2022 Asian Games opening ceremony

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2022 Asian Games
opening ceremony
Date23 September 2023; 7 months ago (2023-09-23)
Time20:00 – 22:10 CST (UTC+8)
LocationHangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Coordinates30°13′53.93″N 120°13′26.96″E / 30.2316472°N 120.2241556°E / 30.2316472; 120.2241556
ThemeTides Surging in Asia
Filmed byIGBS on behalf of CMG
Asian Games logo
Part of a series on
2022 Asian Games

The 2022 Asian Games opening ceremony was held on 23 September 2023, at the Hangzhou Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. The ceremony began at 8:00 PM China Standard Time (UTC+8) and finished at 10:15 PM local time, lasting two hours.[1]

Background[edit]

The 2022 Asian Games ceremony was choreographed by Sha Xiaolan (沙曉蘭), who was one of assistant directors to Zhang Yimou during the opening and closing ceremonies production unit.

The ceremony reutilised the World's Largest LED Mesh Screen provided by Zhongrun Optoelectronics with an area equivalent to 9 IMAX giant screens. This screen was also used during the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic ceremonies.[2] It is highly transparent, light, waterproof and easy to be installed. Zhongrun Optoelectronics also provided the dance floor with anti-slip and high temperature resistance. Meanwhile, YES TECH delivered 2000sqm of LED displays and innovative solutions with their flagship MG7S series, the world’s first indoor-outdoor versatile and floor tile screen application.[3]

The opening ceremony, billed as a "green event", made heavy use of drone arts and electronic flashes did not feature any fireworks.[4] One segment also had a theme of "Water in Autumn Glow", a reference to Hangzhou's water resources and role as the terminus of the Grand Canal, it was marked the Mid-Autumn Festival in China. Dance performances with a backdrop featuring city history was also present.[5]

President Xi Jinping officially opened the 2022 Asian Games.[6] Chinese Olympic Champion and swimmer Wang Shun lit the cauldron.[7]

The Flag and Anthem of China[edit]

The national flag of China was brought into the stadium by 8 Armed Police[8] personnel. A choir performed the "March of the Volunteers", the national anthem of the People's Republic of China.[9]

Proceedings[edit]

Parade of Nations[edit]

The 2022 Asian Games Parade of Nations was part of the opening ceremony. The national team from each of the 45 nations participating in the Asian Games paraded behind their national flag into the Olympic Stadium. The flag bearers were athletes of each national delegation chosen to represent the athletes, either by the National Olympic Committee or by the national team. As custom starting with the 2020 Summer Olympics, two flag bearers represented each nation.

