2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

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2008 Summer Olympics
opening ceremony
Part of 2008 Summer Olympics
Fireworks - panoramio - wuqiang beijing (4).jpg
Fireworks during the opening ceremony
Date8 August 2008;17 years ago (2008-08-08)
Time20:00 – 00:09 CST (UTC+08:00)
Venue Beijing National Stadium
Location Beijing, China
Coordinates 39°59′30″N116°23′26″E / 39.99167°N 116.39056°E / 39.99167; 116.39056
Filmed by Beijing Olympic Broadcasting (BOB)
Footage Full opening ceremony on the IOC YouTube channel on YouTube

The opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics took place at the Beijing National Stadium, popularly known as the "Bird's Nest", on the evening of 8 August 2008. The start time was set at 20:00 China Standard Time (UTC+08:00), a deliberate choice to align with the symbolism of the number eight, regarded in Chinese numerology as an auspicious figure connected to prosperity, confidence, and good fortune. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

The production was overseen by acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou, with choreographers Zhang Jigang and Chen Weiya serving as deputy directors, and musical direction provided by composer Chen Qigang. [7] [8] The ceremony was staged on an unprecedented scale, featuring more than 15,000 performers and elaborate choreography that blended traditional Chinese motifs with modern technology. Its programme was divided into two themed sections, "Brilliant Civilization" and "Glorious Era". The first section celebrated China’s ancient contributions to world civilization, including calligraphy, movable type printing, Confucian thought, and inventions such as gunpowder and the compass. The second section shifted focus to China’s modernization in the 20th and 21st centuries, highlighting industrial progress, urban development, and the nation’s aspirations toward international cooperation and harmony. [9] One of the most memorable performances featured 2,008 drummers beating fou drums in unison, producing a monumental sound that opened the event and symbolised collective strength and unity. [10]

The stadium itself, filled to its capacity of 91,000 spectators, incorporated advanced staging and technical effects. Organisers also utilised weather modification techniques to reduce the risk of rainfall during the performance, deploying cloud-seeding methods to disperse approaching rain clouds. [11] [12]

The finale of the ceremony became one of its most iconic sequences: Olympic gymnast Li Ning was lifted high into the air on wires, appearing to run around the inner rim of the stadium before lighting the Olympic cauldron and was widely circulated in international media coverage. [13] The full programme lasted more than four hours and was estimated to have cost just above US$100 million, making it one of the most expensive Olympic ceremonies to that date. [14] It was surpassed by the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Paris, which was estimated to have cost €100 (~ $108) million. [15] [16]

International reception was highly favourable, with international media outlets highlighting the precision, scale, and aesthetic ambition of the production. Agence France-Presse described the performance as "the greatest ever in the history of the Olympics," [17] [18] while Reuters reported that the "opening extravaganza drew rave reviews." [19] At the same time, commentators and scholars observed that the ceremony was not only an artistic spectacle but also could be seen as a branding initiative of national presentation, representing China’s historical legacy and modern achievements "as part of its wider engagement with global audiences." [20]

Beyond its immediate impact, the 2008 opening ceremony has since been described as a watershed cultural event that symbolized the transformation of the country "by three decades of opening up and reform." [21] In 2014, it received a Peabody Award for its "spell-binding, unforgettable celebration of the Olympic promise." [22] [23]

Creative team

The creative team for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games consisted of a roster of renowned individuals. The artistic performance of the Opening Ceremony, titled the "Beautiful Olympics", had the internationally acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou as General Director, and Zhang Jigang and Chen Weiya as Deputy General Directors. Its core planning team comprised some of the best artists and technology experts in the world, including Yu Jianping, Lu Jiankang, Cai Guoqiang, Chen Qigang, British stagecraft designer Mark Fisher, Chen Yan, Sha Xiaolang, Japanese designer Eiko Ishioka, Xu Jiahua, Cheng Xiaodong, and Tan Dun. Jennifer Wen Ma was the youngest member of the creative team, and Chief Designer for Visual and Special Effects for the Opening Ceremony.

