China's big step

Beijing

The rumble began slowly, softly, as the 2,008 drummers in silvery robes each worked their hands on the bronze surface of a Fou, the oldest Chinese percussion instrument.

And then the noise increased, rattling the Olympic National Stadium, waves of sound soon punctuated by fireworks as the lights on the surfaces of the drums and the rhythmic movements of the percussionists turned the countdown to Friday's start of the 2008 Olympics' opening ceremony into a blend of technology and tradition.

The striking sound and flashing lights were a fanfare for not only the Olympians who would later parade across the floor of the stadium known as the Bird's Nest. It announced to the world that China and its 1.3 billion citizens were marching boldly into the 21st century.

The Games hold such cachet in China that hosting them for the first time is a symbol of the country's power and place in the world.

Nothing said that more dramatically than the ceremony's final moment, when 1984 Olympic champion gymnast Li Ning lighted the caldron that will burn over the stadium for the next 16 days. Li, 45, was carried about 225 feet to the roof level on a harness and then mimicked walking as he followed the approximately 800-yard circumference of the upper level before touching his torch to a pipe that fed the caldron.

"Hosting the Olympic Games has been a century-old dream for the Chinese nation," said Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee.

A high-definition scroll opened at the center of the stadium floor, another use of modern wizardry to illustrate classic elements of China. Athletes for the 204 nations -- an expected 205th, Brunei, was excluded at the last minute because it had not sent athletes -- walked through paint before stepping across the vinyl scroll, leaving footprints to mark their passage.

The production mixed power, impact and a huge cast flawlessly performing formation choreography in what looked like the largest Busby Berkeley spectacular ever.

"One section required that over 600 performers should have uniform expression in their eyes, so they must have exquisite feelings, and they have to work very hard," said Wang Hong, manager of a cultural troupe in the People's Liberation Army.

Nine thousand of the 14,000 performers were PLA soldiers, who had endured some rehearsals that lasted 48 hours.