Foreign students wowed by Olympic opening

International students at the Renmin University of China who were invited to attend the opening ceremony of Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, said that they were deeply impressed by the spectacular ceremony.

Having studied in China and knowing something about Chinese culture, the students were particularly impressed by things like the many colors, the LED flooring, the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar, and the 44 children singing the Olympics Anthem in Greek.

"The entire opening ceremony was awe-inspiring and presented Chinese aesthetics," said South Korean Ph.D. candidate Han Bada, who attends the university's School of International Studies.

Unlike the 2008 opening ceremony, which focused on traditional culture, the 2022 opening ceremony conveyed the message that China hopes to speak to the world, he said.

"In particular, I liked two of the creative ideas: the convergence of small snowflakes into a bigger snowflake, which represented China's wishes for the world to join hands in a shared future, and the method of lighting of the Olympic flame, which I believe expressed China's determination to save energy and reduce carbon emissions."

Cho Daeho, a South Korean Ph.D. candidate at the School of History, said: "At a time when the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over, we are grateful to the Chinese government and the Chinese people for their efforts and dedication in being able to host the Games on time."

Kano Rika, a Japanese undergraduate student of Chinese Language and Literature, said that when she was in the National Stadium, she was fully immersed in the exciting and moving atmosphere.

"Words fail to explain the beauty and stunning stage effects. I strongly felt the festive Chinese New Year mood and hope for the future," she said.

Attending the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony was a dream come true for Barroso Diaz Wilson, a Cuban Ph.D. candidate in Diplomacy.

He said that he witnessed the harmony of traditional Chinese culture and modernity, adding that Beijing has become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games and that the opening ceremony demonstrated the hard work and resilience of the Chinese people.