Like nearly every other Chinese and those in the know, I watched the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics last Friday, 8/8/08 at 8:08pm—if you couldn’t tell, 8 is a very significant number in Chinese superstition (it’s a homophone of “prosperity”). We’ve waited 7 years for this moment, and despite the heavy, and often unfair, criticism of China’s human rights and environmental records, and goodness knows what else, all this was brushed aside, and we all lived for the moment.
Given my background in visual arts/design it’s become second nature to be on the look out for visually striking things and aesthetics, and I have to say I was utterly gobsmacked by the majestic, epic splendour of each performance. The ceremony began with a rumbling, thunderous countdown made by 2008 fou drummers, meticulously synchronised to utmost perfection as is humanly possible, building up a thrilling momentum before a loud bang of a circular ring of fireworks. That alone makes the opening ceremony incredibly memorable. But there was so much more opulent, elaborate, high-tech, sophisticated, synchronised madness yet to come.
Zhang Yimou directed the ceremony alongside Zhang Jigang, China’s most renowned choreographer and a team of other talents. If you’re familiar with Zhang Yimou’s recent films, Hero or Curse of the Golden Flower, then you can probably tell where his vision stems from. There was clearly a heavy emphasis on ancient China’s glory and achievements—humanism, philosophy, the arts, rather than its more turbulent and devastating modern history. Personally expected this and I was really impressed with the direction. Since I’m an avid typography lover I’m rather appalled at myself that I did not know that China had invented the earliest form of movable type. I’ve always been taught that Johannes Gutenburg was the leading pioneer in the printing press process. There’s roughly a four century span between the two events, which isn’t much in Chinese history. Begs the question yet again whether the West “stole” the technology; such an irony now when China is always copying other brands…
Apart from the amazing use of vivid colour and contrasts, the next highlight for me is the utilisation of enormous masses of people participating in the performances. China, by default, has the largest amounts of pretty much anything, given its dense population, so it comes as no surprise that they would take advantage of their strengths in numbers. The movable type segment had me fooled; I initiallly thought it was computer-programmed, then I wondered if it was people (never doubt the capabilities of a human, a Chinese human at that), then I rested on my initial conclusion. Totally wrong! Totally unbelievable!
The lighting of the cauldron was a surprise to me, and definitely unique. Li Ning, a retired Olympic gymnast, held the honour of igniting the flame, not by the conventional means of walking up a bunch of steps, but by being hoisted into the air and gliding along the edge of the stadium towards the cauldron in a majestic, suspended fashion. It was just breathtaking.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt so empowered or inspired by my cultural heritage. *weeps from the awesomeness* China has successfully plunged itself onto the world stage with confidence and finesse. What bodes for the future, well, we can only await for with great ancticipation and newfound admiration.
On the side: hopefully the 9 year old girl who sang the Hymn to the Motherland will fare better than “our Nikki Webster” did, the latter of whom last seen on a racy men’s magazine. WELL DONE, NIKKI.
