'Gathering' and 'farewell': Chengdu Universiade's closing ceremony themes revealed by director

Photo shows Jia Ding, director of the closing ceremony of Chengdu Universiade, and his team at work. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

The 31st FISU World University Games' closing ceremony in Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, will revolve around the themes of "gathering" and "farewell," according to the director Jia Ding.

"While the opening ceremony of the Chengdu Universiade highlighted the culture of China, the closing ceremony will emphasize Chengdu's culture and the local people's understanding of it," stated Jia, an experienced director of over 400 large-scale events, including China's national day celebrations at Tiananmen Square and activities related to the 2014 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

Because the Chengdu Universiade was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jia and his team spent three years crafting the closing ceremony. "I guess no one has created a large-scale event over a three-year span. I'm glad that during the past three years, I've had the opportunity to revise my plan many times. And the closing ceremony is now very different from our initial ideas three years ago," said Jia.

Cauldron is lit during the opening ceremony of the 31st FISU Summer World University Games in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

Jia's team aims to present a closing ceremony satisfying both the city's natives and visitors, marking a fitting conclusion to the Chengdu Universiade. He expressed his hope that the audience will find it satisfactory after three years of waiting.

Jia's understanding of “gathering” is not about upbeat songs and dances. He envisions the closing ceremony as an event that will deeply resonate with audiences. "I hope it will not only be cheerful but also provide viewers with a sense of happiness and satisfaction that will linger on," Jia stated.

According to his plan, the closing ceremony will break away from convention, taking the form of a large-scale musical complete with plots, characters, and emotions. "Our team wants to make it a departure from the opening and closing ceremonies of previous international events," he elaborated.

Rongbao, mascot of the Chengdu Universiade, march during the opening ceremony of the 31st FISU Summer World University Games in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province on July 28, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Kun)

Upon receiving an invitation from the organizing committee of the Chengdu Universiade, Jia proposed that the ceremony should not be confined within the stadium — a vision embraced by the committee. "The city's approval of my plan is really commendable. This means our team can give free rein to the imagination while preparing for the event," he expressed.

Jia is confident that the closing ceremony will be a musical that reflects both the features of Chengdu and the innovative spirit of the local people. "Chengdu is an innovative city. We strive to understand the city from both the external image and its inner essence; if we don't, we will fail to present the real Chengdu, and the closing ceremony will not resonate with local people," said Jia.

“If the audience will still remember some parts of the closing ceremony or recall moments that touched them after the closing ceremony ends, it means our efforts in the past three years have been worthwhile, and our team has lived up to the city’s expectations.”