In 2006, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) initially chose American filmmaker Steven Spielberg, Yves Pepin, head of the French entertainment group ECA2, and Sydney Games opening ceremony director Ric Birch as special consultants. [24] [25]

After working in collaboration with Artistic Director Zhang Yimou on his original creative and production proposal to BOCOG, David Zolkwer, Project Director for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games ceremonies was formally commissioned to provide ongoing Creative and Production consultancy for the Opening Ceremony directly to BOCOG along with colleagues Mik Auckland (Technical) and Celia Smith (Production) – all of whom worked for Jack Morton Worldwide at the time.

In February 2008, Spielberg pulled out of his role as advisor in protest over China's alleged continuing support of the Sudanese government and the ongoing violence in the Darfur region. [26] [27] American composer Quincy Jones offered to write a theme tune for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and decided to stay on and contribute to the Beijing Olympics. [28] Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee was also part of the team creating the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. [29]

Gillian Chung was originally scheduled to be a performer at the opening ceremony, but due to the Edison Chen photo scandal, director Zhang Yimou replaced her and her partner, Charlene Choi (not involved in the photo incident) with the C-pop act A-One. [30] A-One was not a part of the performances on 8 August.

Proceedings

Prelude

The People's Liberation Army Navy Band performed the "Welcome March" song to welcome IOC members and Chinese leader Hu Jintao.

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Fireworks display

The proceedings began by a flame and an ancient Chinese sundial, awakened by the light of time from the sky, lights up 2008 bronze Fou drums. The drums, running like a time machine, formed giant digits (in both Hindu–Arabic and Chinese numerals) to count down the seconds to the Games. The digits were formed in ten-second intervals in Arabic numerals starting from sixty before switching over to the final ten seconds in both numeric form and Chinese characters side by side. At the end of the countdown, a huge fireworks display was set off from the top of the stadium.

Welcoming ceremony – The Song-Fou

The 2,008 drummers play the bronze Fou drums and sing the quote from The Analects of Confucius written 2000 years ago: "Isn’t it delightful to have friends coming from afar?” to welcome friends from all over the world. [31]

Footprints of History and Olympic Rings

The firework footprints were set off at the rate of one every second; each represented one of the 29 Olympiads, signifying the Beijing Olympics as the XXIX Olympiad of the modern era. The 29th footprint arrived at Bird's Nest and transformed into Star Olympic Rings. Next, the rings were lift up by twenty "Dunhuang fairies" (Mahayana Chan (Zen) Chinese Buddhist apsaras of the Mogao Caves).

National flag-raising ceremony

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China's national flag carried into the National Stadium

Attention was then turned to 56 young children representing the 56 ethnic groups of modern China, and donning respective costumes. They marched in the flag of the People's Republic of China as a young girl in red, 9-year-old Lin Miaoke (林妙可 Lín Miàokě), was seen performing "Ode to the Motherland", while miming to the voice of Yang Peiyi. [32] Only one-third of "Ode to the Motherland" was sung, to save time. The flag of the People's Republic of China was then handed over to eight well-dressed PLAGF Honor Guard Soldiers who carried the flag in a slow, goose-stepping march over to the flag podium and the Chinese national anthem "March of the Volunteers" was sung by a 224-member choir while the flag was unfurled and raised with red and yellow fireworks going off at the end.

Artistic section

The Artistic section of the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony focused on illustrating China’s cultural heritage, artistic achievements, and historical innovations. Through a combination of live performance, visual projections, and traditional music, the section presented a thematic journey from ancient history to modern accomplishments. Central motifs included the Four Great Inventions of China, classical literature, operatic traditions, and natural harmony.

Scroll Painting

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Dancers painting on the scroll
The disciples of Confucius chanted a famous quote from the Analects, translated as "All those within the four seas can be considered his brothers." Disciples holding bamboo slips during 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.jpg
The disciples of Confucius chanted a famous quote from the Analects , translated as "All those within the four seas can be considered his brothers."

