Most of the proposals were created by Chinese citizens, with only 10 works from overseas producers, said the statement.  Hundreds of people also provided their suggestions on the ceremonies.

Jiang Xiaoyu, BOCOG's executive vice-president, had said earlier that the schemes for the two ceremonies will begin to take shape by the end of this year.

"After rounds of selection we will pick up tentative schemes for the opening and closing ceremonies and name a production team in September," he said.

The production team will then fine-tune the schemes before the BOCOG submit the final plans to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) next year for approval.

The opening and closing ceremonies are the most eye-catching parts of an Olympic Games and are seen as one of the criteria for an successful Olympic Games.

The opening ceremony of the Athens Games won worldwide acclaim for its evocative tableau of 3,000 years of Greek history and culture. It registered a new record in TV viewing on a world scale, according to the IOC.

Jiang said that BOCOG are under huge pressure to present the world a "compelling" opening ceremony of the 2008 Games on August 8, 2008.

"Surprises are key to the success of an opening ceremony," he said.

"We will try to keep the opening and closing ceremonies in mystery until the last moment."

BOCOG launched a worldwide search this March for ideas that will pave way for the opening and closing ceremonies. 

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2005)