Beijing (AsiaNews) – A lavish ceremony opened the XXIX Olympiad of the modern era with thousands of athletes from 202 countries filing into the Beijing National Stadium, affectionately nicknamed the Bird’s Nest. After President Hu Jintao officially declared the Games open more than 10,000 athletes representing countries from around the world accepted to uphold the Olympic oath proclaimed by a Chinese athlete before a crowd of 90,000 spectators.
In a breath-taking fashion the Olympic cauldron was lit by Li Ning, a three times gold medal winner at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, who “flew” around the rim of the stadium followed by lights and pictures of the torch’s design and its journey around China.
Starting tonight and for the next 16 days, the athletes will now take centre stage, all warmly welcomed by the spectators. As expected none were as warmly and wildly received as those from the People’s Republic of China itself or from Hong Kong and Taiwan. A child who survived the Sichuan earthquake was at side of basketball player Yao Ming who carried China’s flag.
In tonight’s ceremony China as a whole took centre stage in all its glory, real and sometimes imagined.
The whole politburo filled the VIP box enjoying the show. Hu Jintao arrived at 7.50 with ICO Chairman Jacques Rogge.
Zhang Yimou’s choreography celebrated the splendours of a China tightly linked to world globalisation.
Just before the start at eight minutes past eight pm on 8 August 2008, a flash of lighting rippled around the stadium setting off a spark which kicked off the countdown clock.
At the stroke of the 8.8.08, fireworks lighted the rim of the arena as President Hu Jintao greeted the world. The sound of thousands of drum-beating youth was echoed by clapping hands.
Along the Beijing Meridian, the centre of the world, Olympic lights spread a fiery snake-like firework procession that went from Tiananmen Square to Beijing’s south side. Like lighted flying phoenixes, hundreds of acrobats raised the five Olympic circles.
As a little girl dressed in red (to symbolise the new China) sang, dozens of people in their national costume carried the red flag of the People’s Republic of China to be raised by a cohort of soldiers. Moments later the stadium broke into the national anthem as fireworks blitzed the sky.
And thus began the story of China’s history and culture. Using the latest technologies (costumes with lights; giant screens; colourful rays) as well as actors, mimes, singers, a giant piece of paper was unfolded. On top people danced, wrote, drew the greatness that is China, showing its painting, writing, printing, trade, arts, opera, including the great architecture of the Ming and Qing eras exemplified by huge red columns that emerged out of the stadium’s green as if from thin air.
After the destructions inflicted by the Cultural Revolution and the indifference towards the past shown by many Chinese bent on economic modernisation, the country now seems ready to save its arts and traditions. Articles and reports appear on TV and in the press, focusing on the country’s painting, ceramics, calligraphy, traditional cooking, ancient rites . . . .
In the second half of the ceremony the values of peace in China and the Olympics took the spotlight. Thousands of mimes with lights on their costume lined up in the shape of a dove with girls suspended in the air, carried by kites represented peace. Tai chi chuan experts symbolised ecology as the balance between humankind and nature. Gymnastics was presented as the harmony between the microcosm and the macrocosm (a not so subtle hint at Hu Jintao’s harmonious society perhaps). Children appeared on stage drawing as blue skies, green fields, white clouds were projected, something which Beijing and in China, one of the most polluted countries in the world, desperately need.
Lastly came the Games’ slogan ‘One World, One Dream’, brought to life by the appearance of divers, followed by a gigantic blue balloon coming out of glowing waters, surrounded by star-shaped lights, showing the various continents as they lit up, with running acrobats hanging in the air.
And as pictures of the various sports were projected on a globe, singers—one Chinese, one English—sang the Olympics’ them song whilst thousands of extras opened umbrellas sporting the faces of children of every race.
At the end a blaze of fireworks inside and outside the Bird’s Nest lit the night sky.
Unlike the joyful and tranquil celebrations in the Olympic Village, the atmosphere in the capital remains tense. Security has been stepped up in various points of the city to counter potential terrorist threats made yesterday and in previous days via internet.
Before the ceremony Beijingers had been warned to stay home and watch the ceremony on television.
Anyone or any group of people caught walking in the street was stopped for identity checks.