The opening ceremony of the 15th National Games took place in Guangzhou — a grand show filled with surprises and creativity. And it started right from the star of the night: the torch. But this time, it wasn’t fire — it was made of water mist and light.

Wang Ruixiang, Chief Producer of the Opening Ceremony:
“Our torch tower is completely zero-carbon. We didn’t use fuel this time — it’s all light art. We worked with lighting manufacturers to develop a flame-like color effect. And we made sure it looks just as real in both daylight and at night.”

Beyond the torch, the ceremony blended ancient heritage with modern technology. The music director brought in a Goudiao bell — a bronze percussion instrument with a history of over two thousand years — to perform the Cantonese classic Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon. And the musicians? They were humanoid robots.
 

Shu Nan, Music Director of the Opening Ceremony:
“How do we show the changes our country has gone through over thousands of years? I thought of using robots to play traditional music — it creates a sense of time travel. When that first note sounds, the entire venue falls silent. I believe even our ancestors would be amazed by such a moment of light and sound. Nothing can truly travel through time, except music. It’s our way of paying tribute to them.”

The night also featured famous stars from Hong Kong, together with performers from Guangdong and Macao. With familiar melodies and new arrangements, their joint performance gave voice to the unity of the Greater Bay Area — three regions singing as one.

Lang Kun, Director of the Opening Ceremony:
“The three regions share culture and language, so working together wasn’t difficult — just a matter of fine-tuning how we present things. Some ideas may resonate here in the Greater Bay Area, but this is a national event — one that also looks outward to the world. Innovation means convincing everyone, and making sure the whole country connects with it.”

The opening ceremony of the 15th National Games showcased the Greater Bay Area’s spirit of collaboration — where sport, technology and culture come together. It offered the nation, and the world, a glimpse of the energy that emerges when Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao stand as one.