Hangzhou, Ningbo and Zhoushan session of the regional selection for warm-up programs at the opening & closing ceremonies of Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games was successfully completed on February 18-19. Over 60 teams from Hangzhou, Ningbo and Zhoushan assembled at Hangzhou Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium to express their passion and delight for the Asian Games through art performances.

Skill in Wielding 18 Kinds of Weapons, a martial art performance selected by Hangzhou, was a creative rehearsal of the skill in wielding 18 kinds of weapons that has been inscribed into the list of national intangible cultural heritages and showcased the charisma of Chinese military art. Linping Rolling Lamps is a program that combines sports, dance and acrobatics to express people’s prosperous, happy and auspicious life. 

Porcelain Style of Yue, a music program selected by Ningbo, was mainly performed by the instruments made of Yue Kiln Celadon, which has been included in the list of provincial intangible cultural heritages, to display the vintage elegance of thousand-year Yue kiln and present the prosperity and popularity of porcelains in the Tang and Song Dynasties. 

“Warm-up programs must be passionate and lively in order to liven up the atmosphere and show the host’s hospitality”, said Tang Aichao, the deputy chairman of Zhejiang Ballad Singers Association and one of the judges. The conclusion of the activity means the successful completion of the regional selection for warm-up programs at the opening and closing ceremonies of Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games. After 5 regional selections throughout the province, a total of 109 programs have been selected into the library of warm-up programs, all of which are perfect combination of folk arts, local sports elements and Asian Games culture. Although the performances were varying in styles, they all expressed good wishes and enthusiasm for the sports event.