BEIJING (Agencies)
Beijing was on Friday full of quiet expectation as it awaits the opening ceremony of the Olympics, masterminded by well-known film director Zhang Yimou, with residents told to stay home.
China's once-in-a-lifetime Olympic dream neared reality as the clock ticked down to the Beijing Games opening ceremony, due to kick off at 15:00 GMT.
Billions of people around the world were expected to watch the spectacular show at the iconic "Bird's Nest" stadium, an event hyped as a coming out party for a nation whose global power is rising as quickly as its wealth.
"If your are Chinese, you have to be here. This is a 100-year dream come true," said Luo Rensi, 83, a retired international affairs researcher, one of thousands of people who congregated near the Olympic venues on Friday morning.
"China has been through some bad times during my long life, but this is truly the best time."
Yimou, whose works include Oscar-nominated movies House of Flying Daggers and Raise the Red Lantern, has spent three years creating what promises to be one of the most exciting opening ceremonies ever, which will involve 15,000 performers and finish with a dazzling fireworks display.
He has devised an opening Olympic ceremony filled with bizarre dances, characters and costumes reminiscent of his day job.
The hour-long artistic production promises to encompass China's long history, civilization, achievements in economic reforms and scenes of modern society.
True to Olympic tradition, the person who will light the cauldron remains a mystery, with the Chinese press writing off the prospects of China's two most-loved athletes, basketball hero Yao Ming and athletics champion Liu Xiang.
The ceremony will begin at 8:08 pm on the eighth day of the eight month of 2008 -- a tribute to the number 8 that many Chinese deem lucky as it represents prosperity. |