The ceremony opened its artistic segment with Beautiful Olympics, a short film highlighting the invention of paper, one of China’s Four Great Inventions. The film concluded with a rolled-up handscroll, transitioning to a live performance that introduced the scroll painting motif. A massive LED scroll unfurled to display animated images of traditional Chinese ceramics and fine art, emphasizing the continuity between China’s historic artistry and contemporary technology.

At the center of this visual presentation, a block of white canvas paper was revealed. Black-costumed dancers, with hidden brushes dipped in ink, moved gracefully across the paper, leaving fluid trails reminiscent of traditional Chinese ink-and-wash painting. The performance was accompanied by the delicate sound of the guqin, played by Chen Leiji (S: 陈雷激, T: 陳雷激, P: Chén Léijī), reinforcing the ceremonial and meditative atmosphere. The LED display also featured Wang Ximeng’s rare classical painting, visually linking the live choreography with historical art.

Written Character

Following the scroll painting, the giant LED scroll moved aside to reveal 897 movable type blocks arranged to form three sequential representations of the Chinese character 和 (Hé, meaning "harmony"). These blocks symbolized the movable type printing press, another of China’s Four Great Inventions. The character appeared in successive scripts, from ancient bronze inscriptions to Seal Script and finally modern Regular Script (KaisScript), emphasizing the evolution of Chinese written language.

Performers dressed in Zhou dynasty attire, representing the 3,000 Disciples of Confucius, carried bamboo slips and recited excerpts from the Analects, including "Isn't it great to have friends coming from afar?" (Chinese :有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎?; pinyin :Yǒupéng zì yuǎnfāng lái, bù yì lè hū) and "All men are brothers within the Four Seas" (Chinese :四海之內，皆兄弟也; pinyin :Sìhǎi zhī nèi, jiē xiōngdì yě). The movable type blocks transformed into a miniature Great Wall, from which peach blossoms emerged, symbolizing openness and cultural flourishing.

The sequence culminated with the tops of the movable type blocks lifting to reveal 897 performers waving to the audience, demonstrating the precision and coordination of the participants and reinforcing the notion of collective effort and harmony. [34] [35]

A scene of Beijing opera performers Beijingceremonyshowpic7.jpg
A scene of Beijing opera performers

Opera

The ceremony then transitioned to the operatic segment, emphasizing traditional Chinese performance arts. Ancient terracotta soldiers were represented through dancers, evoking China’s early dynastic history. [36] Beijing opera elements were incorporated through puppetry and performances by actors representing the Wusheng role type, a martial character in Beijing opera, blending historical narrative with stylized theatrical expression. This segment highlighted the artistry, vocal precision, and visual symbolism inherent in classical Chinese opera.

Silk Road

Silk Road segment Opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 8, 2008.JPG
Silk Road segment

The Silk Road segment depicted China’s historical connections with the wider world. A performer symbolizing a Dunhuang fairy, the eponymous angelic flying celestial figure depicted in illustrations of the Mogao Caves near Dunhuang, in Gansu, [37] danced across a projection of golden desert, held aloft by men dressed as ancient envoys. The LED scroll illustrated the overland Silk Road, emphasizing trade and cultural exchange.

Following this, performers in blue costumes used large oars to form formations resembling junks, symbolizing maritime expeditions led by Zheng He. Another performer carried an ancient compass, represented as a metal spoon floating in a fluid vessel, while the LED scroll displayed maps and routes from Zheng He’s seven Treasure Voyages during the Ming dynasty. This segment celebrated China’s historical exploration, navigation, and technological innovation.

Li and Yue (Ritual and Music)

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Actors performing atop a huabiao
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A musician playing the pipa
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Ending segment of "Brilliant Civilization" before "Glorious Era"

Representing the prosperity and ritual sophistication of ancient China, the segment titled "The State of Li and Yue" incorporated music from Kunqu, one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. The LED scroll displayed classical paintings spanning the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Two rows of large royal dragon pillars (huabiao) emerged, while performers danced to the melody Flowery Moonlit River in Spring, accompanied by pink and orange fireworks overhead. This segment underscored the ceremonial and aesthetic values of Chinese civilization.

