Flame kindled for 2010 Asian Games

BEIJING: Torches have long been a traditional ingredient of many regional and international sporting events. The flame for the upcoming 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games has now been lit, following a sun ray ceremony at the Great Wall's Juyong Pass, near Beijing.

Saturday's flame lighting ceremony took place at Juyong Pass, one of the Great Wall's grandest passes, just north of Beijing.

Wang Yang, Guangdong Provincial Party Committee Secretary said, "The Flame Lighting Ceremony for the 16th Asian Games begins!"

Seventeen female flame ambassadors dressed in white strode slowly toward the beacon tower where the fire would be kindled.

The sun was shining just enough for Kang Chenchen, a 22-year-old student from Yunnan Arts University, to focus its rays on a special silver rod through the use of a concave mirror.

She then transferred the fresh blaze to a kindle box. The Asian Games Torch will be ignited through the container next Tuesday at the Temple of Heaven, as part of an event marking the one-month countdown to the start of the competition.

The ensuing relay will go through China's major metropolitan areas, as well as 21 major cities in Guangdong Province.

The two-week-long sporting showdown will officially get underway in Guangzhou on November 12th.