Hangzhou set to wow world with groundbreaking opening ceremony

With a lot more to offer than just a visual spectacle, the 19th Asian Games' opening ceremony promises to wow the world with a high-tech showcase of the host's historic and cultural attractions.

The ceremony, which starts on Saturday night at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, will deliver many historic firsts and is expected to provide a blueprint for the sustainable and digitally enhanced future of such gala events, according to the ceremony's creative team.

The breathtaking projections, depicting Hangzhou's past and present, onto the floor and background screens, the glass-free 3D animations of athletic action and the innovative lighting of the cauldron, which will involve a virtual torchbearer, will be among some of the showpiece moments of the ceremony, according to Sha Xiaolan, chief director and chief producer of the ceremony.

"More importantly, all of the technology, props and programs will help us present the rich history and profound culture of Hangzhou and Zhejiang, as well as the Chinese people's wish to unite all Asian nations, in an aesthetic and intensive way," Sha said at a news conference introducing the ceremony on Thursday.

The entire production is planned to last for about 115 minutes, beginning with a welcome show, followed by the delegation parade, traditional protocols and the main artistic performance.

The creative team has run five rehearsals since Aug 29, with preparations adjusted and fine-tuned to guarantee a smooth and glitch-free performance on Saturday night.

"The final three dress rehearsals have helped us to accurately complete drills on all the equipment and visual elements. We are confident that we will put on a dazzling show the world will remember," Sha said.

A backup plan to perform an abridged version of the ceremony at a nearby indoor venue has also been prepared in case of any extreme weather, while the transport arrangements for the arrival and departure of about 50,000 spectators in a safe and efficient way have also been tested fully, said Li Yiqing, spokesperson for the operation center of the opening and closing ceremonies.

The concept of hosting large-scale events in an eco-friendly, sustainable and economic way has guided the production team to switch the traditional fireworks show with a virtual display projected onto curtain screens instead, and to use zero-emission methanol as the fuel to ignite the main flame.

"We have approached the event by following the guiding principles of delivering the ceremony in a green, streamlined, safe and excellent way," said Li.

The highlight of the show will see the sky lit up by millions of virtual sparks, each representing a participant of the online torch relay, which will eventually form the shape of a person who will descend to the stage and light the main cauldron together with the final real-life torchbearer.

The online torch relay has attracted over 100 million users since the program was launched in June.

"It's the first time that such a method has been used to ignite the main flame of a major international sporting event, a method that has stood out from the previous patterns and reflects the essence of sport, which is to involve people," said Sha.

"It also conveys the message of building a global community of all mankind for a bright, shared future."

The artistic performances will feature local characteristics, such as the autumn equinox, one of China's 24 solar terms that celebrates the harvest season in fall, the surging tide that has witnessed the historical changes of Hangzhou and the Liangzhu civilization, which dates back some 5,000 years.

During the delegation parade, 10 iconic sightseeing spots at Hangzhou's famous West Lake will be projected onto the oval-shaped floor screen, allowing athletes from across Asia, and the audience, to enjoy the city's picturesque scenery in an immersive way.