Starlight

Lang Lang performing with five-year-old Li Muzi Chinese pianist Lang Lang the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games.jpg
Lang Lang performing with five-year-old Li Muzi

In the modern segment, pianist Lang Lang performed alongside five-year-old prodigy Li Muzi [38] , presenting an eight minute melody from the Yellow River Cantata. Around them, hundreds of dance performers illuminated with multicolored lights swayed rhythmically, symbolizing the flow of the Yellow River. The lights subsequently formed a Dove of Peace and the outline of the Beijing National Stadium, before a young girl released a kite into the air, representing innovation, freedom, and harmony with nature.

Nature

A Tai chi performance by 2,008 masters [39] showcased balance, discipline, and harmony with the natural world. Schoolchildren representing China’s 56 ethnic groups contributed to the presentation by drawing and chanting poetry on the giant paper scroll. The paper was then lifted vertically to reveal a painting of mountains, rivers, and a smiling sun. Subsequent projections of colorful birds symbolized the rebirth of the phoenix and the stadium itself, reinforcing the integration of natural motifs with cultural symbolism.

Dream

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Performers dancing atop an illuminated sphere

The final artistic segment portrayed China’s aspirations in science and space exploration. A massive 60-foot, 16-tonne sphere represented the Earth, upon which 58 acrobats tumbled in multiple orientations. The sphere transformed into a glowing Chinese paper lantern, connecting celestial symbolism, traditional craft, and modern performance. This segment celebrated human ingenuity and the blending of China’s technological achievements with artistic expression.

Theme song

Chinese singer Liu Huan and British singer Sarah Brightman stood on the central platform and sang the 2008 Olympic theme song: "You and Me." [35]

2,008 performers then held out parasols with smiling faces of young children. [40] This was followed by red and orange fireworks in the form of smiley faces. The representatives from the 56 ethnic groups danced a vigorous folk dance.

Parade of Nations

The athletes taking part in the XXIX Olympiad parade of nations marched out to the centre of the stadium.

In accordance with Olympic tradition, the national team of Greece, which hosted the last Summer Olympics, in Athens, entered first, in honor of Greece's status as the birthplace of the Olympics, while China, as the host country, came last. Traditionally nations are ordered in alphabetic order of the national language of the host country (or if there is more than one, the more dominant of the languages of the host city); as Chinese writing is not alphabetic, the teams paraded by stroke order of the first character of their respective countries' names in Simplified Chinese. [4]

Countries were ordered according to the number of strokes in the first character of their Chinese names. If multiple countries shared the same stroke count, they were further sorted based on the order of the five basic strokes in Chinese characters: horizontal (一), vertical (丨), left-falling (丿), dot (丶), and hook or turning stroke (乙). When countries shared the same first character, the sequence was determined by the stroke order of the second character.

For example, Latvia (Chinese :拉脱维亚), Great Britain (Chinese :英国), and the British Virgin Islands (Chinese :英属维尔京群岛) entered the stadium consecutively as the 114th, 115th, and 116th delegations, respectively. The first characters of these names—拉 and 英—both contain eight strokes. Comparing stroke order, Latvia’s first character (拉) follows the sequence 一丨一丶一丶丿一, while Great Britain’s first character (英) begins with 一丨丨丨乙一丿丶. Latvia’s third stroke (一) precedes Great Britain’s third stroke (丨), giving Latvia priority in the procession. Great Britain and the British Virgin Islands shared the same first character (英), so the second characters determined their order: 国 (8 strokes) for Great Britain versus 属 (12 strokes) for the British Virgin Islands. Consequently, Great Britain entered before the British Virgin Islands.

