Chinese multi-world gymnastics champion Yang Wei opened the relay as the first torchbearer at the Wuhan leg of the Olympic torch relay on Saturday, May 31, 2008. [Photo]

Chinese multi-world gymnastics champion Yang Wei opened the relay as the first torchbearer at the Wuhan leg of the Olympic torch relay on Saturday, May 31, 2008. [Photo]

Li Xiaoshuang lights the cauldron in Wuhan, Hubei Province. (Xinhua)

(Xinhua 2008-05-31 09:53:43) The sacred Olympic flame embarked on its journey in Hubei province's capital city of Wuhan, nicknamed "River City", on Saturday, as the first leg in the central China's province.

Chinese multi-world gymnastics champion Yang Wei opened the relay as the first torchbearer and world gymnastics champion Li Xiaoshuang will be the last one in Wuhan leg relay.

Before the journey, a total of 208 torchbearers stood in silence tribute for those victims in Sichuan earthquake. Shows arranged in advance were also cancelled and the ceremony only took seven minutes.

Charity boxes were set up at the Hanhou River Beach for people to donate for the quake-hit region.

The Olympic sacred flame will arrive in Yichang and Jingzhou in the following two days, another two legs of the relay in Hubei province.

With a population of more than eight million, Wuhan is the most important city on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and serves as the gateway to China's hinterlands.

As its outstanding geographic advantage, it is also nicknamed the "thoroughfare to nine provinces".

Yangtze and its biggest tributary Hanjiang River meet downtown Wuhan and cut the city into three parts of Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang.

The Wuhan relay, with a shortened route of 20.7 kilometers in the city, set off at the ancient Yellow Crane Tower at about 8:00 a.m., one of the "top three famous towers in South China", passed by Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge which is the first bridge across the Yangtze with a 51-year history, and will end at the Hanhou River Beach.

Under the schedule, the torch also passed by some local landmarks and historic sites such as Museum of Wuchang Uprising of 1911 Revolution, and beautiful East Lake which is the China's largest downtown lake.