Feature: Beijing 2022 ushers in hopeful spring with joy and glory

BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- This was the moment. As the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games was declared open on Friday night, the Chinese capital is basked in the Olympic glory and a surging joy.

Beijing is the world's first-ever dual Olympic city.

At the same iconic National Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were held, a "streamlined, safe and splendid" Winter Olympics kicked off amid challenges brought by COVID-19.

The sense of togetherness, as demonstrated by the motto of the Games, has raised the hope for humanity to defeat this once-in-a-century pandemic with greater unity.

Joy and hope could be felt throughout Friday night's opening ceremony, directed once again by acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou as he did in 2008.

The pre-show of square dancing was a physical activity with simple and natural movements adored by China's urban dwellers. Featuring dancers aged from five to over 70 years old, this choreographed performance showcased the passion of the Chinese people for the Games.

For ordinary Chinese, what is the better way to express their joy and enthusiasm than putting on a piece of music that everyone is familiar with and performing moves that everyone can do?

"Though it's very cold tonight in Beijing, I can feel the fervor of spectators on the site, and I am going to write about how exciting the opening ceremony is," said Masaru Komatsu from Tokyo Sports Press.

As Greece led the parade of athletes, following Olympic tradition, 91 participating delegations marched under the Olympic Rings, with new members being introduced into the Olympic family, as Saudi Arabia and Haiti made their debuts at the Winter Olympics.

"It means a lot because this is the first-ever Winter Olympics for Saudi Arabia," said Saudi flag-bearer Fayik Abdi. "We're really proud to be here and hopefully we can continue to be here in future years."

The attendance of a Middle Eastern country at the Winter Games showed the world that dreams can become reality and anyone can have a shot under the Olympic glory.

"This Year of the Tiger is also an Olympic year. Both the Year of the Tiger and the Olympic year stand for ambition, courage, and strength," said the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, referring to the Chinese zodiac calendar that assigns each year to one of 12 animals in a cycle.

He said thanks to this ambition, China is a winter sports country today, with well over 300 million people engaged in winter sports.

"This extraordinary achievement opens a new era for global winter sport. It will raise global participation to new levels, benefiting the Chinese people as well as winter sports enthusiasts around the world," Bach said.

Seven torchbearers born in sequential decades beginning with the 1950s carried the torches in the final relay inside the stadium before the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

From Zhao Weichang, an 11-time national speed skating champion who competed at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics in 1980 and served as flag-bearer of the Chinese delegation, to 21-year-old Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Zhao Jiawen who will be competing at Beijing 2022, the inspirational Chinese dreams will advance forward along with the honorable Olympic flame.

"I'm so excited, so proud," said 72-year-old Zhao Weichang, who didn't expect China's dream of hosting a Winter Olympics to come true so quickly. "At this moment, I represent all 41 members of the 1980 Chinese delegation."

Although the opening ceremony of Lake Placid 1980 had only rudimentary facilities and basic programs, Zhao Weichang still remembers the cheers and applause from the crowd.

"All I wanted was to carry the flag well back then. But now I want to hand this flame of winter sports to the younger generation," he added.

The legacy of the 2008 Beijing Summer Games also witnessed the continuity of winter sports traditions, and has passed on the Olympic spirit, joy, and glory across the generations.

A large snowflake made of every placard with the names of all participating delegations, symbolizing all people living in peace and harmony, was lit together by Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Zhao Jiawen and marked the pinnacle of the opening ceremony.

On the day of "Li Chun," which means the beginning of spring in traditional Chinese culture, Beijing greeted guests and friends from all over the world, ushering in a new season with the joy of being together and the glory of striving for a shared future.