Olympics opening ceremony starts
2008-08-08 12:15:11 GMT2008-08-08 20:15:11 (Beijing Time) Xinhua English
Spectators watch performance at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China on Aug. 8, 2008. The 29th summer Olympic Games opened at 20:00 Beijing time here Friday. (Xinhua/Guo Dayue)
Young men in grey robes prepare for the performance of 2,008 LED-embedded Fou, a 3,000-year-old percussion instrument similar to today’s drum, to flash out the last seconds of the seven-year countdown to the Beijing Games in the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing, China， Aug. 8, 2008. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Photo taken on Aug. 8, 2008 shows the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games held in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, in north Beijing, China. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)
Photo taken on Aug. 8, 2008 shows the fireworks of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games held in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing, China. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)
Chinese national flag is hoisted aloft during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games held in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, in north Beijing, China, Aug. 8, 2008 . (Xinhua/Li Ga)
BEIJING, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The opening ceremony of the 29th Olympic Games started at 8 p.m. Friday in the National Stadium in Beijing. Attending the ceremony are Chinese President Hu Jintao and more than 80 heads of state and government and royals.
