It was a night filled with joy and tears. We yelled and screamed for almost everything: the arrival of China's flag carried by 56 children wearing the traditional costumes of our country's 56 ethnic groups, the uniformity shown when our soldiers sent the flag to the flagpole, the Tai Ji pattern formed by thousands of dancers and Tai Ji performers, and the spectacular gl
obe stage with acrobatics performers. When the national anthem was played, we all stood up to sing yet almost could not, because we were all immersed in tears and sheer jubilation. It was a dream that we have dreamed for centuries, and it finally came into reality depite of all odds. 
The fireworks were bursting out from the stadium and actually the whole Beijing city. In the beginning, we saw the fireworks made into the shapes of footprints leading to the Bird's Nest and we began to cry. Every step we had made was so hard and yet we had come so far! It was a thing that not only makes us feel proud, but also people from other countries feel pround of us from the bottom of their hearts. Imagine how we became a half-colonised country and was tramples by western invaders, how we had suffered the torture of imperialism and how we rose up again as a country with absolute and complete sovereignty and dignity. It is not only about love and loyalty, but about the deepest pride that could make every Chinese thrill in ecstasy.
The "Four Ancient Inventions of China" were smartly incorporated in the whole 3-hour ceremony by our first-class filmmaker Zhang Yimou. After watching the show, we could do nothing but to let out a heartfelt acclaim, "the man is a genius!" The ceremony actually showed every parts of the grand Chinese culture and condensed the whole 5000 years of Chinese history in one night. Chinese scroll painting with "ink men", women in differe
nt ancient dynasties marching between the featuring moving columns, Hua Biao in Chinese, oaks made into 
the boat sailed by Zheng He in Ming Dynasty, symbolising the rise of China in global stage, and the most magnificent "printing show" of "Huo Zi Yin Shua Shu" invented by Bi Sheng hundreds of years ago as a spearhead invention. Zhang IS a genius! It is hard to imagine how to organise so many people on the stage, with such high demand on performers sense of orientation and discipline. When the Tai Ji pattern changed swiftly from longitudinal to horizontal and then to longitudinal within a blink's of time, the roar from the TV room could awaken the dead.
The character "HE", and the flying pigeon illustrated the essence of Olympic Games, that is "global harmony" in sporting arenas. IOC president Jacques Rogge echoed our hopes for the Olympics with his speech. "May these Olympic Games bring you joy, hope and pride. You have chosen as the theme fo these Games 'One World, One Dream', that is what we are tonight!"
Our talented table tennis player Zhang Yining was the representative to take the oath and Li Ning, our treasured gymnasts who had won numerous gold medals for China, ended the ceremony with the lighting of Olympic cauldron.He rose form the ground and flied like a saint across the scroll. The burst of fireworks emanated everybody's feelings at the end of the show, that were, joy and pride.
Singapore was the 188th to march in among the 204 nations taking part in this Game, we cheered for the red and white with shout and yell as Li Jiawei led the team across the field. The emotion reached another all-time high. The march ended with Yao Ming leading China's team and that was the time when all of us wished all the athletes a good performance in the upcoming competitions.
All the best to all the competitors, and have fun!
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