Torch Relay for 19th Asian Games Proceeds in Ningbo
Zijin Chen is running towards the container terminal.
Sailing Performance at the Meishan Red Bridge.
Fenghua Cloth Dragon Dance.
Spectators gather at the China Port Museum.
On the morning of September 12th, the Eternal Flame for the 19th Asian Games reached Ningbo, a city that is an Olympic champion powerhouse and a model for China. Thousands cheered and applauded to welcome the arrival of this baton of sportsmanship, lighting up the coastal city with lingering festivity! A constellation of 170 representatives from various walks of life – ranging in age between 14 and 73 – served as the torchbearer team. Holding the Eternal Flame high, they were escorted to relay the fire of future with pride and confidence, offering a comprehensive presentation of the shining points of Ningbo, an Asian Games co-host city known for its time-honored culture, far-reaching port, and pro-innovation soil.
Themed “Ningbo, Setting Sail to Embrace the World”, the relay route spanned a picturesque distance of 12.7 kilometers, and took the participants on a coastal journey from China Port Museum to Meishan Island International Container Terminal (MSICT) at Ningbo-Zhoushan port.
Among scenes along the relay route, people can find the azure of Meishan Bay beach, the fragrance of flower-teeming promenades, the majesty of the Red Bridge stretching across the blue, and the vitality of Geely Automobile Manufacturing Base. Many torchbearers were in awe as they viewed the bustle of Ningbo’s container hub and the modern grandeur and natural charm of this coastal metropolis.
To complement the wonderful view, an assortment of performances was staged, represented by tastes of local intangible cultural heritage: Fenghua Cloth Dragon Dance and Meishan Lion Dance, trailer shows of Asian Games’ beach volleyball and sailing, as well as a music feast featuring “China-Chic”. All these added jubilation to the torch relay event while demonstrating the unique charm of Ningbo.
Illuminated under the radiant glow of the Eternal Flame, this historic port city in East China successfully concluded its segment of the torch relay. Similarly, it is through the collective efforts of generations of residents that Ningbo thrives as “a city of culture, and a gateway to the world.” Sitting on the convergence of the southern terminus of the Grand Canal and the eastern origin of the Maritime Silk Road, and enriched by its abundant cultural heritage, Ningbo warmly embraces the world with open arms.