Published : 08/05/2025

On May 8, 2008, the Beijing Olympic torch was successfully ignited and passed on at the peak of Mount Everest.

At around 9 a.m. that morning, about 30 metres from the summit, Chinese mountaineers first used the torch lighter to ignite the firing rod, and then used the firing rod to ignite the first torchbearer's torch.

After passing through multiple people, the final 5th torchbearer displayed the torch at the summit.

The Chinese Flag, the International Olympic Committee flag, and the Beijing Olympic flag were also displayed at the site, achieving all the set goals perfectly with clear television broadcast signals.

The Beijing Olympic torch relay was themed "Journey of Harmony" and carried the slogan "Light the Passion, Share the Dream".

A total of 21,880 torchbearers participated in the relay, which spanned 130 days and covered approximately 137,000 km.

The relay passed through 21 cities in 19 countries and regions across five continents outside of China, as well as 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions within China.

The Beijing Olympic torch relay set historical records with "three mosts and one highest": the longest relay route, the most relay days, the largest number of participants, and reaching the world's highest peak.