Before reading this article, please click "Follow" to facilitate your discussion and sharing. This article is only published in today's headlines, and it is not allowed to be carried on any platform, and the handling must be investigated
On August 8, 2008, a grand night that went down in history was staged in Beijing. At 8 o'clock in the evening, the "Bird's Nest" of the Beijing National Stadium was brightly lit, and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games was held here.
This opening ceremony shook the world and deeply shook the hearts of every Chinese. The opening ceremony, which shocked the world, was presented by the Bird's Nest Stadium, which cost 3.4 billion yuan and took five years to build.
It stands tall under the night sky, like a giant bird about to flutter its wings, implying that the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is about to set sail.
That night, 913 performers sweated at the opening ceremony, showing us 50,000 years of splendid civilization. Among them, there are scrollable scrolls that symbolize the history of China's writing and development, and there are classical art of the Han, Tang, Song and Ming dynasties that are reproduced through the performance of thousands of people.
The performers drew the word "harmony" with their pens in the air, and their wonderful skills won the warm applause of the delegates of all nations.
When the delegation of Chinese athletes entered the competition venue, a special child attracted everyone's attention - Lin Hao, a survivor of the Wenchuan earthquake. His presence represents those compatriots who are unable to attend for various reasons. At this moment, people's applause echoed for a long time, and their eyes were full of tears.
The Wenchuan earthquake struck five months ago, claiming nearly 70,000 lives and plunging the entire nation into deep pain. However, it is this pain that makes people's persistence in life and love for their country more profound.
On this special night, China, which has experienced pain, showed its strength, unity and grandeur in its own unique way. When the flame was lit at the last moment of the cauldron in Tiananmen Square, the city of Beijing was surrounded by the sound of sonorous and powerful gun salutes, and the Bird's Nest, as a symbol of the Chinese dream, slowly took off on this ancient land.
2008 was an unusual year.
Just before the grand opening ceremony in August, China had just experienced the Wenchuan magnitude 8 earthquake. The disaster claimed nearly 70,000 lives.
The whole land of China was shrouded in deep grief, and people welcomed the arrival of the Olympic Games with mourning and tragedy.
At the opening ceremony, when the Chinese athlete phalanx entered the stadium, everyone found a special child - Lin Hao, who is a survivor of the earthquake.
He represented the compatriots who were unable to attend the earthquake, and at this moment, the audience burst into long-lasting applause, and everyone was deeply touched.
Lin Hao followed the team silently, with a strong look on his face. This young man shouldered the grief and hope of an entire nation, and he became a bridge between the living and the dead.
The pain brought by the earthquake to the Chinese people did not break their will to rise up, and the Chinese people chose to face the accidents in life with tenacity, choosing hope rather than despair.
At the opening ceremony, a simple little girl gently healed the pain of the earth with the beautiful singing voice in the landscape painting, and the song of "let the world be full of love" sounded on the scene, touching everyone's heart.
Life is sustained by love, and we should overcome pain with hope. The grief caused by the Wenchuan earthquake has also made the Chinese people stand stronger and show the world the strength of the national spirit with their indomitable will.
In the darkest of days, the flower of life chose to bloom. We use joy to face sorrow, unity to save hope, and make the Olympic Games a source of strength to unite people's hearts.
In this deep land, the Chinese nation is showing the power of life with a positive attitude.
In fact, for a long time, China has begun to plan and discuss the issue of the subsequent use of Olympic venues.
In 2003, two years after China's successful bid to host the Olympic Games, the construction of the Bird's Nest as the main venue began. Although China's economy was not rich at the time, the government was determined to build a unique Olympic venue in order to show the world a new era of China.
After 5 years and an investment of 3.4 billion yuan, the Bird's Nest was finally successfully completed in 2008. Designed by a renowned Swiss designer, the building resembles a giant bird's nest and blends seamlessly with its surroundings.
This huge steel structure shows China's progress and shows the world a more open and confident picture of China.
In fact, the Chinese government was not affected by the problems that arose after the 2004 Athens Olympics. That year, Greece, which had just finished the Olympic Games, had an accident in dealing with the use of stadiums, resulting in many stadiums being idle and abandoned.
