THE TIME has come to look to China. For most of the decade, the good citizens of the People's Republic have set their watches for the magical hour. KEITH DUGGANreports from Beijing
So at 8pm on the eighth month
of the eighth year of the millennium (1pm Irish time), China puts on its first show for the world in the Bird's Nest, the strikingly beautiful Olympic
stadium that has become the chief adornment of the Beijing Games.
As ever, the hosts are promising a show for the ages. But there is a sneaking suspicion that the Chinese just might deliver it.
Yesterday morning, word spread that the gala would kick off with the beating of a fou - which, the more paranoid visitors to Beijing were pleased to learn, is the term for an ancient Chinese percussion instrument rather than an unfortunate political dissident.
There will be doves. There will be children. There will be Sara Brightman of Phantom of the Opera fame. After that, who knows? China has 5,000 years of history to transform into song, dance and costume.
It is likely that the Chinese will extravagantly showcase the symbols of their culture immediately recognisable in the West - Confucius, the Great Wall, the Ming Dynasty, the Forbidden City, Chairman Mao, dragons, warriors and, for all we know, a vast and colourful interpretation of that universal Chinese culinary favourite, the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet.
Thunderstorms have been predicted - a dramatic touch, in keeping with the highly anticipated arrival of President George Bush for China's big night.
The edgy relationship between East and West has had a rough few days. The American cycling team insulted the entire city by showing up wearing face masks, and then came Mr Bush's strident calls for more freedom.
The American president could hardly have done worse had he emerged from Air Force One wearing a second World War-style gas mask. Already Sunday night's meeting between the US basketball team and the Chinese side, led by cultural icon Yao Ming, looks set to become one of those enduring Olympic contests of national pride and patriotism. The 7ft NBA star will carry the Chinese flag into the stadium.
Somewhere in the riot of pageantry and internationalism, the Tricolour will fly bravely.
The honour of carrying the Irish flag has fallen to Ciara Peelo, the Malahide sailor. Yesterday evening she admitted that the thought of parading in front of the four billion people watching around the world was somewhat daunting. "That's a lot of people and it's a bit scary. But I just think it will be brilliant."
Her family are in Beijing, but were still trying to secure what has become the hottest ticket in town since the heyday of Mao's rallies.
For all the heavy criticism of the Communist Party, this ceremony means a lot to the ordinary people of Beijing. You can see it in their eyes.
For almost 20 years, Beijing has had to live with the image of a lone man standing in Tiananmen Square in front of an army tank as its abiding metaphor. Today has been promised as the new face of an ancient city. And if the infernal Beijing fog would only clear, we might just see it.