The girl who sang at the Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing wasn't the girl who appeared to sing. Lin Miaoke, the apparent singer, was lip-synching for Yang Peiyi, the actual singer, because Yang has crooked teeth. The two children are pictured here. The explanation offered:
Chen Qigang, music director for the ceremony[,] said in an online article: "Little Yang Peiyi's failure to be selected was mainly because of her appearance, because we were concerned with the interests of the nation."Sorry nation, if its interests are so conceived. (Happily, not everyone in China agrees with the decision.) And as sorry is the turn of speech by which Yang Peiyi's non-selection is her failure.