Xi attends opening ceremony of Beijing Winter Olympics

BEIJING, Feb 4, 2022, China Daily. The Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games opening ceremony began at the National Stadium in Beijing on Friday. The program is divided into 15 segments, including the parade of athletes and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, China Daily reported.

A pre-show presented by square dancers aged from five to over 70 years old was held prior to the opening ceremony.

The “Square Dance” is a creation of ordinary Chinese people and has become very popular. On public squares in large cities or small towns, people spontaneously gather together to joyfully sing and dance in their off-time.

This choreographed performance showcased the passion of the Chinese people in welcoming the Olympic Winter Games.

As the ceremony started, the lights dimmed and a 24-second countdown followed.

The opening day of the 2022 Winter Olympics coincides with the “Beginning of Spring”, which is the first of the 24 solar terms of the year. It is used to count down the last seconds before the ceremony, reflecting the Chinese people’s understanding of time.