Chinese go into training for civilised Olympic cheering

IT'S SIMPLE, just follow these instructions. Step 1: Clap two times, while chanting, "Olympics"

IT'S SIMPLE, just follow these instructions. Step 1: Clap two times, while chanting, "Olympics". Step 2: Give the thumbs up with your arms extended upward, all the while chanting "Let's go!"  Step 3: Clap two times chanting "China". Finally, step 4: Punch the air with your fists, your arms extended, shouting "Let's go!"  CLIFFORD COONANreports from Beijing

Civilised cheering done according to strict and detailed instructions will be the order of the day when the summer Olympics open in Beijing, say local officials.

The four-part Olympic cheer will be taught at schools, promoted on TV and detailed instructions spread in a poster campaign.

The "Let's Go" cheer is officially used to fire up the national team, but can be adapted to inspire other countries. The Beijing Olympic Organising Committee (BOCOG) has taken on 30 cheering squads to show spectators how it is done in the stadiums, the Xinhua news agency reports. The government has previously appointed hundreds of schoolchildren to cheer on the various countries during the games. Individual schools have been ordered to adopt a specific country.

READ MORE

Unsurprisingly, the schools given Japan, China's long-standing regional rival, have an opt-out clause where they get to cheer on China if there is a head-to-head between athletes from both countries.

Li Ning, head of the Beijing Etiquette Institute, said the cheer was in line with what she described as general international principles for cheering and very much in the spirit of the Olympic mantra "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (faster, higher, stronger), but still possessed characteristics of Chinese culture.

Crucially, the cheer gave plenty of scope for international variations.

So, for example, insert "Yingguo" for "England" at the end. "Jia you, Yingguo" or "Add oil, land of heroes" if you want to translate it directly.

The cheer is a joint invention of the Communist Party's Office of Spiritual Civilisation Development and Guidance, the Ministry of Education, BOCOG and China Central Television, and was launched in the media centre of the national broadcaster.

The aim of the chants is to allow spectators to cheer for athletes in a smooth, civilised manner. There will be training sessions for the 800,000 students expected to attend the Games. "We want to engage in activities to better promote civilised gestures in the stadiums, to cheer on the Olympics and to cheer on China. This gesture demonstrates to the world the charisma of the Chinese people and our enthusiasm," said Guo Zhenxi of CCTV.

"It creates a great atmosphere in the stadium, for the athletes and heightens the interaction between the audiences," said BOCOG's publicity chief Wang Hui.

However, reaction among online commentators to this most orderly form of adulation has been mixed.

"I've just learned the cheer," said Da Menya. "But I feel a little bit foolish. I wonder."

Shen Jiang Qike said the idea was good but wondered was it necessary for the normal, non-professional, spectator to also respond in such a uniform way? "The enthusiasm is from our heart . . . Using diplomatic etiquette to express our enthusiasm will only make people uncomfortable," wrote Shen.

Another netizen, who gave his name as Xiao Shang, said: "I am always amazed at the government's ability to take the fun out of anything. Incredible."