With the city as the backdrop and the Pearl River as the stage, the Guangzhou Asian Games opened on the Pearl River island on October 12.
"Creativity plays an important role in our preparation. As the mother river of Guangzhou, Pearl River inspired us a lot," said Che Weiya, Director of the Guangzhou Asiad Opening Ceremony.
For the first time the Asian Games Opening Ceremony moved out of the traditional stadium to an island, namely Haixinsha Island, surrounded by residential buildings and skyscrapers, including the country's tallest structure the Guangzhou Tower which stands at 610-meters.
"Last time in Doha, the Asiad impressed the world with the Opening Ceremony forming a desert theme. Four years later in Guangzhou, a water-themed arts show gave people another feeling about the Asiad and the city of Guangzhou," said Chen, Assistant Director for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
During the ceremony, Olympic diving champion He Chong ignited traditional Chinese fireworks whose flares shot up and lit the cauldron of the Guangzhou Asiad.
"Compared with the spectacular lighting way in the Doha Asiad and Beijing Olympics, Guangzhou was expected to do it in a different way," said Chen.
Doha's cauldron was lit by a knight after he climbed up a steep slope and Beijing's cauldron was lit in a stunt-like fashion, with ex-gymnast Li Ning "running" around the 500-metre-long rim of the steel-framed Bird's Nest with computer- controlled wires tied to his waist.
The 54-year-old director adopted a smoother approach, choosing traditional Chinese fireworks as the instrument for lighting the cauldron. "It showed the unique flavor of Chinese culture," said Chen.
