BEIJING, Aug 8: China’s once-in-a-lifetime Olympic dream became reality on Friday as the Beijing Games opened with a dazzling ceremony showcasing the nation’s ancient civilisation and an offer of friendship to the world.

Some 91,000 people at the iconic “Bird’s Nest” stadium were bathed in the colour and excitement of the night.

Billions of people around the world tuned in to watch the four-hour extravaganza that had been described as a coming out party for a nation whose global power is rising as quickly as its wealth.

Around 80 world leaders watched the pageant which celebrated the achievements of Chinese people. “Friends have come from afar, how happy we are,” an army of 2,008 drummers chanted, quoting the celebrated sage Confucius.

“If you are Chinese, you have to be here. This is a 100-year dream come true,” said Luo Rensi, 83, one of thousands of Chinese fans who congregated outside the Olympic venues after being unable to get a ticket.

“China has been through some bad times during my long life, but this is truly the best time.”

The ceremony began at 8pm (1200 GMT) on the eighth day of the eight month of 2008 — a tribute to the number 8 that many Chinese deem lucky as it represents prosperity — with rain fortunately staying away.

Those inside were treated to a 50-minute extravaganza masterminded by acclaimed Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, which involved 15,000 performers, a kaleidoscope of fireworks and the thunder of ancient drum beats.

The show celebrated some of China’s greatest inventions — the compass, gunpowder, paper and printing — as well its ancient art and the magnificence of the Great Wall.

It concluded with a focus on unity in the modern world, with the final moments seeing performers on a giant elevated globe and a theme song entitled “You and Me”.

The traditional parade of athletes then began amid huge cheers, with all nations and teams, including the United States and Taiwan, receiving a warm welcome from the crowd.

After Chinese President Hu Jintao officially declared the games open, Li Ning — a gymnast who won three golds at the 1984 games, then went on to build a huge sporting apparel company — lit the cauldron.

In a dramatic moment, Li was lifted on wires and then “ran” around the roof of the stadium holding the Olympic torch.

For China, the 16-day games are an opportunity to show the world how far it has come since the communists came to power in 1949 — particularly in the past three decades of its historic development.

During the seven years since Beijing won the right to host the games, roughly $40 billion has been spent building the venues, expanding transport networks, upgrading other infrastructure and creating parks.

More than 100,000 security forces were called in to scout for any trouble in the city and Beijing airport was temporarily shut down just ahead of the start of the ceremony, amid warnings of attacks from Muslim separatists.—AFP