Beijing Olympic Games come to end

theclosingceremonyofthebeijingolympicgamesbeganinthenationalstadium，alsoknownasthebirdsnest，innorthernbeijingat8p.m.onsunday.

thegalabeganamidadisplayoffireworksthatformedahugecircleintheskywhichsymbolizesthecompletesuccessofthebeijinggames.

intraditionalchineseculture，circleisasymbolofperfection，harmonyandrenewal.

thecountdowntotheclosingceremonystartedfromthenumber29，indicatingthe29tholympicgames.

alltheaudiencejoinedthecountdownfrom10，whilethenumbersweredisplayedbyfireworkexplosionsinthesky.

theatmospherereachedaclimaxattheendofthecountdown，asfireworksilluminatedthefull-packed91，000-seatstadium.

a10-minuteartisticperformancesbegan，withadrumformationonthegroundandtwo"heavenlydrums"floatinginthesky，andaspectacularshowofchineseethnicdancingandacrobatics.

flagsof204olympicdelegationswerethenescortedintothearena，followedbyworldathletestothegames，allincasualwearandsomewiththeirmedalsontheneck.theycheerfullywavedhandsorflagstowardthecheeringcrowd，smilingandgivingthumbs-upinfrontofthecameralens.someathletesevencarriedtheirfellowsontheirshouldersincelebration.

two-timeolympicbadmintongoldmedalistzhangningcarriedtheflagofthechinesedelegation.

zhang，33，defeatedfellowchineseandworldnumberonexiexingfanglastsaturdaytosuccessfullydefendthewomenssinglestitleshewoninathensfouryearsago.shewastheoldestwomanplayertowintheolympictitleinthesport.

theclosingceremonyfocuseson"harmony，friendshipandjoy，"accordingtoartisticdirectorzhangyimou，whomastermindedthebeijingolympicsopeningaswellasclosinggalas.