With no exaggeration, best open ceremony among all these countries.
有朋自远方来，不亦说乎？
Friends arrive from afar, isn’t it nice?
This is one of the first ancient literature sentences we learned as a Chinese, and I can’t think of anything better opening than this in 2008. What a year, and so much has changed…
I regret I couldn’t see it live, being at the time on conference. This is total embodiement of China, collective first.
I still think the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony was the most beautiful and emotional one I’ve seen to date. And the lighting of the Olympic flame was breathtaking.
I remember people here in the US being genuinely freaked out by this. Like, holy shit what is China cooking up over there they’re going to take over the world.
In the voice of John Oliver: Cool
Whenever I see this I always think of that South Park episode where this is Cartman’s nightmare.
I’m still upset at the audience for trying to clap along to a breathtaking display of synchronicity like this. Way to mask the actual spectacle you’re there to watch.
The Opening Ceremony was beautiful but I am still haunted by the Closing Ceremony. The way the flame is blown away …
This was the best opening ceremony. China really arrived on the world stage with this one it felt like
2008 was the first Olympic games I binge watched. I was in high school and just had surgery to fix a broken knee, so I was in bed rest for 2 weeks. No Olympic games will ever top that for me lol
Are we just going to pretend they didn’t let the little girl who’s actually singing be on stage because she wasn’t pretty enough? Instead they found a “prettier” body double.
Holy shit, I remember watching this with my then-boyfriend and his parents. Life is so much different.
Omg I remember this. The drummers!!
How do they even plan for this? It can’t be cued in by sound, the delay from one side of the stadium to the other would introduce noticeable lag. Was there a flashing light that cued them in or something?
EPIC ❤️
China went all out with their ceremony (yes they spent billions on it and probs bankrupted the country that year lol). But it really propelled the olympics to a truly global level (not to mention Lightning Bolt’s Olympic debut)
Rest of world: we have Pyrotechnics and Pageantry! China: we have *PEOPLE*
I prefer London 2012 but no doubt Beijing was special too
best opening ceremony for sure! watching it live was crazy as a kid
Impressive
2008 and 2016 are some top tier opening ceremonies
Why couldn’t 2022 be more like that?!? smh
I remember this like it was yesterday. This was (still is) one the most epic performance of any kinf
An incredible example of precision and synchronicity. Just rehearsing that performance warrants its own documentary.
Despite being the ultimate showcase of humanity working together to choreograph an incredible piece of performance art, even back in 2008 I thought this part of the ceremony looked so unworldly and alien, which is why I loved it so much.
It looked and sounded like something straight out of Dune, from the colors to the costumes, even the haziness around the stadium. I don’t think this performance will ever be topped.
This was the last legit watch-worthy opener🤝
That’s just a classic pizzaiolo school in China. Nothing to see here.
I remember watching this as a kid and being absolutely mind-blown. Such a cool Opening Ceremony.
I have chills!!! 2008 Olympics is what made me want to make it to the Olympics as a kid 😭 but unfortunately I realized it’s not a career and left my sport
Still remember when I was a child, woke up in that exact day and instead of Olympics there were footages how Russians were bombing us on tv.
33 comments
With no exaggeration, best open ceremony among all these countries.
有朋自远方来，不亦说乎？
Friends arrive from afar, isn’t it nice?
This is one of the first ancient literature sentences we learned as a Chinese, and I can’t think of anything better opening than this in 2008. What a year, and so much has changed…
I regret I couldn’t see it live, being at the time on conference. This is total embodiement of China, collective first.
I still think the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony was the most beautiful and emotional one I’ve seen to date. And the lighting of the Olympic flame was breathtaking.
I remember people here in the US being genuinely freaked out by this. Like, holy shit what is China cooking up over there they’re going to take over the world.
In the voice of John Oliver: Cool
Whenever I see this I always think of that South Park episode where this is Cartman’s nightmare.
I’m still upset at the audience for trying to clap along to a breathtaking display of synchronicity like this. Way to mask the actual spectacle you’re there to watch.
The Opening Ceremony was beautiful but I am still haunted by the Closing Ceremony. The way the flame is blown away …
This was the best opening ceremony. China really arrived on the world stage with this one it felt like
2008 was the first Olympic games I binge watched. I was in high school and just had surgery to fix a broken knee, so I was in bed rest for 2 weeks. No Olympic games will ever top that for me lol
Are we just going to pretend they didn’t let the little girl who’s actually singing be on stage because she wasn’t pretty enough? Instead they found a “prettier” body double.
Holy shit, I remember watching this with my then-boyfriend and his parents. Life is so much different.
Omg I remember this. The drummers!!
How do they even plan for this? It can’t be cued in by sound, the delay from one side of the stadium to the other would introduce noticeable lag. Was there a flashing light that cued them in or something?
EPIC ❤️
China went all out with their ceremony (yes they spent billions on it and probs bankrupted the country that year lol). But it really propelled the olympics to a truly global level (not to mention Lightning Bolt’s Olympic debut)
Rest of world: we have Pyrotechnics and Pageantry! China: we have *PEOPLE*
I prefer London 2012 but no doubt Beijing was special too
best opening ceremony for sure! watching it live was crazy as a kid
Impressive
2008 and 2016 are some top tier opening ceremonies
Why couldn’t 2022 be more like that?!? smh
I remember this like it was yesterday. This was (still is) one the most epic performance of any kinf
An incredible example of precision and synchronicity. Just rehearsing that performance warrants its own documentary.
Despite being the ultimate showcase of humanity working together to choreograph an incredible piece of performance art, even back in 2008 I thought this part of the ceremony looked so unworldly and alien, which is why I loved it so much.
It looked and sounded like something straight out of Dune, from the colors to the costumes, even the haziness around the stadium. I don’t think this performance will ever be topped.
This was the last legit watch-worthy opener🤝
That’s just a classic pizzaiolo school in China. Nothing to see here.
I remember watching this as a kid and being absolutely mind-blown. Such a cool Opening Ceremony.
I have chills!!! 2008 Olympics is what made me want to make it to the Olympics as a kid 😭 but unfortunately I realized it’s not a career and left my sport
Still remember when I was a child, woke up in that exact day and instead of Olympics there were footages how Russians were bombing us on tv.
To me it’s still the best so far