Light beams, fireworks and water jets exploded from the banks of the Pearl River as China marked the opening of the 16th Asian Games in the southern city of Guangzhou, two years after dazzling the world with a gala opener to the Beijing Olympics.
Unlike the land-bound festivities at the Bird’s Nest stadium that featured thousands of performers moving in coordination in 2008, Asian Games organizers planned to pay tribute to coastal southern Guangdong province’s seafaring heritage.
Athletes set sail in 45 brightly lit vessels along the Pearl River to tiny Haixinsha island, where organizers built a ship-like stadium for the opening night celebrations.
Photo: REUTERS
The ceremony began with a small boy floating down from the sky on a leaf-like carriage lit in green. He poured water from a bottle, setting off giant fountains which sprayed in arcs across a stage. Four dozen water goddesses seemed to walk across the water, followed by a dozen fairies rising out of pools in the stage floor.
Performers flapping large pieces of red cloth scrambled across the stage to create the image of petals dropping on water. Other actors entered in a large sampan-like vessel, recreating a journey in rough seas, with the would-be sailors swaying on ropes and ladders amid waters represented by large flags waved by hundreds of dancers.
Classical pianist Lang Lang (郎朗) performed on a white grand and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon actress Zhang Ziyi (章子怡) sang as synchronized swimmers danced and water sprouted before them.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) was to declare the games open toward the end of the four-hour ceremony designed by Chen Weiya (陳維亞), deputy to famed Chinese director Zhang Yimou (張藝謀) when he crafted the Beijing ceremony.
However, the huge scale of the event posed a logistical dilemma for the Chinese organizers.
Officials locked down areas near the stadium, ordering residents within a 1km radius to leave their homes for the night — apparently to eliminate the threat of sniper fire. They were, however, asked to leave their lights on to help maintain a glittering skyline backdrop.
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