BEIJING - A haunting song by a blind singer and a dazzling dance performed by 320 hearing impaired dancers wearing brilliant white dresses helped open the Paralympic Games on Saturday.
The highlight of the evening was when the Paralympic flame was lit by gold medallist Hou Bin, who pulled himself by rope to the roof of the National Stadium. His muscles strained as the one-legged track athlete slowly climbed hand-over-hand the 100 metres to the flame cauldron with the torch secured to the side of his wheelchair.
The ceremonies had a light-hearted, festive feel about them. Creatures in colourful costumes cavorted. A man dressed like a sunbird floated through the air. Illustrated butterflies swarmed around the stadium's roof.
The show left Canadian Paralympian Michelle Stilwell battling tears.
"It was such a fantastic and amazing event," said the Winnipeg native, who was part of the gold medal wheelchair basketball team in 2000 but will compete in track and field here. "China really came through.
"I took a picture of one of my teammates looking up at the torch. It's his first Games. You can see him imagining what the next two weeks will be like. I started to cry."
A sea of lights transformed the stadium floor into an ocean and volleys of fireworks ripped through the sky on a hot, muggy night.
Chinese President Hu Jintao officially declared the Games open.
Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee, said the 11 days of competition will demonstrate what people have in common.
"You will realize the differences you might have thought existed in the world are far less apparent," said Craven. "You will see we are all people of one world."
Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, who was paralyzed in a skiing accident when he was 19, said the Paralympics mark a turning point for China and the movement toward more inclusion for people with disabilities.
"Tonight's opening ceremony for the 2008 Paralympic Summer Games was an electrifying tribute to the athletes that have gathered in Beijing from around the globe," Sullivan said in a statement. "In 2010 (Vancouver Winter Olympics) we will maintain the momentum these Games have generated."
The Paralympic flame was transported by wheelchair into the National Stadium by fencer Jin Jing. It was carried around the track by several Chinese athletes. Ping Yai, the first Paralympic gold medallist in Chinese history, was escorted by her guide dog.
The athletes seemed relaxed and happy when they marched into the stadium. The crowd jammed into the 91,000-seat Bird's Nest clapped to the music, did the wave and seemed thrilled with the magical show.
"This was a magnificent, moving, human experience that no one will ever forget," John Furlong, chief executive officer for the Vancouver Organizing Committee, said in a release. "Beijing did it again. What a performance. Being here has only emboldened our excitement to host and cheer on these world-class athletes when the Games come to Canada in 2010."
The opening involved over 6,000 performers. The music -- written by three composers and which took 180 hours to record -- ranged from classical to techno.
The ceremony played on the Olympic Games slogan of One World, One Dream. Its main theme was all life has value and dignity. The program was divided into chapters of journey of space, journey of time and journey of life.
There were many touching moments.
Li Yue, a 12-year-old ballet student who lost her leg in the recent earthquake in Sichuan, was lifted from her wheelchair and into the air by an able-bodied dancer.
Blind singer Yang Haitao sang a ballad that praised feeling the sun's warmth on his face.
"I could only see for three days," he told the crowd. "The people I want to see are my mom, my dad and you."
Jin Yuanhui, a blind pianist dressed in a snow white tuxedo, played his own compositions on a gleaming white piano while a forest of pink peach trees grew around him. A white mist drifted across the stage.
In a marked difference from the Olympic opening ceremony, the Paralympic athletes entered the stadium early, allowing them to watch the performance.
The huge crowd cheered and chanted when the Chinese team appeared. Camera flashes popped in the stands. Even journalists sitting in the media sections waved red flags.
The fans also gave appreciative cheers for Hong Kong and Macau.
Canada was the 48th nation to enter the stadium, squeezed between Ghana and Gabon. A loud cheer went up when the team first appeared and several Maple Leafs fluttered in the stands.
The Canadians, dressed in red and white, were led by flag-bearer Donovan Tildesley, a blind swimmer from Vancouver who is competing in his third and final Paralympics. His father proudly walked beside him.
The Canadian athletes smiled and waved. Many held cameras to record the moment.
More than 4,000 athletes from 148 countries will compete in 20 sports at the Paralympics. Gold medals will be awarded in 472 events.
The Canadian team consists of 143 athletes plus 120 coaches and mission. Their goal is to win enough medals to finish among the top five countries.
Lui Qi, president of the Beijing Olympic organizing committee, said the Paralympics will raise the profile of disabled people in China.
"It educates people to the power of love and encourages people to devote more understanding, respect and support to people with a disability," he said. "The humanitarian spirit is raised to new heights, and the cause for people with a disability is promoted far and wide."
The recently complete Olympic Games attracted over 10,000 athletes from 200 countries competing in 302 events in 28 sports.
The Paralympics end Sept. 17.
