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Beijing 2008 Olympic Symbols
Beijing 2008 Olympic Symbols
The Olympic Emblem
The official emblem of the 2008 Beijing Olympics is filled with symbolism. Its official name is "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing". It is designed to resemble an ancient Chinese seal. The white dancing man is a modification of the character "jing" in Beijing, which means "capital". The emblem stands for Beijing's commitment and history. Traditionally a person signed a document with his or her own personal seal. It was a symbol of their commitment and sincerity, just as the Olympic Emblem is a symbol of Beijing's commitment to hosting a successful and harmonious Olympics. The Olympic Emblem was Unveiled in August 2003 at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
The Olympic Slogan
The official slogan for the 2008 Beijing Olympics is "One world, One Dream". It stands as a symbol of the unity and dedication that the Olympics stand for. The Olympic slogan was unveiled on June 2005 in Beijing's Workers' Gymnasium. The slogan is a simple one, but filled with meaning. It expresses China's wish that no matter what your race or color is, we are all part of one world, and we can all work together for a better tomorrow.
The Olympic Mascots
The official mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympics were inspired by the Five Olympic Rings. Named Fuwa in Chinese, or Friendlies in English, these adorable characters have become beloved both home and abroad. They were designed to represent the playfulness of children who form a circle of friends. They five mascots represent four of China's living animal treasures, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow, the Fish, and the Olympic Flame. The Olympic Mascots' names are very special. They are; Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. Together they write Beijing Huanying Ni, which means "Beijing welcomes you". Each character represents one of the Olympic Rings and this can be seen in their color. Their individual headdresses represent the five elements of nature, the sea, the forest, fire, the earth and the sky. They were unveiled to the world on November 11th, 2005 in Beijing's Workers' Gymnasium exactly 1,000 days before the Olympics' Opening Ceremony.
Beibei
Beibei, who represents the blue Olympic ring, symbolizes a fish. Traditionally in China, the fish and water are symbols of abundance and are popular designs in festivals. Beibei is gentle and pure, and strong in water sports.
Jingjing
Jingjing, who represents the black Olympic ring, is a giant panda. Loved by people both home and abroad, the giant panda is one of China's living treasures. Jingjing is optimistic and childishly naïve, and known for his athletic strength.
Huanhuan
Huanghuan, who represents the red Olympic ring, symbolizes the Olympic flame. He represents the passion of sports and is the big brother of the five mascots. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic, and is strong in ball games.
Yingying
Yingying, who represents the yellow Olympic ring, is a Tibetan antelope. The Tibetan Antelope is unique to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. In China the antelope symbolizes the vastness of China. Yingying is quick witted and agile, and strong in track and field events.
Nini
Nini, who represents the green Olympic ring, is a swallow. The swallow has been used as a design for traditional kites for centuries and her headdress has similar designs. Nini is innocent and joyful, and is strong in gymnastics.
The Olympic Pictograms
The 35 official pictograms of the 2008 Beijing Olympics were unveiled to the public in August of 2006. The Pictograms will be used as symbols for the different Olympic events. They will be used in signage to direct spectators to the different venues, in advertising, and landscape designs. Named "the beauty of seal characters", they are designed in the style of ancient Chinese seal carving characters. The characters are simple, and easily recognizable. They were designed by a joint effort between the China Central Academy of Fine Arts and the Academy of Arts and Design.
The Olympic Medals
The official medals for the 2008 Beijing Olympics were inspired by the ancient "bi", an ancient jade disc reserved for royalty. The obverse side of each medal has the standard Olympic medal design prescribed by the International Olympic committee. The reverse side features a jade ring is inlaid into each medal. The design of the Olympic medal's hook was inspired by a jade "huang", which was a ceremonial jade piece decorated with double dragons.
The Olympic Torch
The 2008 Beijing Olympics torch was designed using many aspects of Chinese culture. The 72cm long torch is made of aluminum. The torch can burn for approximately 15 minutes even in strong wind, rain, or snow, and is still visible even on bright sunny days. The torch was designed in the shape of a paper scroll with traditional lucky cloud graphics in red emblazoned on it.
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