Volunteers wave China's national flag and the Olympic flag to mark the one year countdown to the 2008 Olympics in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007. At 8:08 p.m., and 8 seconds, a grand ceremony kicked off the countdown to next year's opening ceremony on Aug. 8, 2008.
Chinese dancers perform near a banner of Chinese characters which reads "Welcome Olympics, Be Civilized, Set Good Example" during the first of many ceremonies marking the countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at the Millennium Monument in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007. At 8:08 p.m., and 8 seconds, a grand ceremony kicked off the countdown to next year's opening ceremony on Aug. 8, 2008.
Performers kick off celebrations for the one year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games during a hazy morning at the Millennium Monument in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007. Later in the evening, at 8:08 p.m. and 8 seconds, ceremonies marked exactly one year until the opening ceremony on Aug. 8, 2008 for Beijing to host the most awaited and most expensive Olympics in history.
Chinese residents take part in a morning ceremony marking the one year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games during a hazy morning at the Millennium Monument in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007.
A total of 999 students from all over the country play Chinese traditional musical instruments on the Great Wall to mark the one year countdown to the Olympics on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, in Beijing, China. Various events were held in the Chinese capital to celebrate the countdown to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games.
Beijing citizens wave ribbons from the Hundreds of Millions of Masses Body building on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, in Beijing, China. The Chinese capital has begun the countdown to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games on Aug. 8, 2008.
A worker hangs from cables on the side of China's Olympic National Stadium in Beijing Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, exactly a year before the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games. The stadium, dubbed the Bird's Nest, will host the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on Aug 8, 2008. Beijing is marking the one-year countdown to the games with events and a ceremony in Tiananmen Square.
Chinese dancers perform during a ceremony to mark the one year countdown until the start of the 2008 Olympics at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007.
Performers in Peking Opera costume celebrate the one year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007.
Hong Kong singer Andy Lau performs on stage as China marks the one year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007.
Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan carries a little girl onstage as China marks the one year countdown to the 2008 Olympics in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007.
A fireworks display is seen next to an illuminated Tiananmen Gate marking the one year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007.
People pose for a photo as they celebrate the one-year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Tiananmen Square on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, in Beijing, China. Various events were held in the Chinese capital to celebrate the countdown to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games.