Some countries with short first-character stroke counts entered very early. For instance, Guinea (Chinese :几内亚) followed Greece as the second country to enter because its first character (几) requires only two strokes. Conversely, nations with more complex first characters entered later. Australia (Chinese :澳大利亚) marched 202nd, immediately before Zambia (Chinese :赞比亚), the final delegation before China. Their first characters—澳 and 赞—contain 15 and 16 strokes, respectively. [41]

Announcers in the stadium read off the names of the marching nations in French, English (the official languages of the Olympics), and Standard Chinese with music accompanying the athletes as they marched into the stadium. The leading signs of delegations, carried by young Chinese women in red dresses, had their names printed in these three languages: the Chinese version in traditional Chinese calligraphy; and above it in the other two languages, using a Roman alphabetic typeface that mimicked brush calligraphy.

Chinese names of most states were condensed to their short forms when possible. For example, Bosnia and Herzegovina (波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那) entered as 波黑 Bō hēi in Chinese, while Saudi Arabia (沙特阿拉伯) entered as simply 沙特 Shātè. One exception was the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which entered in Chinese as its full designation (前南斯拉夫马其顿共和国) because of the Macedonia naming dispute (though the country was sorted according to its short name, 马其顿). China entered as People's Republic of China/République populaire de Chine in English and French, but simply as 中国 Zhongguo in Chinese, the most common short name.

The athletes marched along the tracks toward the center of the stadium, which was encircled by white-capped Chinese cheerleaders welcoming each contingent. As they did so, they would step on colored ink before treading on the Chinese painting done earlier by the children and the performance artists.

Throughout the entire Parade of Nations, the Olympic athletes were treated to live traditional music ensembles, hand-picked by the Chinese Olympic committee from around the world. Each ensemble represented a continent from the five Olympic rings. The groups included Chinese orchestra, Scottish bagpipers Mains of Fintry Pipe Band (Fintry Pipe Band), Aboriginal musicians and dancers from Australia (William Barton), [42] South African drummers (Drum Cafe), [43] and North American mariachi group Mariachi Mujer 2000. [44]

Unlike in previous years, North and South Korea did not send a unified team; their athletes marched in separately as Republic of Korea (South Korea, Chinese :韩国) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea, Chinese :朝鲜民主主义人民共和国; pinyin :Cháoxiǎn mínzhǔ zhǔyì rénmín gònghéguó). [45] Taiwan marched under the name "Chinese Taipei" (Chinese :中华台北; pinyin :Zhōnghuá Táiběi) as per a 1989 agreement and in the Olympics since then – and the Chinese media has followed suit, referring to Taiwan as Zhonghua Taibei instead of the previously used and controversial Zhongguo Taibei (Chinese :中国台北; pinyin :Zhōngguó Táiběi, literally "Taipei, China"). [46] [47]

The Chinese contingent, which was last, was led by Yao Ming and Lin Hao, the 9-year-old primary school student who had rescued two schoolmates during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. [48] [49]

Protocol

Liu Qi, the President of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, gave a speech in Mandarin welcoming the athletes. Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), followed with a speech in English, praising the Chinese for their warm reception and effort and urging athletes to "have fun" and to reject doping and performance enhancement drugs. This reminder was reiterated in French. Afterward, Hu Jintao, the paramount leader of China, formally declared the Olympics open in Mandarin: [50]

Chinese :"我宣布，北京第29届奥林匹克运动会…开幕！"; pinyin :Wǒ xuānbù, běijīng dì èrshíjiǔ jiè àolínpǐkè yùndònghuì…kāimù; lit.'I declare the XXIX Olympic Games of Beijing... open!'

— Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China

Olympic flag

Afterward, the Olympic flag was carried in by eight former athletes from China. They were: [51]

They then passed on the flag to the soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (the PLA) and the Olympic anthem sung while the flag was being raised, with a multinational choir of 80 children performed the anthem in Greek. They are the same children who was escort the Chinese flag and sang the national anthem on the earlier stage. Chinese table tennis champion Zhang Yining and arbiter Huang Liping took the Olympic oath, representing the athletes and officials respectively.

