The 2008 Beiling Olympics Torch relay and Opening ceremony
3 min readThe design of the 2008 Olympic Torch was based on traditional scrolls and used a traditional Chinese design known as the“Propitious Clouds”.The torch was designed to remain lit in 65 km/h（40 mph）winds，and in rain of up to 50 mm/h（2 in）.
The relay’s theme was”Journey of Harmony”，with the slogan S of“Light the Passion，Share the Dream”.The relay began on March |高24，2008 in Olympia，Greece.From there it traveled across Greece to Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens，and then to Beijing，arriving on March 31.From Beijing the torch followed a route passing through every continent except Antarctica.The torch visited cities on the Silk Road，symbolizing ancient links between China and the rest of the world.A total of 21，880 torchbearers were selected from around the world by various organizations and entities.
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony officially began at 8：08 pm China Standard Time（UTC+8）on August 8，2008 in the Beijing National Stadium.
The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture，and here it was a triple eight for the date and for time（close to 08：08：08 pm）.The ceremony was co-directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and Chinese choreographer Zhang Jigang and featured a cast of over 15，000 performers.The ceremony lasted over four hours and was reported to have cost over USS100 million.
A rich assembly of ancient Chinese art and culture dominated the ceremony.It opened with the beating of Fou drums for the countdown.
Subsequently，a giant scroll was unveiled and became the show’s centerpiece.The official song of the 2008 Olympics，titled“You and Me”，was performed by British Sarah Brightman and Chinese Liu Huan on a large spinning rendition of the globe.The last recipient in the Olympic Torch relay，former Chinese gymnast Li Ning ignited the cauldron，after being suspended into the air by wires and completing a lap on the National Stadium at roof height.
The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and various international presses as“spectacular”and“spellbinding”.Hein Verbruggen，chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the XXIX Olympiad，called the ceremony“a grand，unprecedented success”.
The program for the Beijing Games was quite similar to that of 高the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens.There were 28 sports and302 events at the 2008 Games.Nine new events were held，including two from the new cycling discipline of BMX.Women competed in the 3000 metre steeple chase for the first time.Open water swimming events for men and women over the distance of 10 kilometres（6.2 mi）were added to the swimming discipline.Team events（men and women）in table tennis replaced the doubles events.In fencing，women’s team foil and women’s team sabre replaced men’s team foil and women’s team epee.Two sports were open only to men，baseballand boxing，while one sport and one discipline were open only to women，softball and synchronized swimming.Equestrian and mixedbadminton were the only sports in which men and women compete together.
In addition to the official Olympic sports，the Beijing Organizing Committee was given special dispensation by the IOC to run a wushu competition in parallel to the Games.The Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 saw 128 athletes from 43 countries participate，with medals awarded in 15 separate events；however，these were not added to the official medal tally since Wushu was not on the programme of the 2008 Olympic Games.
Closing ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony concluded the Beijing Games on August 24，2008.It began at 8：00 pm China Standard Time（UTC+8）and took place at the Beijing，National Stadium.The Ceremony included the handover of the Games from Beijing to London.Guo Jinlong，the Mayor of Beijing，handed over the Olympic flag to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson，followed by子不CC）
a performance organized by the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games（LOCOG）.This presentation included performances by guitarist Jimmy Page and recording artist Leona Lewis.Footballer David Beckham was also there during London’s presentation.
