29 colossal burning footprints rise into the sky in a series of fireworks explosions. One second per footprint, 29 of them march along Beijing's central axis all the way to the Olympic Green and National Stadium, symbolize the path of the Games of the XXIX Oympiad and its arrival.

Synopsis: The video screens in the stadium play a short film before the art performance.The short film artistically describes the process of a Chinese scroll painting from papermaking and the four treasures of the study to coloring, mounting the painting and affixing scrolls and indicates the over- all aesthetic style of the art performance.

1. A Chinese painting scroll is opened. It means the performances tonight begin with a Chinese painting scroll.

2. A sheet of white paper is laid in the center of the painting scroll. Papermaking is one of the four great inventions of ancient China.

3. A stream of cultural icons of Chinese historical advancement flows on the painting scroll, including cliff painting, earth pottery and bronze vessel

4. This Guqin (ancient stringed instrument) made more than 1,000 years ago is called "Sounds of Utmost Antiquity."

5. The unique body language of the performers contains the charm of Chinese ink and wash paint- ing. The performances tonight are kicked off with the black and white tone of Chinese ink and wash painting.

6. The performers draw many propitious clouds on the paper. Propitious clouds dissipate magically, leaving only the mountains, rivers and the sun.

11. Painting Scroll

7. On the ground is the famous Chinese ancient painting " A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains."

12. Writing

1. Here are the "three thousand disciples" of Confucius. Performers are chanting the much quoted lines of Lunyu (the Analects) -- "All those within the four seas can be considered his brothers."

2. The disciples are holding bamboo slips. They are a kind of books with scripts carved on the stringed bamboo slices.

3. This is a performance of movable-type printing, which is one of the four great inventions of ancient China. 4. The movable-type printing performance takes an image of both ancient character case and modern computer keyboard.

5. This is an ancient Chinese character "He" , which means harmony.

6. This is another type of ancient Chinese character " He" .

7. This is a modern type of Chinese character " He" . All the three words represent not only the evolution process of Chinese characters, but also Confucius idea of humanism, that is, " Harmony is Precious. "

8. The Great Wall is demonstrated by smooth lines, both concise and vivid.

9. Here are peach blossoms, romantic and enjoyable, adequately demonstrating the sweet wish of peace- loving Chinese people.

10. These 897 performers have been trained for more than 10 months. Each of them has his/her own movement sequence, which can be accomplished only by strong memory and diligent practice.

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