8/8/08: Opening Ceremony of the Olympics

Everyone on Friday August 8th walked around Beijing with bated breath. Years and months of gestation were finally giving way to the real Olympics, and at 8:08 p.m. China gave birth to the Olympics with a vibrant BANG of fireworks and drums, invoking imperial celebrations and an ancient culture with a twist of modern technology. Truly, the vibrant blend of modern and traditional captured the nature of this Chinese host nation. While the seemingly Han Chinese children dressed as Chinese minorities accompanied by goose-stepping PLA army members taking the Chinese flag was a bit creepy, other images worked well. Thousands of drummers drummed with precision with strobe drumsticks; an ancient scroll “unrolled” and human modern dancers lithely made brushstrokes with their bodies. Scholarly robed men and human-scaled tiles formed characters of “peace” and “harmony” and images of the Great Wall and plum blossoms waves. Chinese opera, of course made its appearance, as well as the Hindu “celestial maidens” or Apsaras famous in ancient Buddhist murals in Dunhuang.

Beautiful colors and haunting flute music heralded the Silk Road; one lone woman dancer atop a “floating” tent carried by hundreds of men. The sheer numbers of young men (and some women) hired for this performance suddenly personifies the enormity of the scale of human life required to build the Great Wall, Imperial Palace and other ancient Chinese sites! Modern and ancient, it works.

Colors fluidly create currents and waves as dancers with multi-colored electrified jackets take the floor. The forms are mesmerizing and the acrobatic creation of the Bird’s Nest, as the National Stadium is called and where the opening is taking place, is amazing. Cirque de Soleil has nothing on these acrobats!

The symbols of peace abound. Peace IS an aim of China and it is lovely to see the dove exhibited. In China, nationalism always seems to trump peace, but the average Chinese vows peaceful intentions.

Taiqichuan, ancient martial arts exercise, again appears, first with a woman! Her image is echoed with cool digital panels around her…. And the power and fluidity of her movements stream in seamless sound and image coordination….. The movements and music build, they blow in the stadium rafters until they cascade in torrents upon and around the spectators!

More lovely children appear, all Han Chinese from appearances….. And now there is strong drumming again, more taiqi masters, and stronger, stronger, stronger movements and music (and hordes of Men once again…..) The children chant and paint a natural landscape upon an immense floor scroll, and dancers run with precision with the weather invoked on the large arena surround screen…. Perfect circles, perfect precision…Children shoulder their paintbrushes and birds of many colors fly out to circumnavigate the arena screen, welcoming the children’s artful landscape…

China’s extraterrestrial hopes and dreams emerge as a new world rises up through floor; it’s the ‘Olympic Dream’ -- NO, it’s OUR world! The roar of Chinese crowds greets well known Chinese singer Liu Huan and Sarah Brightman, already a household name in Chinese households who love operatic singing. Now, a visual global village pops up as umbrellas unfurl with kids’ faces from around the world – as one journalist notes, eat your heart out, Benetton! …. Fireworks! Sarah sings a bit in Chinese, Liu Huan sings a bit in English and the crowd goes wild. A few more questionable minorities… I hate that! and the “show” ends, but the real Olympics begin as the athletes march out.

The teams seem to be marching out in no obvious order, but in fact I think that’s cool. Then I learn they are marching out according to the order of brush strokes in the Chinese characters of their country’s name, and that’s even more cool! The music does not seem to be linked to homelands, either. At first it bothered me that the music did not coincide with the teams/regions… but then I grew to like the globalized nature of it. Israelis jump for joy amidst Latin music…. Hong Kong and Taipei march to African beats. Scottish bagpipes wail alongside African and E. Europe teams. Cool!

Smiling Japanese athletes are welcomed with loud Chinese clapping…. And an enormous roar of approval and applause welcomes “Chinese Taipei”. Propaganda at work…and working.

Look at the crowds, feverishly fanning themselves. I believe that the Chinese hand-held fan is a must pack item for attending Olympics events as a/c is either minimal or non-existent. The leaders in the stands look hot and not all utilize their Chinese fans. Meanwhile every scan of Hu Jintao shows him in his Western suit, perfectly still and composed.

And the teams march out.

Denmark, you look good! Bahrain, why must you post a large photo of your king on your flag? (You are the only one it seems ) … Cuba is warmly welcomed by the Chinese and TV hosts again mention China and Cuba’s strong alliances and history… Oh Canada, what a rainbow! From your leader in the stands, with a black woman at his side, and your Sikh turbaned athletes, to your colorful outfits, we love you. You epitomize a rainbow better than the US! Hungary rolls out in red and white, but the women athletes look like they’ve been hit with exploding cows! It’s the only thing that explains the red & white pattern of their outfits ….

It’s 10 o’clock and many major countries are not yet represented…. Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Switzerland, US, Mexico, Norway, UK, Russia, not yet shown…. Those athletes on the floor must stand in the heat; one can only hope there is water and their excitement transcends tiredness. At this point I think the most constant and famous parader is the camera! Almost every athlete carries either camera, cell phone or camcorder…. A roar as a glimpse of the US flag is made…. Go USA! You look very smart in your blue suits and white berets!

It’s 10:50 and I’m exhausted! Just watching every team is both numbing and exciting…. Big ones like Italy, Germany, Mexico, Norway, haven’t shown up yet. Everyone is hot and tired in the arena, at least in leaders’ section! Who is the cute flag bearer for Monaco! And Prince Albert is in the stands…..;) The Aussies are so exuberant!

And now, finally, music matches the country… CHINA appears, with Yao Ming bearing the flag and a small boy carrying Olympic and Chinese flags marching at his side. Who is this small one walking beside Yao? (I later learn he is a small "hero" of the Sichuan earthquake, rescuing some of his classmates immediately after the earthquake struck.)

Every event in China requires a speech. It is late, but the stands are still full. Liu Qi, head of China Olympics, your speech is too long! Pray God it is NOT translated into English & French. Jacques Rogge, I loved your speech. WE share all those dreams, the wishes against doping, the code of friendship and mutual respect.

Finally, the former Chinese gymnast & six time gold winner Li Ning is hoisted in the air to “run” with the torch along the arena’s circular surround screen accompanied by images of torchbearers from throughout the international torch relay. The torch lighting erupts in an awesome conflagration which in turn touches off a blast of fireworks that incite awe and giddiness – the thump, thump, thump of the fireworks reverberates throughout Beijing, announcing the successful birth of the 29th Olympiad. Go Games!