Chinese people believe that the achievements of the year ahead depend on a good start in spring. It is a pleasant coincidence that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics opened on the day of Li Chun, or the Beginning of Spring, the first solar term on the Chinese Lunar Calendar.
Starting from the opening ceremony, elements inspired by traditional Chinese culture have become prevalent, both inside and outside of the venues of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
During the countdown to the ceremony, the names of the 24 solar terms were presented one by one on big screens. Fireworks formed the two Chinese characters Li Chun, meaning "Beginning of Spring" and the English word "spring".
The 24 solar terms embody the ancient Chinese wisdom of observing nature, represent a picturesque landscape as the seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter change, and reflect Chinese people's outlook on life and cosmology.
"Every minute of the opening ceremony was full of Chinese culture," said Zhang Yimou, chief director of the ceremony, adding that the overall creativity reflects the values and philosophies of the Chinese people.
Beginning from a pre-show featuring "Chinese Square Dance," which was originally created by ordinary Chinese people, Chinese elements were presented throughout the whole ceremony.
Honored guests entered the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, to the music of "Peace -- A Community of Shared Future." Three Chinese characters, "Guo Nian Hao," and its English version "Happy Chinese New Year" appeared on the glowing "ice" at the center of the LED floor, expressing New Year greetings from the Chinese people to friends from around the world.
The Winter Games take place as Chinese people celebrate their traditional Spring Festival, the most important occasion for family gatherings.
"The opening ceremony is about sharing beautiful moments with everyone and spreading more common ideals of humanity," Zhang said.
The athletic teams were led by placard bearers dressed in costumes with ice and snow patterns. The placards, in the shape of a glowing snowflake, were inspired by the "Chinese knot," which is an ancient Chinese craft of hand knitting, symbolizing solidarity and prosperity.
The teams entered in the stroke order of their team names as written in the Chinese characters, with Turkey being first to follow Greece. Athletes walked past the "China Gate" inlaid with traditional Chinese patterns used on windows and doors, and onto the "China Window" with changing pictures of magnificent scenery and landscapes in China.
The moment when the 24th Olympic Winter Games was declared open, a thundering canopy of fireworks in the shape of the "Guest-Greeting Pine" appeared above the Bird's Nest. The "Guest-Greeting Pine" is the symbolic landscape of Huangshan Mountain, a world heritage site in east China's Anhui Province, and has become a symbol of peace and friendship between China and people all over the world.
