The Olympic Flame has made a spirited tour through Luoyang City in central China's most populous province of Henan.
Nicknamed China's "city of peonies", Luoyang boasts the magnificent Longmen Buddhist Caves and the country's oldest Buddhist temple. The president of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, Zhang Hai, was the first torch bearer. The 6.9-kilometer route started at a historical site dating back about 1,000 years ago.
Later, the Olympic Torch Relay ended at the Luoyang Sports Gymnasium. Among the 208 torchbearers were soldiers, teachers, physically challenged dancers and kung fu practitioners.
After a nearly two hour relay, the mother of a P.L.A. soldier, Qiao Wenjuan, had the honor of lighting the cauldron to end the last leg of the torch's journey in Luoyang city.
The Olympic Flame will now move on to Anyang city for the last leg of the Olympic run in Henan Province.