Chinese wave their national flag as they pose for a picture during the Olympic torch relay ceremony in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on August 6, 2008 two days ahead of the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. [Agencies]

Yesterday was a special day for Beijing - the Olympic torch, after a four-month journey through various home provinces and countries abroad, began its final leg from the Forbidden City.

The relay covered 16.4 km through seven districts, passing landmarks such as Tian'anmen Square, the egg-shaped National Center for the Performing Arts, and Qianmen, the front gate of old Beijing city.

The relay ended about four hours later at another historical landmark, the Temple of Heaven.

The first torchbearer was Yang Liwei, the country's first astronaut. He started from the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City.

The torch was handed to Yang by Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG).

"It is a great pity we did not see uncle Yang this morning, because there were too many people," Wang Jing, a 10-year-old girl from Hangzhou told China Daily.

Sun Jinlian, Wang's grandmother, took four of her grandchildren from Hangzhou to Beijing at the end of last month just to watch the torch relay.

"The relay was exciting and well worth the trip. My whole family enjoyed it. We arrived at the Median Gate before 5 am," Sun said.

Wang said she will send some photographs of the event to her parents in Hangzhou who could not make it to Beijing because of work.

In the afternoon, the Olympic torch arrived at Fengtai district, to be greeted by people waving the Chinese national and Olympic flags.

"I just wanted my unborn child to feel the atmosphere of the Olympics," Zhao Junhua, who sells vegetables in Fengdai, said. His wife is eight months pregnant.

"The Olympic relay in Beijing is a dream come true for all Chinese," Li Hui, a 28-year-old said.

At the end of the first day's relay, Li Furong, the last torchbearer and Chinese Olympic Committee vice-president, lit the cauldron in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven. Ancient emperors used to offer sacrifices to heaven at the temple on the first day of the winter solstice every year.

"I'm sure in two days' time, China will offer a successful Olympic Games to the whole world," Li said. He is a former champion table tennis player who witnessed the famous "ping-pong diplomacy" between China and the United States 37 years ago.

The day's events concluded with sword and fan dance performances, Peking opera and traditional Chinese songs.

Today the relay will begin at Wengcheng Square, Yanqing county, at 7 am.

Senior Colonel Li Zhonghua, the "Heroic Test Pilot", will be the first torchbearer. The torch will eventually arrive at Ditan Park (Temple of Earth Park) at about 6:30 pm.

A ceremony will be held in front of the Altar of the Earth in the park to mark the conclusion of the second day of the relay.

Soprano Song Zuying will light the cauldron.