welcoming Pine on Mount. Huangshan, as the first torchbearer, and ended with Wu Jing, a kickboxer of the national team, lighting the cauldron at 4:35 p.m.
"The grittness of the Welcoming Pine resembles Chinese people's character and the Olympic spirit," said Xu. "I believe, no matter how many difficulties there are, the Chinese people will never recoil."
"The Welcoming Pine also symbolizes Chinses people's pursuit for peace and friendship, " Xu added. "Friends, in and abroad, are welcome to Mt. Huangshan, and to experience the Beijing Olympics."
Yu Hongli, a representative of the Xinan painting which greatly enriches the Hui Culture, expressed his yearn for the Olympics. "As a painter, I am not able to win Olympic medals, but my paintbrush can depict the games."
Donation activity was launched during the relay. Most of the torchbearers and spectators came up to the charity box, doing their shares for the reconstruction in the Sichuan quake region.
After Huangshan, the Olympic torch will continue its relay in Wuhan, the capital city of central China's Hubei province.
(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2008)