Beijing, February 21, China News Network Title: How does the "romantic engineer" resonate at the opening and closing ceremonies? Interview with Zhang Wenhai, the main creator of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games
Author Xie Yanbing Ma Shuaisha
The huge Chinese knot reflecting the heavens and the earth, the "City of the Two Olympics" with a sense of crossing back in time, the long-lasting flame-extinguishing ceremony... The closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics once again staged a Chinese romance. What is the difference between the opening and closing ceremonies? How are many "famous scenes" designed? How did the "romantic engineers" of the opening and closing ceremonies resonate with traditional Chinese culture? In addition to bringing us a visual feast, what will the opening and closing ceremonies leave for China and the world?
Zhang Wenhai, the main creator of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the dance director of the closing ceremony, and the deputy dean of the School of Education of the Beijing Dance Academy, was interviewed by China News Agency to authoritatively interpret the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Zhang Wenhai, the main creator of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the dance director of the closing ceremony, and the deputy dean of the School of Education of Beijing Dance Academy. Photo courtesy of Zhang Wenhai
"Famous scenes" idea inventory
Reporter: What are the similarities and differences between the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics?
Zhang Wenhai: The opening and closing ceremonies are one of the first part and the other is the next part, which is consistent in aesthetics, concepts and styles. The difference is that the opening ceremony will be more enthusiastic and passionate, and the closing ceremony will focus more on warmth and emotion. For 16 days, the athletes worked very hard, whether they got a medal or not, they had a harvest, so the closing ceremony was free, warm, and expressed happiness and joy.
Reporter: At the closing ceremony, the Chinese knot attracted the attention of the outside world, and like the countdown to the opening ceremony, "Li Chun", it skillfully disseminated traditional Chinese culture. In this regard, how did the director team think about it?
Zhang Wenhai: In fact, the way the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics show traditional Chinese culture is different from that of the 2008 Olympic Games. 2008 is a grand narrative, telling the 5,000-year history of China, with more actors and a large chapter. This year, under the creative principle of "simple, safe and wonderful", it is simple but not simple, and it is more direct to people's hearts.
Like the twenty-four solar terms "Li Chun" before the opening ceremony, it is very scientific, very direct, and very modern, which makes traditional culture closely related to the current modern life, and can also resonate with people all over the world.
Director Zhang Yimou has always stressed that we should not make museum-style preaching, and traditional culture must resonate with young people and people in the world. Therefore, the same is true at the closing ceremony, which is to achieve a modern expression of traditional culture.
I also happen to be the director of the athletes' entrance ceremony. When athletes from all over the world enter, the sky and the ground are wrapped in huge Chinese knot lines. On the ground, 12 crystal clear skates draw a series of lines on the ice surface and weave Chinese knots. Each skate is a chinese zodiac sign, representing the Chinese zodiac, carrying children carrying snowflake lanterns, passing on the children's childlike heart and love. In the sky, the "threads" that fly in from outside the "Bird's Nest" are woven into Chinese knots in the air. Heaven and earth reflect each other, and rituals and performances are integrated and completed in one go. Athletes from all over the world walk on the Chinese knot with different skin tones and wear different colors of clothing, which is full of light, indicating that the world's diverse cultures are gathered, united and inclusive.
Why use a Chinese knot? Because the Chinese knot is not only a traditional Chinese symbol, but also a symbol of eternal knots and hearts, reflecting "the world is one, the world is one family" and "together to the future", but also reflects the Olympic spirit of "more unity" and so on. And foreigners can easily interpret this point, which is the best choice.
Reporter: How did you come up with the design of the athletes' admission session at the closing ceremony?
Zhang Wenhai: The biggest protagonist of the closing ceremony is the athletes, the closing ceremony is the home of the athletes to rejoice, to cheer for them, to cheer for them, we must make them comfortable, relaxed, let them feel happy.
The closing ceremony of the athletes entered the mixed admission, a total of about 1500 people. Under the epidemic, the number of athletes from all over the world staying behind to participate in the closing ceremony exceeded our imagination, which shows that the Beijing Winter Olympics attracted them. Accompanied by the melody of the classic "Ode to Joy" of all mankind, more than 1500 athletes and Chinese knots are very beautiful landscapes.
The closing ceremony consisted of 9 short films, reflecting the wonderful moments, touching moments and farewell moments of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Among them, "2022, have me!" ", bringing together the athletes to pick up the moment of gold and silver, let everyone cheer for them again.
Reporter: The closing ceremony of the Olympic Games has a fixed link of "remembrance", how is the "remembrance moment" of the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games considered?
