Huayu: Starting from Fahrenheit

Chapter 348 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

What a beautiful jasmine flower…

On the evening of the 29th, amidst the beautiful melody of the Jiangsu folk song "Jasmine Flower," the "A Century of Dreams Fulfilled - 2008 Olympic Games Gala" was held in the CCTV studio and was broadcast live on CCTV-1, CCTV-3, and CCTV-4.

The program featured a variety of wonderful performances, including ethnic dances, which vividly expressed the Chinese people's feelings of fulfilling their century-old dream.

Singers such as Wei Wei, Mao Amin, and Jackie Chan played their songs first.

Athletes and coaches preparing for the Olympics, including Yao Ming, Liu Xiang, Liu Guoliang, Zhou Jihong, and Cheng Fei, also sent their best wishes to the Beijing Olympics via telephone.

Wu Zhuo also joined the group, performing "Welcome To Beijing".

In 1908, the Tianjin Youth published an article entitled "Three Questions about the Olympics," which asked when China would be able to host the Olympic Games on its own.

One hundred years have passed, and China has finally realized this wish.

Therefore, the theme of tonight's gala is "Realizing a Century-Old Dream".

At the gala, Liu Hongliang, son of Liu Changchun, China's first Olympian, said in person:

"Our whole family, including my father, had always dreamed of our country hosting the Olympics. Now, our dream has finally come true!"

Wang Fuying, one of the chief directors of the gala and a renowned CCTV director, said in an interview that the purpose of this gala was to tell audiences around the world:
"We are ready, BJ welcomes you! The Chinese people have been dreaming of the Olympics for so long, and now there are only 10 days left until the dream comes true. This gala shows everyone's calm and composed attitude towards the Olympics, and it demonstrates the pride and joy of the Chinese people."

Indeed, the gala that night presented a perfect stage to audiences across the country.

To celebrate the realization of the Olympic dream, the gala's production team selected numerous wonderful programs and added a great deal of unique design.

The opening act featured a segment from "Jasmine Flower" that perfectly combined Peking Opera and dance.

When Jackie Chan led the singing of "Descendants of the Dragon," Shaolin martial arts performances and a "Hundred Family Surnames Dance" were added.

As the classical and modern ensemble played the Olympic-themed instrumental piece "2008," the spectacular acrobatic performance of "Olympic Rhythm" also began...

The distinctive songs and dances of ethnic minorities were also a major highlight, with the Mongolian people's grand dance, the Uyghur people's Dolan Meshrep, the Tibetan people's "Drunken Autumn" dance, and the Korean people's long drum dance all showcasing the Chinese nation's confidence in welcoming the Olympics.

Among them, the most popular performances were Wu Zhuo's solo "Welcome To Beijing" and his participation in "Beijing Welcomes You".

Both songs were composed by Wu Zhuo and are very popular.

This makes the stage design for the performances extremely luxurious.

"Welcome To Beijing" invited an internationally renowned dance company to dance for Wu Zhuo.

"Beijing Welcomes You" is a film featuring a star-studded cast.

Besides Wu Zhuo, there are also Sun Yue and Karen Mok.

The three individuals come from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, respectively, embodying the idea that all three regions are one family, and that everyone is proud and excited about this prosperous era.

……

"A Century of Dreams Fulfilled – 2008 Olympic Games Gala" set a good precedent for the many galas to come in August.

In the days that followed, several more galas were held across the country to celebrate the Olympics.

Wu Zhuo did not attend all of these events.

He only attended the more important events.

And every time he attends a gala, his performance becomes a highlight of the night.

And in terms of viewership ratings, it ranks among the top-tier brands.

Even Jackie Chan privately remarked that Wu Zhuo's popularity had risen too quickly; in just a few years, he had become the most popular singer in China.

It's incredibly popular.

Jay Chou also attended a gala, but in terms of viewership ratings, he was still inferior to Wu Zhuo...

Amid cheers, August 8th arrived as scheduled.

Early morning sunlight shone through the clouds onto the Capital International Airport. Amid the bustling crowd, a young and beautiful figure quickly walked out of the airport.

"Shishi, over here!"

Wu Zhuo, wearing a mask and glasses, was sitting in the car when he spotted Liu Shishi from afar and immediately rolled down the window to greet her.

With the start of the Olympics, the game "Chinese Paladin" will also take a few days off. Liu Shishi, having nothing to do, returned to the capital to watch the Olympic opening ceremony with Wu Zhuo.

In fact, Wu Zhuo almost didn't participate in the Olympics as a spectator, but instead became a singer of the opening ceremony song.

Unfortunately, his submission to the organizers was rejected.

Secondly, in the competition among performers, he and several others lost to Liu Huan.

So, having nothing else to do at the opening ceremony, he decided to just be a spectator.

Just then, Liu Shishi kept calling and pestering him to watch the opening ceremony with her.

He had no choice but to agree and personally came to the airport to pick her up.

"There are so many people, all of them foreigners. This is the first time I've ever seen so many foreigners."

Liu Shishi jogged over and affectionately kissed Wu Zhuo on the cheek before marveling at how crowded the airport was.

"The Olympics are held every four years, so of course there are more people. Spectators from all countries come to cheer for their athletes."

Wu Zhuo took out a tissue and wiped Liu Shishi's face.

She was probably jogging after getting off the plane; her fair forehead was covered in beads of sweat.

Liu Shishi closed her eyes, enjoying Wu Zhuo's service with a sweet expression.

After Wu Zhuo finished wiping, she excitedly said:
"Your songs have been playing at the airport, especially 'Welcome To Beijing.' I even heard some foreigners asking who sings this song."

"Your news is outdated. Last week, this song was on the Billboard charts and ranked number 46."

Many foreigners probably already knew this song before they came.

Wu Zhuo smiled as he helped her fasten her seatbelt and started the car.

The song "Welcome To Beijing" was released last year and received a good response.

However, it only circulated on a small scale and was not considered a complete hit abroad.

It wasn't until recently, with the Olympics approaching, that this song experienced a major surge in popularity.

Currently, this song has achieved remarkable success on the charts in multiple countries.

This will further enhance Wu Zhuo's international reputation.

Speaking of which, Wu Zhuo is now considered one of China's international calling cards.

Aside from Jackie Chan, he is one of the most internationally renowned Chinese artists, comparable to Jet Li and others.

Because it was a business card, the Olympic organizers specifically requested his image rights and placed a large number of welcome posters in public places such as airports.

For example, on the road that Wu Zhuo and his group were walking on, there were several large billboards along the way.

The poster features Wu Zhuo and the tagline reads "Welcome to BJ".

Where do we go now? Should we go back to the hotel first?

"Why are you going back to the hotel? Did you miss me too much?"

"No, I want to change my clothes. There will definitely be a lot of reporters at the opening ceremony tonight, and I can't just wear this!"

"This one is beautiful too! You look beautiful in anything."

"whee……"

(End of this chapter)