The Olympic Closing Ceremony Highlighted Chinese Elements

 

The closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics came to a close Sunday night at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing. During the event, numerous elements of Chinese culture were woven into the grand production, conveying a touch of Chinese romance. Let’s take a look.

 

 

Children performed at the closing ceremony, holding lanterns. [Photo/Xinhua]

 

Festival lanterns

 

At the start of the closing ceremony, a giant snowflake torch appeared in the sky, echoing the moment from the opening ceremony. Following that, to the sound of cheerful music, children hung traditional Chinese festive lanterns, illuminating the Winter Olympics emblem inspired by the Chinese character “Winter.”

 

The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese celebration marked by hanging and admiring lanterns, observed on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. China just celebrated this festival last week.

 

 

Children performed at the closing ceremony, holding lanterns. [Photo/IC]

 

 

Ice carriages adorned with the twelve zodiac animals were part of the closing ceremony. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese Zodiac Ice Car

 

At the closing ceremony, 12 ice carts shaped like the Chinese zodiac animals took to the stage, with children aboard.

 

China has the twelve zodiac animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each year is associated with one of these animals, and the cycle repeats itself. For example, this year is marked by the Tiger.

 

 

Ice carriages adorned with the twelve zodiac animals were part of the closing ceremony. [Photo/IC]

 

 

The closing ceremony featured traditional Chinese knots. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese knot

 

Twelve ice‑carved vehicles, each themed after a Chinese zodiac animal, trace the outline of a Chinese knot with their wheel tracks. Zooming in further, augmented reality technology reveals a colossal “Chinese knot.” Every ribbon is clearly visible, and all the ribbons intertwine, symbolizing unity and auspiciousness.

 

 

The closing ceremony featured traditional Chinese knots. [Photo/Xinhua]

 

 

Children dressed in Chinese paper-cutting–inspired double-fish costumes sang at the closing ceremony. [Photo/IC]

Fish and Wealth

 

At the closing ceremony, the Malan Flower Children’s Choir from the mountainous region of Fuping County in Hebei Province once again took to the stage, performing in a variety of costumes.

 

On their clothing, they spotted Chinese paper-cuttings of the Pisces symbol, which in Chinese culture signifies “abundance and prosperity in the coming year.”

 

From the majestic tiger motif of the opening ceremony to the fish pattern of the closing ceremony, Chinese cultural elements are employed to convey heartfelt wishes.

 

 

Willow branches take center stage at the exhibition, bidding farewell to guests from around the world. [Photo/IC]

Farewell, Willow Branch

 

In ancient times, when seeing someone off, the Chinese would break off willow branches and present them to friends and relatives, as the word for “willow” in Mandarin sounds like “to stay.” The appearance of willow branches at the closing ceremony conveyed the Chinese people’s warm hospitality and bid farewell to guests from around the world.

 

 

The “One World, One Family” fireworks at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest lit up the sky. [Photo/Xinhua]

Back to 2008

 

As the theme song of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, “You and Me,” began to play, the gleaming Olympic rings slowly rose, symbolizing that Beijing is, to date, the only city in the world to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

 

To the tune of the Winter Olympics’ theme song, “Snowflake,” the night sky above the Bird’s Nest was illuminated by fireworks, spelling out “Tianxia Yijia”—the Chinese characters for “One World.”

 

 

The “One World, One Family” fireworks at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest lit up the sky. [Photo/Xinhua]

 

(From ChinaDaily)