Order Nation Chinese name Pinyin Flag bearer Sport
1  Afghanistan (AFG) 阿富汗 Āfùhàn
2  Bahrain (BRN) 巴林 Bālín
3  Bangladesh (BAN) 孟加拉国 Mèngjiālāguó Niaz Mohied, Sabina Hatton Chess, Football
4  Bhutan (BHU) 不丹 Bùdān
5  Brunei (BRU) 文莱 Wénlái Mohammad Adi Salehin, Roslan Basma Rah Martial arts
6  Cambodia (CAM) 柬埔寨 Jiǎnpǔzhài
7  North Korea (PRK)
(DPR Korea) 		朝鲜 Cháoxiǎn Park Myung-won, Bang Chul-mi Shooting, Boxing
8  Hong Kong (HKG)
(Hong Kong, China) 		中国香港 Zhōngguó Xiānggǎng Yao Jincheng, Mo Wanying Rugby, Martial arts
9  India (IND) 印度 Yìndù Harmanpreet, Singh Loverina Borgohain Cricket, Boxing
10  Indonesia (INA) 印度尼西亚 Yìndùníxīyà Hunta, Zulfinandira Mauriska Volleyball, Martial arts
11  Iran (IRI) 伊朗 Yīlǎng Jawad, Froginahid Kiani Shooting, Taekwondo
12  Iraq (IRQ) 伊拉克 Yīlākè
13  Japan (JPN) 日本 Rìběn Akito Shimizu, Misaki Emura Shooting, Fencing
14  Jordan (JOR) 约旦 Yuēdàn
15  Kazakhstan (KAZ) 哈萨克斯坦 Hāsàkèsītǎn Aslanbek Shymbergenov, Nadezhda Dubovitskaya Boxing, Track and field
16  South Korea (KOR) 韩国 Hánguó Gu Bon-gil, Kim Seo-young Fencing, Swimming
17  Kuwait (KUW) 科威特 Kēwēitè
18  Kyrgyzstan (KGZ)
(Lao PDR) 		吉尔吉斯斯坦 Jíěrjísīsītǎn
19  Laos (LAO) 老挝 Lǎowō
20  Lebanon (LIB)
(Macao, China) 		黎巴嫩 Líbānèn
21  Macau (MAC) 中国澳门 Zhōngguó Àomén Zhou Wenhao and Zheng Yonglin Swimming
22  Malaysia (MAS) 马来西亚 Mǎláixīyà Shah Firdaus, Sahrom Siva Sangari Bike, Squash
23  Maldives (MDV) 马尔代夫 Mǎěrdàifū
24  Mongolia (MGL) 蒙古 Měnggǔ
25  Myanmar (MYA) 缅甸 Miǎndiàn
26  Nepal (NEP) 尼泊尔 Níbóěr
27  Oman (OMA) 阿曼 Āmàn
28  Pakistan (PAK) 巴基斯坦 Bājīsītǎn
29  Palestine (PLE) 巴勒斯坦 Bālèsītǎn
30  Philippines (PHI) 菲律宾 Fēilǜbīn Ernest John, Obinnama Gileen Didal Track, Skateboard
31  Qatar (QAT) 卡塔尔 Kǎtǎěr
32  Saudi Arabia (KSA) 沙特 Shātè
33  Singapore (SIN) 新加坡 Xīnjiāpō Amita Berthier, Jowen Lim Fencing, Wushu
34  Sri Lanka (SRI) 斯里兰卡 Sīlǐ Lánkǎ
35  Syria (SYR) 叙利亚 Xùlìyà
36  Chinese Taipei (TPE) 中华台北 Zhōnghuá Táiběi Wang Guanhong, Luo Jialing Swimming, Taekwondo
37  Tajikistan (TJK) 塔吉克斯坦 Tǎjíkèsītǎn
38  Thailand (THA)
 泰国 Tàiguó Weerapon Jongjoho, Tanyaporn Prucksakorn Boxer, Shooter
39  East Timor (TLS) 东帝汶 Dōngdìwèn
40  Turkmenistan (TKM) 土库曼斯坦 Tǔkùmànsītǎn
41  United Arab Emirates (UAE) 阿联酋 Āliánqiú
42  Uzbekistan (UZB) 乌兹别克斯坦 Wūzībiékèsītǎn
43  Vietnam (VIE) 越南 Yuènán Nguyen Thi Huong, Nguyen Huy Huang Shooting, Swimming
44  Yemen (YEM) 也门 Yěmén
45  China (CHN) 中国 Zhōngguó Qin Haiyang, Yang Liwei Swimming, Basketball

Parade order[edit]

Countries entered in English alphabetical order, with Afghanistan entering first and the host country, China, entering last.[10] The song "Our Asia" which was the official song from 1990 Asian Games the Beijing was played during this segment.[7]

Certain countries entered under various combinations of short names and formal names. For example, South Korea entered under its formal name "Republic of Korea" under K in English, but its short name 韩国 in Chinese (rather than its formal name 大韩民国). The Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) entered as "Chinese Taipei" under T due to the 1979 Nagoya Resolution. China entered under its short name "China" (中国) in both languages.

The Sri Lanka rugby team was barred from competing under the designation "Sri Lanka" due to the suspension of Sri Lanka Rugby and instead competed under the designation "Independent Athlete Participating Under OCA Flag" (Chinese: 以亚奥理事会名义参赛的独立运动员).[11] The team opted out of the opening ceremony.[12] Sri Lankan athletes competing in other sports were unaffected.

Welcoming speeches[edit]

Speeches were made by the following:

  • Wang Hao: Governor of Zhejiang Province,
  • Gao Zhidan: President of the Chinese Olympic Committee
  • Randhir Singh: Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia.

Both Zhidan and Hao are also the Chairmen of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee.

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of the People's Republic of China , announced the opening of this Asian Games, and then virtual fireworks were presented on television.

