A memorial ceremony is held in Huangling, Shaanxi Province on October 7, 2008, to honor the legendary Yellow Emperor. [cnsphoto]

Some 10,000 Chinese gathered on Tuesday morning at the Mausoleum of Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, to pay respect to the legendary ancestor of the Chinese nation on the Double Ninth Festival.

In a nod to the Beijing Olympics, eleven former Olympic champions were invited to take part in the ceremony, including shooter Yang Ling, judoka Sun Fuming, and tennis player Li Na.

The Double Ninth Festival, which falls on the ninth day of the ninth month on China's lunar calendar, is a traditional festival to honor senior citizens. Chinese usually try to show their care for their parents on that day.