There was a short dance presentation, followed by bright yellow fireworks – representing the release of doves of peace.

Torch relay and lighting of the Olympic cauldron

Lighting of the cauldron by Li Ning Beijing 2008 Olympic cauldron lighting (cropped).JPG
Lighting of the cauldron by Li Ning

At this point, the Olympic flame entered the stadium as a continuation of the Beijing relay leg from the outside. The Olympic torch was relayed around the stadium by seven athletes, and was finally passed on to Li Ning, the former Olympic gymnast champion, the eighth and final athlete.

The eight athletes were, in order:

The hidden cauldron is pictured at this photo (on the left side) The nest of fireworks - panoramio.jpg
The hidden cauldron is pictured at this photo (on the left side)

Li Ning, who was suspended by wires, then appeared to run horizontally along the walls of the stadium through to the Olympic cauldron, which at this moment was still not shown. As he ran along the upper wall of the stadium, the projection displayed a scroll opening ahead of him, on which was beamed footage of the entire torch relay. At the final moment, a spotlight revealed the final resting place of the Olympic flame, which had appeared during the torch run. A colossal torch situated at the top of the stadium was lit by a proportionately large fuse. [52]

A flurry of spectacular fireworks of various colours and shapes, some projecting Olympic rings, others forming hoops, flower outwards, fountain or float down, accompanied the ending of the ceremony. The ceremony ended at 12:09 am, 9 August 2008 CST, which was later than the time originally planned: 11:30 pm, 8 August. [53]

Encore

As the audience started to exit the stadium, singers from Mainland China and Hong Kong came onto the stage to provide music as a way to stall the audience from leaving all at once. Jackie Chan, Karen Mok, Han Hong, and Sun Nan sang the first song, "Stand Up", while Andy Lau, Nicolas Tse, Joey Yung, Wakin Chau, Wang Feng, and Sun Yue sang the second song, "Cheering for Life." Since the ceremony was already over time by then, this portion was not televised in the CCTV coverage; however, it could still be partially heard in BBC and NBC coverage. [54]

Anthems

Dignitaries and other officials in attendance

Over 105 heads of state and government and five leaders of international organizations attended the opening ceremony. [55] [56] The opening ceremony held a record for the largest number of attending foreign heads of state in Olympic history and the largest gathering of world leaders for a sporting event, until surpassed by the 2012 ceremony four years later. [57] [58] [59]

The following dignitaries were confirmed to be present at the ceremony: [60]

Incidents and controversies

Accident during rehearsal

Liu Yan, one of China's top Chinese dancers, fell from a three-metre high platform during practice on 27 July 2008 and sustained severe spinal injuries. She was paralyzed waist-down after a six-hour operation. Despite her not performing in the ceremony proper, deputy director Zhang Jigang ensured Liu's name was written in the programme as the lead dancer. [64] [65] [66]

In an interview after visiting Liu Yan in the hospital, Director Zhang Yimou said, "I feel sorry for Liu Yan, my heart is full of regrets, I’m deeply sorry. Liu Yan is a heroine. She sacrificed a lot for the Olympics, for me, for the opening ceremony." Shortly after the opening ceremony, in an earlier media interview, Zhang expressed: "I regret many things, many details of this performance, many things I could have done better. For example, there are performers who were injured. I blame myself for that." [67]

Rehearsal leakage

The South Korean Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) secretly filmed rehearsals of the opening ceremony and leaked parts of it, violating a prohibition by the Organizing Committee. [68] The video was uploaded at YouTube on 30 July 2008, but was deleted soon after its upload. However, several additional videos have been uploaded by other users. [69] The Organizing Committee investigated the unauthorized filming, [70] and on 6 August 2008, banned SBS cameras inside the stadium during the ceremony as reprisals for the leak. [71]

Girl lip-synching to recording by another singer

The song "Ode to the Motherland" appeared to be sung by Lin Miaoke at the ceremony, but it emerged she had mimed her performance to a recording by another girl, Yang Peiyi. It was a last-minute decision to use lip-synching, following a Politburo member's objection to Lin's voice. [32] [72] [73] [74] IOC executive director Gilbert Felli defended the use of a more photogenic double. [75] [76] Although the names of both Lin Miaoke and Yang Peiyi appeared in the programme notes, [77] the vast majority who watched the broadcast did not realise Yang Peiyi's role until several days later when music director Chen Qigang acknowledged it.

