2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics took place at the Beijing National Stadium in China on February 4, 2022. This event marked the official start of the Winter Olympics, bringing together athletes from around the world to compete in winter sports. The ceremony included important traditions such as welcoming speeches, raising flags, and a parade of athletes from every participating country.

Famous film director and producer Zhang Yimou directed the ceremony. He had also directed the ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics, which was the first time China hosted the Olympic Games. The event featured an artistic show to highlight China's winter culture and modern history.

One of the most impressive parts of the ceremony was the world's largest LED screen. It covered 10,552 square meters (113,580 feet²) and used 40,000 LED modules to create stunning visual displays.

Some countries chose not to send their diplomats to the ceremony, known as a diplomatic boycott, and there were also concerns and controversies around the event.

Ceremony key team

The opening ceremony was led by Zhang Yimou as the director. There were announcers for different languages: Qiao Dongzhuo spoke French, Ji Xiaojun spoke English, and Bao Xiaofeng spoke Mandarin Chinese.

Theme and concept

The opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics celebrated several important ideas. It showed China's hope for world peace and its desire to work together with others. The ceremony also highlighted the Olympic motto, "faster, higher, stronger – together," and the Beijing Winter Games' slogan, "Together for a shared future." For the first time in Olympic history, the ceremony combined all parts, including the official protocols, into one smooth show.

Preparations

The preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony were finished in October. A practice run happened on January 22, 2022, with around 4000 people taking part.

Proceedings

The opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics happened at Beijing National Stadium in China on February 4, 2022. It began with a pre-show performance at 7:25 PM, featuring dancers of all ages from Beijing and nearby areas. Videos from other Chinese cities were also part of this performance.

At 8:00 PM, happy messages for the new year appeared on stage, welcoming everyone to the celebrations. Important guests, including leaders and officials, arrived and were cheered by the crowd. The ceremony officially started with a countdown, representing the 24th Winter Olympics and the beginning of spring in the Chinese calendar. Dancers then performed with glowing green stalks, showing the lifecycle of a plant turning white and floating up like seeds.

Twelve children carried the Chinese flag into the stadium, passing it to representatives from different groups and ethnic groups in China. These representatives then handed the flag to honor guard soldiers, who raised it while people sang the national anthem.

The Olympic rings were revealed through a special performance. Ice skaters helped form the rings, and athletes from many countries marched into the stadium. The host nation, China, entered last, with their national song playing.

The ceremony officially opened with speeches from leaders, including a declaration by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Fireworks lit up the sky, welcoming guests from around the world.

The Olympic flag was carried into the stadium by famous Chinese athletes. Athletes and judges took an oath to follow the rules fairly. Children performed a dance with snowflake lights, and the Olympic flame was brought in by athletes from different generations. The final torch runners included skiers and sprinters, ending with two young athletes lighting the cauldron.

Anthems

The National Anthem of the People's Republic of China was played, followed by the Olympic Anthem, which was sung by the Malanhua'er Children's Choir.

Dignitaries in attendance

The opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics had many important people from around the world. From the host nation, China, key leaders included Xi Jinping, the top leader of the country, and Li Keqiang, the head of the government.

Many leaders from other countries attended too. These included heads of government or state from nations such as Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, and Egypt, among others. International organizations were also represented, with leaders from the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations present.

Royalty from places like Cambodia, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand attended, along with other important figures from countries including Japan, France, and South Korea.

Viewership

In the United States, NBC’s live broadcast of the ceremony had fewer viewers than any other opening ceremony before. About 16 million people watched on TV, and another 190 million minutes were watched online using NBC’s streaming service. There were several reasons for the smaller audience, including tensions between the United States and China, the Olympics happening during the COVID-19 pandemic, and less excitement leading up to the event.

Controversy and concerns

Taiwan's participation

In January 2022, there was some concern about how Taiwan would be treated during the Winter Olympics in Beijing. A spokesperson from China mistakenly called the team from Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) "Taipei, China." This led Taiwan to say they would not attend the opening and closing ceremonies because of rules about COVID-19 and flight delays. Later, Taiwan decided to attend after talks with the International Olympic Committee.

Hanbok controversy

Some people from South Korea were upset because a performer wearing a traditional Korean-style outfit, called a choson-ot, was part of the ceremony. They felt this was not right because she was representing ethnic Koreans living in China, not South Korea itself. Some leaders in South Korea spoke out about this, but others thought the reaction was too strong. The Chinese Embassy said they respect South Korea’s culture and that the outfit belongs to all ethnic Koreans, including those in China.