Winter sports fans can expect the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Beijing to be "different” from that of the 2008 Games, with a cauldron lighting method that will be "unprecedented", according to chief director Zhang Yimou.

北京冬奥会开闭幕式总导演张艺谋表示，冰雪运动的爱好者们可以期待，2022北京冬奥会开幕式将与2008年北京奥运会"不同"，主火炬的点火方式将"前所未有"。

The opening ceremony will be in keeping with Beijing's efforts to stage a "simple, safe and splendid" Games, Zhang said.

张艺谋表示，2022年冬奥会的要求是"简约、安全、精彩"，开幕式也将以此为标准。

There will be no lengthy, large-scale performance, with the number of performers cut from 15,000 in 2008 to 3,000, and the duration of the ceremony reduced to less than 100 minutes due to the cold weather and the COVID-19 pandemic.

本届冬奥会的时长、人数都将"简约"。

2008年开幕式有15000名演员，而这一次将会大幅度减少，演员约3000人。

考虑到冬天天气寒冷和疫情防控的要求，本届冬奥会开幕式将缩减到不超过100分钟。

One of the most anticipated parts of the opening ceremony is the lighting of the main cauldron, and there is always plenty of speculation about the method to be used.

开幕式最令人期待的一幕是主火炬的点燃，人们对点火的方式也一直有很多猜测。

Zhang said his team had come up with "a bold idea for the lighting and the design of the main cauldron".

The way of lighting will be unprecedented in the over 100-year history of the Olympic Games.

张艺谋说，他的团队"对点火方式和主火炬设计提出了大胆设想"，点火方式在百年奥运史上还没有出现过。

【冬奥会开幕式将简约精彩查看网站：[db:时间]】