Did you watch the opening ceremony (开幕式) of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games? It’s totally different from that of the 2008 Summer Games. Because there were no stars, nocelebritiesor professional performers (专业表演者). Just common people showed the world who they are.

“It is time to show a modern China and common Chinese people, especially the younger people, to the world instead of always paying attention to the country’s 5,000-year history,” said Zhang Yimou, director of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. He also directed the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games ceremony. It offered people a look of China’s wonderful and long history.

At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, there were about 3,000 people from all walks of life. More than 90 percent of them are students between the ages of 5 and 25. Did you remember the children singing the Olympic anthem (《奥林匹克圣歌》)? They were primary school students who came from Fuping, a small county in Hebei. Many live in villages and their parents are either farmers or migrant workers (农民工). It was the first time the 44 little singers had left home to perform in Beijing. Although most didn’t have any singing experience, their songs touched people’s hearts. It will be a meaningful experience for them their whole lives.

Besides, square dancing is a popular national activity in China, where it’s seen as a form of daily exercise. So the square dancers from the ages of 5 to over 70 performed in the 30-minute warm-up show before the ceremony.

From the opening ceremony, we knew a modern China and the lives of common people. There were no famous performers, but everyone was sincere (真诚的) and that touched people’s hearts.