Performers at previous Olympic opening ceremonies had occasionally synched to recordings of their own performance, however never to that of another person. Examples include the tenor Luciano Pavarotti at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, due to his pancreatic cancer. [78] Then nine-year-old Eleonora Benetti also lip-synched to a previous recording of the Italian National Anthem. [79] The Sydney Symphony Orchestra appeared to perform at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, but the music spectators heard was entirely pre-recorded, with some of the music pre-recorded by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. [80]

Computer-simulated fireworks

Television coverage of the fireworks show which displayed the 29 firework "footprints" outside the stadium was simulated by computer animation. [81] [82] Twenty-nine sets of fireworks in the shape of a footprint did actually go off, [81] but it was decided that it would be difficult and dangerous to get a good shot from helicopters capturing all 29 of the footsteps (which went off every two seconds), so a CGI of 27 of the footprints was made for television broadcasts, and only the last two were filmed live. The 55 seconds of display took the BOCOG a year to choreograph. The substitution of CGI footage was mentioned during the time-delayed U.S. broadcast of the ceremony on NBC by announcers Matt Lauer and Bob Costas. [78] [83] [84]

Children representing minority groups

On 15 August, Wang Wei, the vice president of the BOCOG, confirmed that children who appeared in the opening ceremony in the costumes of the 56 ethnic groups of modern China did not belong to the ethnic minorities their costumes indicated, as described in publicity materials, but instead all or most were members of the majority Han Chinese. Wang said it was "traditional" and not unusual for actors in China to wear different ethnic costumes. [85] [86]

Blue screen of death

During the ceremony, many spectators saw a Windows XP blue screen of death projected onto the ceiling of the stadium for two hours. A photo of Li Ning, the final torchbearer who lit the cauldron, passing the blue screen as he moved to light the torch went viral. [87]

Reception

The opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics received extensive international attention and widespread acclaim from media, officials, and scholars, though some commentators offered more critical perspectives.

IOC officials praised the event for its scale and precision. IOC President Jacques Rogge described the ceremony as "spectacular" and "an unforgettable and moving celebration of the imagination, originality and energy of the Beijing Games," while noting that the Beijing National Stadium, or "Bird's Nest," had become "one of the world's new wonders" and a "fitting setting for an amazing Opening Ceremony." [88] Hein Verbruggen, IOC member and chairman of the Coordination Commission for the Games, called it "a night to remember," and "an unprecedented and grand success" that exceeded expectations.

International media coverage largely emphasized the ceremony’s visual grandeur and cultural significance. Agencies such as AFP labeled it "a spectacular opening ceremony," [89] and the BBC and The Times described it as "dazzling" and "spectacular." [90] [91] The Associated Press highlighted its "extravaganza of pageantry," noting that the ceremony was "spellbinding" and avoided overtly political messages. [92] Similarly, USA Today emphasized the celebration of China's cultural and artistic traditions, [93] and Art Daily noted the elaborate costumes representing various imperial dynasties and historical periods. [94] Film critic Roger Ebert described the production as "astonishing" for its scope, precision, and visual beauty. [95]

Coverage in Europe and other regions highlighted similar themes. Spanish outlets Antena 3 and Cuatro called the ceremony "astonishing" and "impressive," [96] while Cadena COPE described it as "the most dramatic Olympic opening ceremony ever." [97] Germany's Deutsche Welle praised it as both spectacular and a "trip through China's rich history." [98] Among international figures, filmmaker Steven Spielberg termed the show "an unforgettable spectacle" and "arguably the grandest spectacle of the new millennium." [99] The American Film Institute later recognized the broadcast as one of the "Eight Moments of Significance" of 2008, describing it as "staged with breathtaking poetry." [100]

