page_title: 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
section_title: Torch relay and the lighting of the flame cauldron
hierarchical_section_title: 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony / Sequence of events / Torch relay and the lighting of the flame cauldron
caption_attribution_description: The nest of fireworks
context_page_description: The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 20:00 China Standard Time on Friday, 8 August 2008, as the number 8 is considered to be auspicious. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture. The artistic part of the ceremony comprised two parts titled "Brilliant Civilization" and "Glorious Era" respectively. The first part highlighted the Chinese civilization and the second part exhibited modern China and its dream of harmony between the people of the world. The stadium was full to its 91,000 capacity according to organizers.
  The ceremony was directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who was the chief director and was assisted by Chinese choreographers Zhang Jigang and Chen Weiya. The director of music for the ceremony was composer Chen Qigang. It was noted for its focus on ancient Chinese culture, and for its creativity, as well as being the first to use weather modification technology to prevent rainfall. The final ascent to the torch featured Olympic gymnast Li Ning, who appeared to run through air around the membrane of the stadium.
context_section_description: At this point, the Olympic flame entered the stadium as a continuation of the Beijing relay leg from the outside. The Olympic torch was relayed around the stadium by seven athletes, and was finally passed on to Li Ning, the former Olympic gymnast champion, the eighth and final athlete.
  The eight athletes were, in order:
  Xu Haifeng (shooting, China's first Olympic gold medalist in any event, 1984)
  Gao Min (diving, China's first repeat Olympic gold medalist in any event, 1988 and 1992)
  Li Xiaoshuang (gymnastics, China's first gymnastics all-around World Champion and Olympic gold medalist, 1992 and 1996)
  Zhan Xugang (weightlifting, China's first double Olympic gold medalist in weightlifting, 1996 and 2000)
  Zhang Jun (badminton, double Olympic gold medalist in mixed doubles badminton, 2000 and 2004)
  Chen Zhong (taekwondo, China's first and double taekwondo gold medalist, 2000 and 2004)
  Sun Jinfang (volleyball, member of team that won China's first major championship in a team sport)
  Li Ning (gymnastics, China's most decorated athlete at its first Olympics, 1984)
  Li Ning, who was suspended by wires, then appeared to run horizontally along the walls of the stadium through to the Olympic cauldron, which at this moment was still not shown. As he ran along the upper wall of the stadium, the projection displayed a scroll opening ahead of him, on which was beamed footage of the entire torch relay. At the final moment, a spotlight revealed the final resting place of the Olympic flame, which had appeared during the torch run. A colossal torch situated at the top of the stadium was lit by a proportionately large fuse.
  A flurry of spectacular fireworks of various colours and shapes, some projecting Olympic rings, others forming hoops, flower outwards, fountain or float down, accompanied the ending of the ceremony. The ceremony ended at 12:09 am, 9 August 2008 CST, which was later than the time originally planned: 11:30 pm, 8 August.
caption: The hidden cauldron is pictured at this photo (on the left side)
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