Chinese History at the 2008 Olympics

In a spectacular opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese paid tribute to specific periods in Chinese history.

The Tang dynasty (618-907 C.E.) was one which saw the Chinese at the beginning of the international trade routes known as the Silk Road; this dynasty was depicted by a woman dancer supported by many others. Missing, as many news sources noted, was any mention of Mao Zedong. Also missing, though not noted in any news source I found, was any mention of the powerful Empress Cixi, whose abdication in 1912 ended the last royal dynasty in China. Cixi, in Chinese culture today, remains an image of corruption and abusive power: the "dragon lady" the Chinese love to hate.

The ceremony also honored many inventions of China, some subtly. One of these: silk-making, which according to legend was invented by the Chinese Empress Lei-tzu or Si Ling-chi.

• Photo of Woman Dancer, 2008 Olympics Opening Ceremony - a larger version of the image of the dancers depicting the Tang Dynasty
• Empress Cixi - a profile of perhaps the most powerful woman in the world
• Chinese Empress Discovers Silk-Making