Zhang Wenhai: This piece of creativity is a difficult point, we have gone through a lot of creative planning, overturned and started again, and finally made a form of less sadness, more emotion, and more for the future.
The stage of "Folding Willows" is green as the main color, presenting the image of winter to spring and spring warm flowers, reflecting the Chinese philosophical idea of "reincarnation", and life disappears at the same time as it is a rebirth. At the same time, the memory is the group portrait, in which the emotions are oriented to the world.
In ancient China, when relatives and friends were separated, the sender always folded a wicker to give to the person who traveled far. Willow, with "stay", has the meaning of farewell and hope for return. With such an allegory at the closing ceremony, I hope that athletes from all over the world can leave good memories in the days when they stay in China.
Reporter: At the closing ceremony, the extinguishing of the main torch once again shocked everyone, and what kind of concept was passed on to us?
Zhang Wenhai: The extinguishing of the main torch at the closing ceremony, the brilliant classic five rings of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and the crystal clear snowflakes of this year, the two are intertwined, I think it should move the world, especially for the "double Olympic people". This link, visually and musically, is a reflection of each other. 2008's "Me and You" and this year's "Snowflakes", the two theme songs are presented at the same time, which reflects the concept of "The City of Double Olympics".
The main torch is slow when the torch is turned off, and the control of the rhythm is very in place. Director Zhang Yimou said that at this time, don't be in a hurry, you have to hold your breath and hold your breath. The flames are extinguished, and it is about to reach the whole world. Outside the main torch, the flagpole is shining, implying that the flames gathered in Beijing have been extinguished, but the Olympic flame is still continuing and will never be extinguished.
Before the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the actors rehearsed. Photo courtesy of Zhang Wenhai
Technology, dance and music
Reporter: How to understand the combination of science and technology and dance at the opening and closing ceremonies, and what are the difficulties? And what are the highlights?
Zhang Wenhai: This year is the Science and Technology Olympics, and science and technology is the embodiment of the country's comprehensive strength. We have tried a lot in the combination of culture and technology, art and technology. The fusion of technology and art is the fusion of technology and emotion. Under the principle of simplicity, we use technology as a carrier of expression, interact with human emotions, and reflect "people's nature" and "simplicity".
The interaction of the "Snowflake" program at the opening ceremony was temporary, and just a few days before the opening ceremony, the director team felt that letting the children run freely was more empathetic than the choreography. We use technology to interact in real time, wherever the child runs, that place will shine, and technology and emotion will be combined to show the child's innocent, romantic, and free personality. It was inspired after live rehearsals, but the director team was willing to take the risk and thought it was worth it.
In fact, behind the dance is culture, politics, economy, is a synthesis, but the use of dance as a carrier to express. A national festival like the Olympic Games, whether it is dance or music, carries and carries the world view, values, and traditional and modern elements of China, which are presented in a way and a carrier.
Reporter: We heard that "Remembrance Moment" has the soundtrack of "Farewell", in terms of music selection, what are the principles of the closing ceremony?
Zhang Wenhai: The music of "Remembering the Moment" uses Li Shutong's "Farewell" because it is relatively familiar. In fact, music is also very critical, music selection, the entire closing ceremony has several principles, one is the classic, so that the people of the world have empathy and consensus, but also familiar with it, interpretation should be in line with creativity.
The music of the athletes' entrance ceremony used "Ode to Joy" to show the happy and carnival-like atmosphere of athletes from all over the world. And "Ode to Joy" was originally a poem written by Schiller, which is itself an expression of love. Love can dissolve everything, love can tolerate and unite everything, across nationalities, across regions, across borders, across people's hearts, connecting everyone, so "Ode to Joy" is very consistent with this scene.
Behind the scenes
Reporter: From the end of the opening to the preparation of the closing ceremony, what difficulties have been encountered during the tense rehearsal time, and how have they been solved?
Zhang Wenhai: It's really too difficult. On February 10th, we moved into the "Bird's Nest", and when we came in, the "Bird's Nest" was still under construction.
The huge LED screen of the opening ceremony used hundreds of people to dismantle it 24 hours. Because the opening ceremony of the 4th is over, we must enter the scene on the 10th, and if we can't dismantle it, the choreography and equipment can't be installed, and the closing ceremony will be too late. When dismantling, the floor screen should be covered with protective boards, can not be rehearsed, the first three days are crosswork, this is a race against time, with their own spirit and perseverance to do the challenge. Everyone only sleeps three or four hours a day, and many of the challenges are beyond ordinary perseverance.