The OCA Flag[edit]

The flag bearers of the Olympic Council of Asia flag were:

  • Sun Haiping: track and field athlete, coach.
  • Zhang Rongfang: Volleyball player, main player of the Chinese Women's Volleyball Team's "three consecutive championships", vice chairman of the Chinese Volleyball Association;
  • Xu Haifeng: Olympic shooting champion, winner of China's first gold medal in Olympic history (men's 50-meter pistol slow fire at the 1984 Summer Olympics);
  • Ye Qiaobo: Speed skater, winner of China's first Winter Olympics medal (the silver medal in the women's 500m at the 1992 Winter Olympics), speed skater who has won 23 world championships.
  • Lou Yun: Zhejiang native gymnast, China's first gymnastics Olympic champion to win the vault gold medal in two consecutive Olympic Games (1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics).
  • Guo Jingjing: Olympic champion in diving (1984 and 2008 Summer Olympics), winner of five consecutive World Aquatics Championships.
  • Zhong Man: China’s first men’s fencing Olympic champion (men’s individual sabre at the 2008 Summer Olympics).
  • Luo Xuejuan: Zhejiang native swimmer, 2004 Athens Olympics women's 100-meter breaststroke champion, and ambassador for this Asian Games bid.

The Oaths[edit]

Chinese badminton player Zheng Siwei from Zhejiang and table tennis player Sun Yingsha took the oath on behalf of all athletes. Chinese track and field referee Yang Zhongmin and shooting referee Gao Jiaqi took the oath on behalf of all judges and officials. All four took the oath in English.

Gala Performance: Tides Surging In Asia[edit]

Short film "Meeting in Hangzhou"[edit]

The ancestors of Liangzhu in 3300 BC, the citizens of Lin'an in 1202 AD, and the citizens of Hangzhou in 2023 AD staged a time-space dialogue between ancient and modern times, reflecting the rapid changes in Hangzhou.

Chapter One: "Timeless Grace"[edit]

Dancers dance on the ink scroll. Then the scenery in the venue changed, showing a scene of lakes and mountains, and traditional skills such as chess, calligraphy and painting were displayed on the side stage. The world cultural heritage Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is also on display.

Chapter Two: "Tidal Base of the Quintang River"[edit]

Make full use of 3D Wia technology, 3D projection and other high technologies to show the endless Qiantang tide and the charm of sports.

Chapter Three: "Together Towards the Future"[edit]

It displays the ecological beauty of contemporary "green water and green mountains" and the concept of Asian people walking hand in hand. Zhejiang traditional opera and Yue opera were also displayed in this session.

Lighting the Cauldron[edit]

Swimmer Wang Shun lit the main flame.

The last six torchbearers of the opening ceremony were:

While the physical torch was being passed on in the venue, the giant "tide waver" representing the 105 million Asian Games Digital Torchbearers of this Asian Games crossed the Qiantang River, rushed to the stadium, and lit up one side of the venue with Wang Shun, the last torch bearer who lit the wave-shaped cauldron. The inspiration came from The main torch device of the Qiantang River tide lights the flame of this Asian Games.

The opening ceremony ended with the theme song "Together with Love Asia".

Officials and guests[edit]

Host country dignitaries[edit]

Foreign dignitaries[edit]

International Organizations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hangzhou Asian Games opening ceremony set for 120 minutes
  2. ^ "Designated LED Supplier for the 19th Asian Games". ledzrun.net. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  3. ^ "YES TECH Magic Stage Shines at the 19th Asian Games". yes-led.com. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Lots of dignitaries but no real fireworks — only electronic flash — as the Asian Games open". AP News. Associated Press. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Delayed 19th Asian Games kicks off in Hangzhou". KoreaJoongAng Daily. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Chinese President Xi declares 19th Asian Games open in Hangzhou-Xinhua". Xinhua. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Four unmissable moments at Asian Games opening ceremony-Xinhua". Xinhua. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  8. ^ "大国仪仗 杭州风采——杭州亚运国旗仪仗队总教练张中雷" (in Chinese). 12 October 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Asian Games 2023 Opening Ceremony Highlights". Mint. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  10. ^ Palshikar, Prathamesh (23 September 2023). "2002 Asian Games opening ceremony: Chinese technology, culture glow at Big Lotus". Olympics.com. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  11. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20231005020714/https://info.hangzhou2022.cn/zh/results/all-sports/nocs-list.htm
  12. ^ "OCA rugby players opt out opening ceremony for crucial matches today". The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Colombo. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  13. ^ "HRH Princess' bid for Asian Games glory". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
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