Dafeng Industry-Leading the Culture and Sports Industry Spreading Good Happiness

On September 19, the opening ceremony of the Aichi‑Nagoya 2026 Asian Games was grandly held at the Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium. Centered on the theme “Harmonious Heartbeat”, the spectacular opening ceremony unfolded. The heart‑shaped main cauldron lit up the night sky, igniting the passion for Asian sports, and witnessing Dafeng’s brand‑new leap from equipment export to the delivery of turn‑key integrated solutions.

Scenes from the Main Venue of the Aichi‑Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Opening Ceremony

Role Transformation: From Participant to Overall Operator of International Sports Events

At this Asian Games, Dafeng, for the first time as a full-service provider of opening and closing ceremony integrated solutions, took full charge of the delivery of this top-tier international sports event, achieving an identity upgrade from project participant to core overall operator.

Group photo of the Dafeng project team and the director’s team in the master control room

Under the overall guidance of the Asian Games Organising Committee, Dafeng was responsible for opening‑ceremony concept creation, directing and production, digital content R&D, design and manufacturing of the main cauldron, show performance and on‑site operation management. Leveraging the strengths of its complete industrial chain, Dafeng has stepped onto the international stage and gained greater initiative in the global competition for top‑level sports‑event markets.

Cultural Export: Interpreting the Aesthetics of the Grand Event with One United Asian Heart

Centering on the core concept of "Harmonious Heartbeat" for the opening ceremony, Dafeng’s core creative team conducted in-depth cooperation with renowned Japanese director Yukihiko Tsutsumi. Rooted in the cultural heritage of the host country and integrating diverse cultural characteristics of Asia, the ceremony interprets the humanistic vision of "One Asia, One Heartbeat".

"We did not replicate the past. Instead, we lifted a bright and elegant veil upon the underpinning of wabi and yūgen, the aesthetics of traditional Japanese art." explained Zhu Xian, Artistic Director of Dafeng Digital Art Performance and Executive Producer of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Nagoya Asian Games. The heart-shaped main stage of this opening ceremony is deeply integrated with audio-visual performances, conveying the pulse of Nagoya as the "City of Manufacturing".

She noted that the presentation of the cauldron also contained ingenious creative ideas. The performance began with hands holding a burning heart. Through the art of light and shadow, imagery transformed, shifting the static installation into dual forms of a heart and a torch, vividly interpreting the Asian Games spirit of relay among all people and passing‑on of the sacred flame, as well as its warm core.

Unity of Form and Meaning: Creative Design Empowers the Interpretation of the Heartbeat Theme

From a design perspective, the main cauldron of this Asian Games breaks away from the design philosophy of conventional large-scale cauldrons. Its sleek heart-shaped contour directly echoes the core theme of the opening ceremony, "Harmonious Heartbeat".

Yang Shaochang, Designer of the Main Cauldron and Design Director of Dafeng Digital Art & Cultural Tourism, introduced: “The main cauldron adopts a heart-shaped contour to echo the ‘Heartbeat’ theme. Its streamlined curved surfaces, symmetrical lines and metallic texture embody the temperament of Nagoya as an industrial city, presenting the integration of ‘industrial order’ and ‘emotional warmth’.”

Scenes of the Aichi‑Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony adopted a 360° panoramic lighting system that fully envelops the stadium space. Relying on integrated master control and scheduling, video, machinery, lighting and sound effects are synchronized at millisecond level, delivering an immersive stage effect with highly coordinated sound, light and visuals throughout the performance.

Technological Breakthrough: Integrated Full-domain Systems Enable Efficient Presentation

Xu Huiwen, Technical Director of the Main Cauldron and Design Director of Dafeng Stage Design Institute, stated that the biggest technical breakthrough of this opening ceremony lies in the integrated intelligent master control of multiple systems. A unified smart hub was built for the full range of lighting, audio, video and mechanical equipment to ensure precise synchronization and error-free connection of stage performances.

The stage is equipped with two sets of professional lifting equipment. Through multiple dynamic operations coordinated with the narrative of performances, seamless scene transitions are achieved. The air‑supported membrane installation of Nagoya Castle works in synergy with the wire‑rope flying system. It can be rapidly assembled and formed within two minutes, efficiently delivering the iconic stage silhouette.

Machinery for the Opening Ceremony of the Aichi‑Nagoya 2026 Asian Games

In terms of green event organization, the main cauldron is equipped with Dafeng’s patented simulated flame and wind‑resistant structure. Water mist and light‑and‑shadow control are adopted to reproduce the texture of real flame with zero carbon emissions throughout the operation. During the Games, this solution can reduce carbon emissions by more than 200 tons compared with the traditional real flame scheme, practicing the sustainable Asian Games concept through low‑carbon technologies. The opening ceremony also integrates drone shows, physical fireworks and multiple electronic special effects, balancing visual impact and safety regulations.

Lighting‑up of the Main Cauldron at the Aichi‑Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Opening Ceremony

Advancement in Intelligent Manufacturing: Zhejiang Enterprise Shows Its Hard-core Strength on the World Stage

The main cauldron of this Asian Games was custom-manufactured at Dafeng’s Intelligent Manufacturing Base in Yuyao. After multiple rounds of rigorous testing, it was shipped and delivered via the Port of Ningbo Zhoushan. To tackle cross-border transportation challenges, Dafeng innovatively adopted a modular design with integrated frame containers, integrating production, transportation and installation, which greatly reduces the risks of overseas construction.

Relying on modular construction technology, the main cauldron area was fully installed within just two days, and the entire stage was completed in six days. Adopting efficient building-block-style construction, the project fully implements the concept of streamlined and cost-effective event organization.

Dafeng project team working on-site at the main venue of the opening ceremony

The Hangzhou team takes charge of front‑end scheme design and digital content R&D, while the Yuyao base undertakes back‑end intelligent manufacturing of equipment and project delivery. It is this deep integration of innovation chain and industrial chain that combines Hangzhou’s innovation capability of “creating something from nothing” with Ningbo’s intelligent‑manufacturing strength of “perfecting what already exists”, generating multiplier effects on the international stage.

From the banks of the Qiantang River to the night sky of Nagoya, with more than 30 years of dedicated accumulation, Dafeng has achieved leap‑forward upgrading from equipment export to the global outreach of full‑chain planning & creativity, innovative technologies, intelligent manufacturing and operation. When the heart‑shaped sacred flame lit up Asia on the opening‑ceremony night, it marked not only the brilliant prologue of the Asian Games, but also a brand‑new starting point for Chinese enterprises to go global and export Chinese creativity and Chinese intelligent manufacturing.

Aichi‑Nagoya 2026 Asian Games Opens: This Moment Bears Witness to Dafeng’s New Leap Forward