BEIJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic torch relay began its final leg in Beijing from the landmark Forbidden City Wednesday morning. At the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, the torch was handed over to the first bearer, Yang Liwei, the country's first astronaut, by Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG).

Liu Qi (2nd R), president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG), hands over the torch to the first torch bearer and the country's first astronaut Yang Liwei (3rd L) during the launching ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games torch relay in Beijing, China, Aug. 6, 2008. The Olympic torch relay began its final leg in Beijing from the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City Wednesday morning.

The Olympic flame will travel in the Olympic host city for three days joined by a total of 841 torch bearers. On its first day, the torch will travel 16.4 km in just over four hours through seven districts, passing city landmarks, including Tian'anmen Square, the egg-shaped National Center for the Performing Arts and Qianmen (the Southern Gate). It will end at the Temple of Heaven.

Among the 433 bearers, there are big names and ordinary people. Yao Ming, China's most popular basketball star, was the ninth bearer.

Zhang Yimou, the famed film director and chief director of the Games' opening and closing ceremonies, will also bear the torch on Wednesday.

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