18 stunning photos from 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics' Opening Ceremony

Even though a few sports started competitions already this week, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics officially began Friday, Feb. 4 with the Opening Ceremony at the National Stadium — which is also known as “The Bird’s Nest” — in the nation’s capital.

Though a notably shorter Opening Ceremony compared with the 2008 Summer Games hosted by Beijing, it was still an incredible event filled with talented performers, continuing traditions and, of course, the athletes actually competing over the next couple weeks.

If you missed the live broadcast of the 2022 Winter Olympics’ Opening Ceremony on Friday, we’ve got you covered with 18 stunning photos from the event.