TAIZHOU - The Olympic torch will kick off its relay on Monday in Taizhou and Yangzhou respectively.

Former badminton world champion Ge Fei runs a leg of torch relay in Nantong on May 25, 2008. [BOCOG]

It will be the sacred flame's third and forth stop in Jiangsu Province and the relay will range 12.8 kilometers with 104 torchbearers in Taizhou and 11 kilometers with the same number of torchbearers in Yangzhou.

At the launching ceremonies of the Taizhou and Yangzhou legs, all of torchbearers and spectators will observe a minute of silence to victims of the 8.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in southwestern China's Sichuan Province on May 12. Charity boxes are to be set up along the routes to collect donations for those suffering the earthquake.

The torch relay of Taizhou leg is going to set off at 8:00 am local time at the hundred-year-old Taizhou high school, and will pass by 11 bridges in total in the city, which underlines the feature of Taizhou's landscape of being embraced by Dongcheng River and Fengcheng River.

After visiting Mei Lanfang Memorial Museum and ending at the People's Square of Taizhou, the flame will leave for Yangzhou at 12:00 a.m. on Monday.

The torch relay in Yangzhou is to set out on Monday afternoon at Han Dyke Relics in the Spring and Autumn Period, which is the rudiment of the Jinghang Canal, or the Great Canal.

The relay, entitled "Exquisite Yangzhou", is set to stretch through local landmarks and historical spots, including the Ancient Canal Scenic Area, Dongguan Wharf that was built in the Sui Dynasty, Wenchang Pavilion, Stone Pagoda Temple, Yangzhou Museum, and will end at Yangzhou Sports Park.