Ten mysteries for Universiade opening ceremony

Updated: 2011-08-12 15:04

(chinadaily.com.cn)

With only hours to go, the opening ceremony of the Universiade will take place in the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Parts of the opening ceremony have been revealed before to the public, yet there are still 10 mysteries for us to expect, according to Shenzhen Special Zone Daily.

No. 1 How to "make a difference"?

"Start here, make a difference" is the slogan of the Shenzhen Universiade, and of the Games' opening ceremony as well. However, with no fireworks display and no stars performing, how will the ceremony make a difference? Perhaps the ceremony will impress its audience with the youths' smiles and vigor.

No. 2 How to present the glamour of Shenzhen?

As a young city, how will its glamour be presented in the opening ceremony? What iconic elements will be displayed? Shun Hing Square? Citizens' center? Mangrove Park? Or others?

No. 3 How to integrate "UU"?

How will the symbol "UU," which resembles a smile evolved from 2011 Shenzhen Universiade emblem, be integrated into the opening ceremony?

No. 4 How to excite the audience?

There will be no fireworks and no stars, so how will the ceremony excite the audience? There will probably be lots of interactions between performers, athletes and the audience.

No. 5 How to make ritual more attractive?

Having originated from ritual, the opening ceremony of Shenzhen Universiade will highlight the ritual process. However, how to make the solemn ritual more attractive remains to be seen.

No. 6 How to light the flame?

The flame lighting process is still a mystery, even though there have been several rehearsals. How will the flame be lit?

No. 7 Who will light the flame?

Who will be chosen to light the flame? Will it be Yi Jianlian, the leading basketball player who is also a local Shenzhener? Or Wang Qihong, the unstoppable champion gymnast who lost her right leg but keep dancing? Or He Zi, the next swimming queen? Or Liu Xiang, the best-known Chinese hurdler?

No. 8 How to get the torch into the stadium?

Roller-skating? Shipping from the sea? By horse? Or by other means?

No. 9 Who will take the oath on behalf of all athletes?

By convention, an athlete from the host country will take the oath on behalf of all the athletes. Will it be Cai Wenfei, the golfer from School of Golf of Shenzhen University? Will it be Yin Jing, the hurdler possibly to be next Liu Xiang?

No. 10 How to evacuate swiftly and orderly?

Roughly 70,000 people will attend the opening ceremony. Will Shenzhen manage to safely evacuate them in 60 minutes or even less?

About Shenzhen

Shenzhen is located at the southern tip of the Chinese mainland on the eastern bank of the mouth of the Pearl River and neighbors Hong Kong.

The brainchild of Deng Xiaoping, the country's first special economic zone was established here by the Chinese Government in 1980. It has been a touchstone for China's reform and opening-up policy since then.