Olympic flame crosses Loess Plateau

YAN'AN, Shaanxi: The Olympic torch started its Loess Plateau trip from Yan'an yesterday.

It was taken to the peak of a mountain on which stands a pagoda built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It then crossed the Yanhe River to the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor, a legendary ancestor of the Chinese people.

Local farmers, like Niu Ying, from nearby Ansai county, arrived with their drums, trumpets and costumes to cheer on the relay. The county is known for its drum performances and the folk dance yangge.