The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics have officially begun. The Opening Ceremony started on Friday with a lot of pomp and fanfare.

To kick off the ceremony, 400 performers took the stage at the Beijing National Stadium, and they came wielding LED sticks that were supposed to look like spring willows.

The gripping performance was followed by fireworks exploding over the stadium.

The crowd also welcomed Xi Jinping, China's President, and Thomas Bach, Olympic Committee President.

The host country's national flag was also hoisted, after which came an ice cube projection on the floor showing the history of the Winter Games back from Chamonix in 1924.

The ice disintegrated to show the six Olympic Rings while welcoming Greece to start off the Parade of Nations. The Parade of Nations involved athletes walking along the sophisticated LED-enabled floor.

Just as with the Tokyo Games last summer, the public could not attend the Opening Ceremony in Beijing.

Strict restrictions will be in place during the games. They will have to use a "closed-loop management system" once the participants get there.

That means travel will only be limited to venues related to the games, but only using "designated vehicles."

All the participants in the sports will also have to submit to a daily COVID-19 test over the time the games will take place. Vaccination status will not affect this requirement.

The athletes in the games will also be encouraged to wear masks and avoid crowded areas regardless of their vaccination status. To ensure an even greater level of safety,