The Olympic spirit does not seem to have greatly inspired those building the stadiums, athletes' village and support facilities for the Games next year. Indeed, for many migrant workers at the city's Olympic construction sites, their contribution to China's Olympic dream is, "just another job."

"We don't need to know what these buildings are for.  As long as we do the work and get paid, that's fine," a 19 year-old migrant worker named Dai told the official Chinese publication Sports Pictorial.

One quarter of the 57 migrant workers interviewed by Sports Pictorial in late July 2007, said they did not know exactly what they were working on and less than a third could correctly identify the highly memorable opening date of the Games, on the eighth day of the eighth month of the eighth year.  The majority of interviewees had no interest in the opening ceremony or who would light the Olympic torch.  Eight workers thought President Hu Jintao would light the torch, others nominated themselves, their work mates or famous movie stars such as Chow Yun-Fat.

In addition to discussing the Olympics, the workers, the majority of who were from Henan Province, talked about their pay, and working and living conditions.  The interviews revealed a wide disparity in wage levels, means and frequency of payment.  Most workers earned between 40 yuan and 60 yuan a day, although a few earned more than 80 yuan.  Many said they did not know how exactly they would be paid, and more than a third said they only got paid at the end of the year and received a small monthly allowance to live on.  "I earn more than 1,000 yuan a month and get paid at the end of the year," said 28 year-old Hu Yaowu from Hebei, "I've been married four years but can't afford to start a family."

Nearly all the interviewees worked ten hour days, and only took days off if they were sick or had to go home to help with the harvest.  If they did not work, they did not get paid, and most had no work contract or medical insurance.  All those who suffered from minor injuries or illnesses at work paid for their own over-the-counter medicine or treatment at the local clinic.  One worker, Liu Jiafu, who required surgery after incurring serious chest and leg injuries in a work related accident, did have his medical expenses paid by his boss.  However, when Liu, 55, was released from hospital, his boss had vanished and he received no compensation for his disability or loss of work.  "Right now, I'm good for nothing," Liu told Sports Pictorial.

Many workers had no idea if they would still be in Beijing during the Olympics, most said they would go wherever the work was.  For those who were confident they would still be in the capital, most did not think they would ever be able to enter the facilities they had helped build.  "Attending the Olympics?  That is for rich people!  We can watch it on television, we can't expect anymore than that," said 30 year-old Zhu Wanming from Sichuan.