I just finished watching the Opening Ceremonies, and it’s hard to find a word besides, “Wow.” Artistically, it was everything I’d hoped for and more. Zhang Yimou really outdid himself. I have strong feelings about the Chinese government’s political and religious oppression. But like many others, I put those aside for the sake of the athletes and the high Olympic principles that drive them. I geek out over the Olympics. I lose all my cynicism and become a kid again. 

Some of my favorite aspects of the Opening Ceremony:

-The 2,008 drummers—get a load of those square drums! What a sound! And all good-looking young men, too. Not to mention 2,008 men doing tai-chi at the same time.
-The 56 children, dressed in the costumes of each ethnic group in China.
-The historical and cultural symbolism, like the dancers bearing scrolls (since China invented paper), and the Tang Dynasty dancer supported by many others (stressing the cooperation that the Chinese hold so dear).
-The movable type and LCD screen dancers—mind-blowing!
-Lin Hao, the little boy who survived the Sichuan earthquake, walking next to Yao Ming.
-The footprints of every athlete streaking across the giant painting.

The only thing I really didn’t care for was the supposed symbolic turn of 1978 in the ceremony…the commentators said that this was when the Chinese government allowed people to break out of the Communist gray and blue clothes and “choose for themselves how to live.” Uh, there was a great deal more to the government’s oppression than clothing….It just seemed like shameless propaganda to me.

But still, a beautiful and inspiring ceremony.

What did you like/not like?



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