Posted on 08/12/2008 1:17:40 PM PDT by LibWhacker
Beijing, China — While praise for the splendid opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing on Aug. 8 has reverberated around the world, Chinese citizens writing on the Internet have cast a more critical eye upon the event. Still, an online poll shows that more than 60 percent of the Chinese people graded the opening ceremony over 90 out of 100.
According to netizens, the two top issues on the Chinese mind at present are the Games’ opening ceremony and concern over whether or not best-known Chinese athlete Liu Xiang will win a gold medal in the 110-meter hurdle event. Especially after spending a huge budget, many Chinese feel that the opening ceremony deserves serious evaluation.
What is interesting is that even though many critics pointed out “imperfections” in the four-hour ceremony -- which ran 40 minutes longer than scheduled -- most of them still gave it high marks.
The Beijing authorities’ slogan for the Games had promised, “The world gives us 16 days, and we’ll return 5,000 years (of culture and history) to the world.” Zhang Yimou, the internationally recognized filmmaker who directed the opening ceremony, seemed to have been given the mission of displaying China’s long history and culture to the world audience.
Although many Chinese said they were touched and proud, and some even shed tears while watching the ceremony, most of them admitted that the program petered out after a good start.
Chinese netizens’ criticisms were related to the focus on Chinese culture and its presentation, the theme song and the singers, the soldiers’ raising the flags and the wording and expressions of the anchors of China Central Television, which possessed broadcasting rights along with the contracted Beijing Olympic Broadcasting company.
Concerning the promotion of Chinese culture, one blogger suggested that English translations should have appeared along with the Chinese characters displayed in certain performances. He said the show lacked international elements, which was incompatible with the modern world. “It was like having a purely Chinese meal; this should have been a real international magnificent sports meet rather than a performance of Chinese culture and art,” he commented.
Another blogger complained that the program had nothing to do with the theme of the Olympics, except the martial arts performance.
Professor Yi Jiandong from Beijing Sports University also wrote on his blog, “At the past five Olympics, the opening ceremonies demonstrated sports culture much more than this opening ceremony in Beijing.” He said the program could have included ancient Chinese forms of football, polo, bowling and golf, all of which date back 1,000 years or more. There is also the famous Chinese board game known as “go.”
Some netizens complained that China’s modern culture was not represented in the one-hour entertainment performance, with too much focus on traditional culture.
Blogger “Zhang Li” said that the show paid too much attention to China’s four great inventions -- paper, printing, the compass and gunpowder -- and “the modern part about China was condensed to only a piano and a Space shuttle,” said she.
Besides, she felt the director’s attempt to present profound ancient Chinese culture might be too difficult for foreign audiences to digest. “Comparatively, the program lacked some simple, fundamental things.”
Another blogger took the opposite view, saying the depiction of Confucius’ disciples and his great teaching in the Analects was too simplistic. He said the fundamental thought of Confucius was not addressed, let alone its importance to Chinese culture.
Although many viewers were astonished by the director’s use of colors, lights and technological feats like having the performers fly through the air, other Chinese who were familiar with the director’s movies, such as “The Curse of the Golden Flower” and “House of Flying Daggers” were less impressed with these eye-catching features.
One blogger compared this entertainment program with Zhang Yimou’s previous commercial work, saying it had form but no content. Another blogger commented on the show, “It’s just too much flying!”
The theme song “You and Me,” sung by Liu Huan from China and Sarah Brightman from Britain, received lots of criticism, too. Most Chinese netizens were disappointed with its soft, simple melody. They wanted something more inspiring, cheerful and easy to remember.
“We love the Beijing Olympics so much that we care about the theme song,” a new singer called Guang Zi wrote on his blog. “We not only desire the Beijing Olympics to be a huge success now, but also expect it to have a lasting influence by means of a memorable theme song.” This “mediocre song” was not good enough for such a great historical event, he said.
I thought the opening ceremonies were magnicant examples of commie collectivism. Dull and oppresive. I had the feeling that any misstep by a performer would lead to the execution of a family member. It screamed ‘Welcome to the Borg’.
One telling sequence of commie thought was the part where the beautiful female dancer was gyrating on a large, flat rug-like conveyance hoisted by anonymous, veiled drones toiling in the darkness below her.
The message provided by the Chicomes and read by the NBC dudes was that, under the all-compassionate commie system, for any individual to succeed, to be allowed to develope their talents and potential, many people had to sacrifice their own individuality and dreams to create the opportunity.
Only the state is wise enough to select the chosen few who will be allowed to develope their talent, under state supervion of course. And it is understood that the chosen few who are thus mentored have a duty to all of commie society to excel and bring glory to the state. No huge endorsement deals allowed!
All glory to the state!
-PJ
Army of robots.
And we all know how that turns out...
-PJ
I am not a fan of the opening and closing ceremonies. I tend to skip all the hoopla and start watching when the athletes walk in. That means I have to have the TV tuned in and check back periodically which is how I watched this time. What I saw was quite spectacular. I think the Chinese people have a right to be proud of it and should enjoy the moment.
It is easy to criticize, but overall, the Chinese have put on a good show and have been good hosts.
Well said.
I found them ominous and discomforting, reminiscent in feeling of 1920 style colectivist proaganda - just too stark, too organized, too perfect. The human element was smothered by the sheer numbers and regimentation.
I found it interesting but disquieting that the drummers and other mass performers were all actual Red Army members.
Think of MAY DAY at the Kermlin.
The opening ceremonies were a big flop!
Consider this - the live attendance (91,000) for the extravanganza was less than half of that that allegedly showed up to listen to Obama in Berlin and the TV audience world wide (1,000,000,000) was only half the audience that Al Gore repeatedly insisted took part in “Live Earth”.
Hold on! You don’t think those Dems were LYING to us, do you?
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