Asian Games kick off with spectacular, unique opening ceremony

Two years after the spectacular success of Beijing Olympics, China dazzled the world once again by unveiling the 16th Asian Games with a spell-binding opening ceremony in which water was the overwhelming theme and athletes were ushered in a unique boat parade on Pearl River.

The theme was water and the main part of the ceremony was held at Hai Xinsha, an island located on China's third longest river, which is the life-giver to the southern part of the world's most populous nation.

The four-and-a-half-hour ceremony started with trademark fireworks and the 37,000 capacity crowd was up on its feet when 1320 artists from the city's oldest kung fu school descended with giant LED screens in the backdrop.

The mesmerisingly choreographed act had the artists performing breathtaking acrobatics while being several feet above the ground.

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