Sometimes you have to go through the process 4 times a day. We thought we could have better ideas, so we needed to keep practicing, and we had some fine-tuning on the opening day. Director Zhang Yimou spends time with us almost every day, he is the hardest person and the one who sleeps the least. He brings together everyone's creativity, is very sharp, accurate, and highly advanced, and can once again enhance and implement everyone's shining points, from a cultural point of view, from various angles, so that the world can recognize.
Zhang Wenhai is inside the "Bird's Nest". Photo courtesy of Zhang Wenhai
Youth perspective
Reporter: You also have a special identity, you are an educator at the Beijing Dance Academy, and 95% of the actors at the opening ceremony are young people.
Zhang Wenhai: This year's actor group has no stars, reflecting the people's nature. The actors are all young people, most of whom are students in colleges, middle schools and primary schools. I've been a teacher for over 20 years, and the opening and closing ceremonies made me feel futuristic.
Beijing Dance Academy has participated in many large-scale activities, and student groups participate in large-scale activities, which is a live version of practical education, and they can get gains outside the classroom. From a small classroom to a big stage and a big society, for students, it is a kind of increment and empowerment, and students will understand politics, culture, economy, diplomacy, science and technology, and teamwork. To experience his spirit and cognition on such a big stage is a big education and the most beautiful classroom.
This year, the director team is also very young, especially in the video team and the technology team, and the staff are very young. Old, middle and young generations together, everyone is very equal, we are especially willing to absorb the good ideas of young people, director Zhang Yimou is the oldest, but his ideas are very active, very like to communicate with young people. So everyone sees that the opening and closing ceremonies are not old, but thriving, vigorous, very scientific and futuristic, which also has a lot to do with the team structure.
Reporter: As an educator and the main creative director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics, do you think there is any connection between the two?
Zhang Wenhai: From teacher to director, from podium to stage, the transformation of these two roles is to change a perspective, change an environment, continue my teaching, continue my artistic life, I feel very honored. Teachers in the new era need to have comprehensive literacy, broad vision and execution. From the teacher to the director, it has a great impact on my personal ability, and these will eventually feed back into the teaching, in order to better educate people.
Group photo of Zhang Wenhai and Zhang Yimou. Photo courtesy of Zhang Wenhai
Individuals and nations
Reporter: As a "double Olympic" person, can you further explain to us the concept of paying tribute to the "double Olympics" at the closing ceremony?
Zhang Wenhai: When I was doing the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics this year, the main creative team had a lot of pressure and challenges. How is it different from 2008? How to present the worldview, aesthetic view, artistic view and global posture of Chinese in different eras? In the past 14 years, the world has undergone earth-shaking changes, and China's national strength and cultural self-confidence have also continued to improve.
At the closing ceremony, "closing the mouth" is very important, so we want to reflect the "Double Olympics", want to relive the glory of Beijing as the "City of The Two Olympics", and let some of the wonderful memories of the Chinese people be reproduced. In the 2008 Olympic Games, china's first, this year in the selection of volunteers, the "double Olympic volunteers" who served the two Olympic Games were selected to pay tribute to them.
Reporter: As a "double Olympic" person, from the perspective of personal growth, what do you feel?
Zhang Wenhai: I am very lucky. In the 14 years of "Double Olympics", from the change of creativity and the attitude of exploring problems, what we do is to stand with the country, integrate personal pursuits into national needs, and step on the pulse of the times to create, educate, and dance, which is very lucky. In the 14 years since China has gradually become stronger, we have enjoyed the opportunities and challenges brought to us by the country as cultural people, as artists, and as educators. After these 14 years of experience, I have seen the strength of the motherland. In art, teaching, and educating people, I have grown and feel that the pattern is bigger.
Reporter: In addition to bringing us a visual feast, what will the opening and closing ceremonies leave for China and the world?
Zhang Wenhai: I personally feel that we should leave the world with a new image of China in the new era. If the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games left the world with China's brilliant 5,000-year civilization, then this time it should be to let the world see China's attitude, determination and strength for the future in the new era.
The Science and Technology Olympics show vitality, strength and self-confidence, which can make the world more confident in China. The world has more confidence in China, and China will be able to unite with the people of the world and face the great changes that have not occurred in a century. In the world environment, the confidence of the country is very important, the confidence of the country is the confidence of the people, I think the Beijing Winter Olympics is to embody such a spirit, so it is called "together to the future". The opening and closing ceremonies are the conceptual transformation of "together to the future". (End)