One World, One Dream: Opening Ceremonies of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China Were Officially Opened on 08/08/08

The 29th Olympiad opened on the night of August 8, 2008, in downtown Beijing, China. As the opening ceremonies finally got underway, China began to present an amazing display of technology, precision, and human elements to present the past and then the present of Chinese culture. It was simply breathtaking to see some of the immense dance sequences depicting some of the most beautiful aspects of Chinese culture, and taking full advantage of a stadium that was created for exactly this purpose.

To start everything off, Chinese President Hu Jintao declared the Games officially open, and the fireworks displays began. Then the real production began, extending about 50 minutes, and extensive movements starting with 2,008 drummers beating out a rhythmic beat, leading into a many flying acrobats, and then an illuminated set of the Olympic rings that then suddenly rose from the stadium floor high above the arena.

The immense show continued with a huge scroll that projected paintings of the past with dancers doing the writing, and faded into a series of giant boxes that morphed into the Great Wall, which eventually came down in a rush to the present and more open depiction of China. Then the two best moments of the opening ceremony took place, as dancers went around and began to form a human version of the Bird's Nest (what the stadium is called) and as they moved aside, an enormous globe rose out of the cement, turning into a moon and depicting first astronauts and then people walking on the moon. It faded to the Earth, and images of planets surrounded the globe before two singers appeared at the top to bring everything home. British singer Sarah Brightman and Chinese pop star Liu Huan performed You and Me, which is the official theme song of the Beijing Games. Finally in a great surprise to everyone attending, a great under-taking of the flame lighting began. Six-time medal winner, and former Chinese gymnast Li Nig was raised by wires up above the crowd, around the stadium, and up to the cauldron where he lit the eternal flame for the Olympics to be officially commenced.