The lighting of the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games created a striking contrast, offering a sense of warmth amid the vast icy landscape, according to an official from the Harbin Asian Winter Games Organizing Committee.
The 9th Asian Winter Games officially kicked off on Friday night with a festive ceremony highlighting the snow and ice culture of the host city Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
After the athletes' parade and a gala performance, the opening ceremony reached its climax with the lighting of the main torch tower.
Joined by children holding ice lanterns, four Chinese torchbearers, including China's first Winter Olympic champion and short track speed skater Yang Yang, China's first male Winter Olympic gold medalist and freestyle skier Han Xiaopeng, Olympic race walk champion Wang Zhen, and Sochi Winter Olympic speed skating champion Zhang Hong, lit the cauldron in a shape of a blooming lilac flower at the opening ceremony's sub-venue, Harbin Ice and Snow World, the world's largest ice and snow theme park.
At a post-ceremony press conference on Friday night, Zhou Wei, deputy director of the ceremonies and events department of Harbin Asian Winter Games Organizing Committee, introduced the design concept behind the lighting ceremony of the cauldron.
"For this opening ceremony, we chose to hold the lighting ceremony at Harbin's Ice and Snow World, the largest ice and snow theme park in the world. Lighting the cauldron in such a setting created a unique contrast, allowing our audience to feel warmth and strength amid the vast icy landscape. The design of this year's Asian Winter Games cauldron tower was inspired by Harbin's city flower, the lilac. The lighting ceremony itself is named 'Light Up Asia,' and our specially crafted fireworks lit up the sky, perfectly embodying the theme of this year's Games, 'Dream of Winter, Love among Asia,'" he said.
The flame for the Games was lit at the Sun Island Scenic Area in Harbin on January 20. The torch relay involved 120 torchbearers on a route featuring landmarks in the city, including Harbin Central Street, and the Songhua River.
Over 1,200 athletes from 34 countries and regions across Asia are competing in 64 events across six sports, making this edition the largest Asian Winter Games in terms of participating delegations and athletes. The Games will conclude on February 14.
Official introduces design concept behind Asian Winter Games lighting ceremony