China has always included the subsequent use of Olympic venues in its planning, which also makes the uniqueness of China's venue planning more distinct.
The Bird's Nest's designers attached great importance to energy conservation and environmental protection, adopting the design concept of natural ventilation and lighting, while also taking into account the future multi-functional use of the venue.
Under the careful planning of the Chinese government, the Bird's Nest is not only a dazzling landmark, but also reserves great potential for post-competition transformation and development. It carries the dream of the Chinese nation and soars in this ancient land.
After the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the main stadium of the Bird's Nest was quickly renovated and upgraded, transforming the original single stadium into a multi-functional public space.
As an emerging landmark, the Bird's Nest attracts tourists from all over the world to visit and check in. Here, people can look back on the details of the Olympic Games and feel its unique architectural space structure.
On the visitor level, you can view this massive steel sculpture in all its entirety while enjoying the cityscape of Beijing.
In addition to becoming a new tourist destination, the interior space of the Bird's Nest has also been effectively utilized. The circular runway and central lawn are perfect for concerts, and many of the top national and international singers have interacted with the audience up close.
The stadium is lit up at night, full of energy and joy.
In addition, the Bird's Nest's expansive grounds can host other large-scale events, such as the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics. It has been successfully transformed from a single Olympic venue to an open venue integrating sports events, performances, public cultural spaces and other functions.
Other Olympic venues, such as the National Indoor Stadium and the National Aquatics Center, have been successfully transformed to provide a variety of public spaces. These venues are still vibrant, playing a diverse social function, injecting new vitality into China's sustainable development.
They demonstrate the Chinese government's remarkable foresight in harnessing the Olympic legacy.
Now, 15 years after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, those once exciting memories have become part of history. However, the Bird's Nest, the landmark of the Beijing Olympic Games, still stands in place, witnessing the development and transformation of this ancient city.
Over the past 15 years, China has achieved rapid development behind the Bird's Nest, from 2008 to 2023. It has successfully held two Olympic events that shook the world.
What was once an Olympic venue has now become a new landmark in Beijing, witnessing China's continuous development and progress from the past to the present.
For hundreds of millions of Chinese, the Bird's Nest is not only a stadium, but also a cultural symbol that carries the will and pride of the Chinese nation's rejuvenation.
This pride stems from China's spirit of pragmatism, innovation, openness and inclusiveness, as well as its unremitting pursuit of a better life.
In the future, this steel nest that has witnessed the historical process of the Chinese nation will continue to be inherited and witness the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It has become a bridge connecting the past and the future, and is the common memory of Chinese.
Like the building that quietly stands in the heart of Beijing and inherits 5,000 years of civilization, it will always shine, illuminating and inspiring the Chinese people to continue to move forward.
The grand occasion of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is not only the beginning of a new era of China's rise, but also the unforgettable thing is that under the banner of the five rings, the Chinese people who have just experienced great suffering have used their enthusiasm and efforts to build a bridge of friendship with people all over the world.
Just a few months ago, the Wenchuan earthquake claimed nearly 70,000 lives, and the mourning disaster did not dampen the spirit of the Chinese people to strive for progress. In the darkest days, the Chinese chose to be strong, chose hope, and let the flower of life bloom in the ruins.
At the opening ceremony, Lin Miaomiao's landscape painting-like singing gently healed the pain of the earth. The song of "Let the world be full of love" sounded at the scene, injecting the power of hope into people's hearts.
The flower of life is quietly blooming, paving the way forward with overflowing love.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is of great significance to the Chinese nation, and it has become a source of strength for us to start anew. In this land full of vicissitudes, the flower of life bloomed enthusiastically, showing the world the wisdom of Chinese in pursuing harmonious coexistence.
Sow the seeds of hope and peace with tenderness and innocence.
In the days to come, the fragrance of this flower of life will live forever. This has become a spiritual symbol of China's strength, representing the Chinese nation's firm will and eternal brightness and enthusiasm.
Let us always remember the 2008 Olympic Games and the echo of life, and walk through the glorious 15 years ahead.