Director talks about Asian Games Opening Ceremony

                                 11-11-2010 08:41 BJT

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The cauldron of the 2010 Asian Games will be lit in less than two days. Like any international multi-sporting event, the opening ceremony will be the focus of attention in the run-up to the event. CCTV reporter Wang Guan spoke to the chief director of the Asian Games' opening ceremony, who told him the show will amaze the world.

This is Haixinsha island in the Pearl River where the opening ceremony of 2010 Asian Games will take place. Questions regarding the show are the talk of town -- how different it will be from the Beijing Olympics? Who will light the cauldron? And how it will be lit? In response to these questions, the show's director simply says this will be a ceremony that surprises the world.

Literally meaning "sand in the heart of the river". Hai Xinsha in Guangzhou's renowned Pearl River will be the stage for the opening ceremony. It is the first time in the history of the Asian Games that its opening ceremony takes place at a river island other than a stadium. The show's chief-director Chen Weiya revealed the highlights of the show.

Chen Weiya, chief-director of Opening Ceremony of 2010 Asian Games, said, "First it breaks away from the confines of stadiums and uses the city itself as background. You will see athletes parade into the ceremony on boats. You will see spectacular scenes like four vessels setting sail. In fact, there are four big LED screens that will show memorable events in history, and there will be stunning performances in the air, on the monitors."

Water, river and setting sail will be the themes throughout the opening display. Chen Weiya says he got his inspiration from previous trip to Guangzhou.

Chen Weiya said, "You will see lots of Guangzhou characteristics. The people of Guangdong are tough and resilient. Hundreds of years ago. in this very province, our ancestors first tried to reach out the outside world by sea. 30 years ago, reform and opening up began here. In addition to that, Guangzhou is a very romantic city. So you will see these Cantonese elements incorporated into the ceremony."-

Chen Weiya was also assistant director of the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics. Will he and his team make Guangzhou's opening ceremony as impressive as the Beijing Games?

Chen Weiya said, "You will see the two ceremonies are great in their own rights. The Olympics, like IOC President Jacque Rogge said, is truly an exceptional Games. Its opening depicted a gorgeous picture through which the world leaned about China. The opening of the Asian Games will feature Guangzhou characteristics and you will see a vessel setting sail and marching in the Pearl River and into the future."

Finally, the question is who will light the Games cauldron, and how? Not surprisingly, Chen Weiya said he can't tell us what it is now but he promises it will be "very unique".