The mountains and seas welcome the sacred fire with smiles, and the white sails are accompanied by "auspicious clouds". The Olympic flame completed its "sailing journey" in Qingdao today, and its relay has become a highlight of the relay in Qingdao.
At around 8:10 today, the Beijing Olympic flame boarded the large sailing ship "Qingdao" at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center and began its approximately 1,000-meter sea relay. This is the first and only maritime relay of the Beijing Olympic torch within the country. The Qingdao Olympic Torch Relay event was held at the pier of the Measurement Hall of the Olympic Sailing Center. The loud gongs and drums, the speeding roller skating, and the dancing flags express the joy and excitement in the hearts of the people of the island city. After three torch relays, the Olympic torch arrived at the awards platform in the harbor outside the Olympic Sailing Center, and boarded the ship from here to begin the sea relay. This offshore awards platform is a pioneering initiative of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Competition. At that time, the Beijing Olympics sailing competition will be the first time in the history of the Olympic Games that awards will be awarded at sea, and the winning athletes will receive cheers from the audience on the main breakwater on the other side of the harbor at close range.
The Olympic flame first appeared in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Of course it was Coubertin who came up with the idea, which at the time was limited to lighting the flame in a fountain basin near the stadium. This is a grand ceremony of the Olympic Games and a tradition that has been continued since 1936.
When it comes to the modern Olympics, people will never forget Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics. He once sketched a blueprint to create a sports competition that is different from other forms of sports competition that can bring people together. At the same time, what is more important is that it can continue. It can make those who participate in the competition and those who cheer for the contestants feel the joy of sports, unity and friendship, and even humility. Slogans, signs, flags, pledges, parades, none of these can be ignored to make the Olympics unique. Not to mention the famous Olympic flame and its relay. The accompanying Olympic flame has become one of the most anticipated events in the entire Olympic movement during the Olympic Games.
Fire is an important driving force of human civilization and a sacred object in the hearts of our ancestors. The torch has appeared as an important part of the sports games and has a history of more than 2,700 years. Legend has it that Mount Olympia in ancient Greece was the habitat of the gods. In order to commemorate Prometheus, the god of fire who stole fire for mankind, the locals held a sacrificial ceremony at the altar every four years. The ceremony of lighting the sacred fire in the ancient Olympic Games originated from the myth of ancient Greek humans stealing fire from heaven. In front of the god Olympian Zeus, they lit the fire on the altar according to religious rituals, and then ran around with the torch to various states to convey the news that the Olympic Games were about to begin. The message is that all city-states must have a truce, forget hatred and war, and actively prepare to participate in the Olympic Games. Therefore, the torch symbolizes peace, light, unity and friendship.
The creative shape of the Beijing Olympic Games torch is inspired by the "auspicious cloud" pattern of "originality, harmony and harmony". It fully demonstrates China's artistic design and technological level, and embodies the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games' hosting concept of "Green Olympics, Science and Technology Olympics, and Humanistic Olympics". The Olympic Games advocates "participation". In the new century, the traditional Olympic Games have spanned several centuries. In the 21st century with the rapid development of science and technology, the Olympic Games should have its new content and new methods!
The relay of the Olympic flame in Qingdao is an event that involves more people, developing from inside the stadium to outside the stadium, and to the four years before the game! Allowing participants from all over the world to participate in Olympic activities at different locations will enhance the quality of Qingdao's urban civilization, establish a good international metropolis image of Qingdao, provide a broad development platform, and also put forward new requirements for urban civilization construction. and a rare opportunity. It will also become a window to showcase the spiritual outlook of modern Qingdao people.