Beijing Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Goes Carbon Lite

China’s use of a “micro-flame” instead of igniting a huge cauldron of fire to officially kick off the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics on Friday night was intended to send a message around the world about the importance of reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment, according to the opening ceremony’s director.

Some viewers may have been surprised when Dinigeer Yilamujiang, a female cross-country skier from West China’s Xinjiang region, and Zhao Jiawen, a male Nordic combined athlete from Shanxi province, simply placed the Olympic torch in the center of a giant snowflake-shaped structure bearing the name of every country and region participating in the Games.

The Olympic rings and micro-flame are displayed at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo: IC Photo

At the ceremony held in the National Stadium – or Bird’s Nest as it’s more commonly known - gone was the usual belch of fire seen at previous Olympics when the final torchbearers dipped the flame carried by relay from Olympia in Greece into a giant cauldron.