Soft power in the snow: why it’s ‘mission impossible’ for China’s Winter Olympics to replicate Beijing 2008’s coming out party

Fireworks of red and gold faded to give way to 2,008 performers beating the fou – an ancient percussion instrument – while chanting excerpts from Confucius’ Analects.

It was the night of August 8, 2008, the opening ceremony for China’s first Olympic Games. Beijing was not only eager to flaunt China’s rich history and culture but also its brand new stadiums, its ability to run an international event smoothly and its talented athletes who went on to win more gold medals than any other nation.