The sign, perched on a hill just under the most visited section of the wall, formed the backdrop for the gala launch of the fourth Beijing Olympic arts festival, which runs until July 15.

A performer carries a dragon on the Chinese Wall at Badaling during a ceremony to start the fourth Beijing Olympic arts festival June 23, 2006. [Reuters]

"We hope this will become a landmark for the Games as has been a tradition in recent Olympic host cities," said Beijing organising committee vice-president Jiang Xiaoyu.

The addition of the five Olympic rings to an already world renowned structure made Sydney Harbour Bridge an icon of the 2000 Games.

On Friday, hundreds of schoolchildren holding a 2,008 metre scroll decorated by a million of their peers looked down from the ramparts of the wall as drummers, stilt walkers and singers performed to open the festival.

The festival includes 28 sports-themed cultural events and is part of Beijing's campaign to engender the Olympic spirit into its residents before the Games open in August 2008.

"The festival is a key measure in creating a suitable atmosphere to host the Olympic Games but also a critical step to illustrate the splendour of Chinese culture," Jiang said.

The Great Wall, which receives an estimated 10 million visitors a year and snakes through the hills for some 6,400 kilometres, was begun in 221 BC during the Qin dynasty and is a United Nations World Heritage Site.