Zhang Yimou talks about ceremony

The highly anticipated opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics turned out to be one full of Chinese elements, but casting light to a wider theme "One World, One Dream". CCTV interviewed director Zhang Yimou before the ceremony. He said when displaying China's five thousand years of history, he had a world in mind.

He said when displaying China's five thousand years of history, he  had a world in mind.

Zhang Yimou said, "I think our percussion beat countdown is very unique. In the past ceremonies for summer or winter Olympics, the countdown is accompanied with promotional flicks and fireworks. That's because ten or twenty seconds is not enough for putting on a performance. We intended to follow that format, but later we made this "fou" drumming performance to count down the event.

In the history of Olympic ceremonies, the display of five rings is a crucial part. I wish our five rings display can become a classic like that in the ceremony in Sweden.

I'm very satisfied with the opening section, but realizing it is a big callenge. A huge lighted scroll unfolds like a dream. Scroll painting is an age-old symbol of Chinese culture. It opens magically. But realizing this concept is very difficult.

I have been holding an idea that in using the Olympic stage, besides showcasing our splendid culture, we are sure to display our broad minded heart to receive the world. As for the main torch lighting ceremony, we've received countless letters offering ideas about this section, from ethusiastic folks from all across the country.

They offer all kinds of ideas about lighting the torch, such as "drilling wood to get fire", inspired by a Chinese legend. But ninety-five percent of the ideas are from a national point of view, using our country's own cultural symbol. There's nothing wrong with that, all the previous torch lighting ceremonies did the same. But we want to surpass that. Making the torch lighting section in accordance with the idea behind the whole show, paying tribute to humanity as a whole. "