The Athens Olympic torch relay has begun in 2008 host city Beijing, with Olympic-size jams accompanying the flame as rush hour traffic ground to a halt.

　　The torch was lit at 9.16 am (0116 GMT) at the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People by Tiananmen Square, and the 55 kilometre relay through the Chinese capital set off right after.

　　The Beijing leg of the 33-city trek ends with a cauldron being lit in the famous Summer Palace. Basketball superstar Yao Ming has been picked for the job.

　　Yu Zaiqing, vice-president of the Chinese Olympic Committee and a member of the International Olympic Committee, got the relay underway, running the first leg.

　　With roads closed, many people were not in the Olympic spirit, stuck in their cars on a scorching hot day. Along the route however the atmosphere was more festive, with balloons flying and people lining the steets cheering.

　　"It's an honour for us to bring the Olympic flame and the Olympic spirt to Beijing, a city with wonderful history and deep-rooted culture," said Kristin Fabos, spokesperson for the Athens Olympic organising committee.

　　"Sharing the Olympic flame with Beijing is not only a prelude to the Athens Olympics, but also an opening event for Beijing 2008."

　　A total of 148 torchbearers are taking part in the relay which will pass a host of symbolic sites such as the Temple of Heaven, the city's hutongs, and venues being built for the 2008 Games.

　　Other participants include Olympic and world diving champion Tian Liang and triple world swimming champion Luo Xuejuan.

　　The flame began its journey in Ancient Olympia on March 25 when it was lit and taken to Athens' marble stadium, where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896.

　　It started a 78,000-kilometer trek across six continents and 33 cities when it left Greece on June 2.

　　From China, the torch moves on to India and winds through Africa, the Americas and Europe before returning to Greece in the countdown to the lighting of the flame in the Olympic cauldron in Athens on August 13.