Chinese elements highlighted at Olympic closing ceremony
The curtains came down on the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games Sunday night at Bird’s Nest in Beijing. During the ceremony, many Chinese cultural elements were fused into the design of the grand show, expressing some Chinese romance. Let’s take a look.
Festival lanterns
The closing ceremony began with a large snowflake torch appearing in the sky, echoing the moment from the opening ceremony. Then accompanied by cheerful music, children hung traditional Chinese festive lanterns, lighting up the emblem of the Winter Olympics, which originated from the Chinese character for winter, “dong”.
It is tradition that Chinese people hang lanterns and view lanterns during Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. China just celebrated the festival last week.
Children holding festival lanterns perform at the closing ceremony.
Chinese zodiac ice cars
During the closing ceremony, 12 ice cars in the shape of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals came onstage, with children inside.
There are 12 zodiac signs in China: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Each year is represented by an animal, in rotating cycles. For example, this year features the tiger.
Ice cars featuring the 12 Chinese zodiac animals are part of the closing ceremony.
Chinese knot
The 12 Chinese zodiac-themed ice cars created an outline of a Chinese knot with its wheel trails. And then it was enlarged, and an enormous “Chinese knot” was presented using digital AR technology. Each ribbon could be clearly seen, and all of the ribbons intertwined together, symbolizing unity and auspiciousness.
Traditional Chinese knot is revealed at the closing ceremony.
Fish and riches
During the closing ceremony, the Malanhua Children’s Choir from a mountainous area of Fuping county in Hebei province performed again, this time with different clothes.
The Chinese paper-cut of double fish was seen on their clothes, meaning “rich and have a surplus in the next year” in Chinese culture.
From the vigorous tiger pattern at the opening ceremony, to the fish pattern at the closing ceremony, Chinese elements are used to express best wishes.
Willow branch for farewell
In ancient times, Chinese people broke a willow branch and gave it to their friends, family or relatives when seeing them off, as willow sounds like “stay” in Mandarin. Willow branches appeared in the closing ceremony, expressing Chinese people’s hospitality and bidding farewell to the world guests.
Back to 2008
You and Me, the theme song from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, resounded, and the shining Olympic rings rose up slowly, reflecting Beijing as the only double Olympic city in the world so far.
Also accompanied by the theme song Snowflake of the Winter Olympics, the night sky of Bird’s Nest was lit up with fireworks showing “One World One Family” — Chinese characters tian xia yi jia.
Fireworks showing “One World One Family” light up the sky at Bird’s Nest in Beijing.[Photo/Xinhua]