Political leaders also noted the ceremony's impact. U.S. President George W. Bush described it as "spectacular and successful," [101] and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair called it "the spectacular to end all spectaculars." [102]

Some media and scholars, however, highlighted underlying themes and cultural politics. The Straits Times observed that certain Western outlets offered "cynical" or "hostile" interpretations. [103] Columns in The Globe and Mail and reporting by Reuters portrayed the prominence of various thematic elements and the highly choreographed, disciplined nature of the performances as a "heavy military theme." [104] [105] Asia Times echoed this perspective, praising the visual spectacle while noting the overall tone lacked a sense of "fun," headlining its coverage "Awe (but no laughter) in Beijing." [106]

Academic analysis has highlighted the ceremony's dual function as both cultural performance and strategic messaging. Scholars note that director Zhang Yimou and his team balanced elements of traditional Chinese culture with symbols of modernization, producing a narrative that showcased historical continuity while signaling China's emergence as a global power. [107] Elements such as Confucian scholarship, classical poetry, and movable type were interpreted as expressions of cultural pride as well as curated gestures aimed at nation branding. [108] Wendy Larson, a scholar of Chinese literature, cautioned against an overly simplistic characterization of the ceremony's thematic characteristics and noted that the thematic emphasis on discipline, community, and collective effort reflected longstanding Chinese aesthetic traditions rather than purely political messaging. [109]

Television

Estimates of the global television audience varied: "around one billion" (Reuters); [110] "experts estimated ... more than two billion" (The Wall Street Journal); [111] "2.3 billion" (MindShare); [112] "Billions ... probably the largest live television audience in history" (Bloomberg); [113] "3 billion" (Sky News); [114] "nearly 4 billion" (Xinhua); [115] "as many as 4 billion" (The Washington Post); [116] "estimated 4 billion" (McClatchy). [117] This included an estimated 842 million viewers watching on host Chinese broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), with polls ranging from 63 and 69 percent of the Chinese viewing population, exceeding that of the 51–58 percent who watch the network's annual Chinese New Year gala. [110] The BBC reported five million viewers in the United Kingdom, the Seven Network had 7.8 million viewers in Australia, The Hollywood Reporter said 4.4 million in France watched the ceremony, the ARD estimated 7.72 million viewers in Germany, while in Italy, RAI had 5.5 million viewers, and in Spain, TVE obtained 4 million viewers. Rádio e Televisão de Portugal obtained 591 thousand viewers, a record breaking audience for RTP2, even surpassing programming from popular private broadcasters and its sister channel in the same time slot, with the tape delayed broadcast in the evening on RTP1 managing a more modest 4.4 rating and 20.4 share. [118] [119]

A report made a year later for the International Olympic Committee estimated that 1.5 billion people (including 739 million within China itself) watched at least one minute of the ceremony, and 1.4 billion worldwide watched at least 15 minutes. [120]

In the United States, the NBC network delayed its telecast by 12 hours for evening primetime viewing, though Americans in markets bordering Canada could watch it on CBC Television, and others watched clips of it earlier on YouTube and other online video websites. [121] Still, it managed to capture an average of 34.2 million viewers [122] [123] and a total of 69.9 million viewers. [84]

The Opening Ceremonies in Beijing became the most watched Olympic Opening Ceremony ever held in a non-U.S. city by an American audience, [123] a record previously held by the Lillehammer Games of 1994. [122] It was the biggest television event in the U.S. in 2008 since the Super Bowl, and it also surpassed the ratings for the 2008 Academy Awards ceremony and that year's finale of American Idol . [123]

In the United States, NBC concluded its broadcast with a message saying that their coverage of the opening ceremony was dedicated in memory of Jim McKay, longtime Olympics broadcaster with rival ABC, who died on 7 June. ABC "loaned" McKay to NBC to serve as a special correspondent during their coverage of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. [124]

See also

References

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