XI'AN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The first leg of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic torch relay was held in Xi'an on Friday, where seventy carriers braved a raining weather to pass the flame in an inspiring way.

    The early-morning mist shrouding the city turned into drizzle when the 3,100-meter long relay swung into action along a 15-meterwide path on the top of the imposing ancient wall, which offered a fantastic bird's eye view of the city with immense cultural heritage.

Torchbearer Li Huimin lights the cauldron after the Beijing 2008 Paralympic torch relay in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, China, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Zhang Shanchen)  Photo Gallery>>>

    The relay produced the most inspiring moment when No. 30 carrier Yan Yubin, with the help of a crutch, shuffled his left foot and limped forward holding high the flame.

    The 47-year-old man, who was an owner of a hospital, had an atrophied left leg from infantile paralysis, but he refused to carried the torch on a wheelchair.

    "I had to prove I can walk myself. I must cover the most glorious 45-meter distance in my life with my own feet," he said.

    "For those disabled persons like me, they cannot give up efforts to overcome their disablities. They must make them useful to the society," he added.

    For No. 39 carrier Dong Yinglong, the relay meant something very special for him.

    "Today is my 70th birthday, there could have been no better a gift than to run the relay," he said.

    The relay reached a climactic cresendo when the last torchbearer Li Huimin lighted the cauldron symbolising the conclusion of this leg of the torch relay. The crowd burst into cheers and applause when they saw the cauldron was set aflame.

    Despite a less agreeable weather, Zhang Ming, deputy director of the Beijing Paralympic Torch Relay Center, was rather satisfied with the organisation of the relay.

Torchbearer Liu Xinfeng (L2) and Shi Weiping hold up the torches during the Beijing 2008 Paralympic torch relay in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, China, Aug. 29, 2008. (Xinhua/Zhang Shanchen)  Photo Gallery>>>

    "The local organisers put in a lot of efforts to make it a success. This marks an auspicious beginning for the whole torch relay campaign. They held the relay on the top of the wall, this is a very potent way to demonstrate their magnificent city," she said.

    As one of the most important cities in Chinese history, Xi'an is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, because it, under various names, has been the capital of 13 dynasties, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, the Sui, and the Tang. Xi'an, with more than 3,100 years of history, is also renowned for being the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and for the location of the Terracotta Army, made during the Qin Dynasty.

    A total of 850 torchbearers will participate in the relays along two routes through 11 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

    The "Ancient China" route will pass through several cities of historic and cultural significance, including Xi'an, Hohhot, Changsha, Nanjing and Luoyang. The "Modern China" route, running through Shenzhen, Wuhan, Shanghai, Qingdao and Dalian, will showcase the country's achievements in its recent drive for modernization.

    The two routes will converge in Beijing on September 5 in the run-up to the opening of the Paralympic Games.