With 185 days to go before the official opening of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics on 8 Aug 2008, familiarize yourself with the Games’ official emblem and mascots before the world gets caught up with Olympics fever.
Official Emblem:
Titled ‘Dancing Beijing’, the emblem is a red seal embossed with the Chinese calligraphic character jing, which means ‘the nation’s capital’. This is a reference to Beijing, China’s capital city.
Modern design elements were incorporated into the traditional art forms of seal carving and Chinese calligraphy, personifying the character and imbibing it with a sense of athletic motion, hence ‘dancing’. The two strokes extending to the left and right represent the open arms of the Chinese people as they warmly welcome people from around the world.
The white character is contrasted against the bright red color of the seal. Red signifies good luck to the Chinese, and in addition, symbolizes the passion for sports and the Olympic spirit.
Official Mascots:
Unlike previous Olympic Games, Beijing 2008 has a group of five mascots known as fuwas (good-luck dolls). They correspond with the colors of the Olympic rings, and are named Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying and Nini. The double-syllable and alliterative names follows the traditional way of expressing affection for children. When the first syllable of each name is combined and spoken together, the phrase is ‘Beijing Huanying Ni’ or ‘Beijing Welcomes You’, which ties in with the open arms of the emblem.
Design-wise, the fuwas are expressed as five playful children bonded in a close circle of friendship. Other than being young ambassadors for the Games, they embody the natural characteristics of some of China’s most popular animals, as well as the five elements of nature. Beibei is the fish (sea), Jingjing the giant panda (forest), Yingying the Tibetan antelope (earth) and Nini the swallow (sky). Huanhuan, the big brother of the quintet, represents the Olympic flame (fire).
Each fuwa is a lucky charm that brings a different blessing to the children of the world. Fish and water symbolize harvest and prosperity in Chinese traditions. The pronunciation of the Chinese character ‘fish’ also happens to be the same as that for ‘surplus’, a measure of a good year and a good life. Correspondingly, Beibei carries the blessing of Prosperity. She is strong in water sports and reflects the blue Olympic ring.
Jingjing brings Happiness. The giant panda is a national treasure of China, so Jingjing represents the country’s strong desire to protect nature’s gift. His headpiece represents the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Being an athlete noted for his strength, Jingjing represents the black Olympic ring.
Huanhuan represents the Olympic flame and the embodiment of the Olympic spirit. He bestows the blessing of Passion. He excels at the various ball games and represents the red Olympic ring.
Yingying symbolizes the vastness of China’s landscape and the country’s commitment to the green movement. He belongs to a species of antelopes unique to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and carries the blessing of Health – the strength of body that comes from one’s harmony with nature. Quick-witted and agile, Yingying represents the yellow Olympic ring.
Last but not least, the design for Nini draws from the popular kite design of the golden-winged swallow. Her wings symbolize the infinite sky. The blessing of Good Fortune is spread to all the areas that she flies over. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.
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