LiketheFiveOlympicRingsfromwhichtheydrawtheircolorandinspiration,FuwawillserveastheOfficialMascotsofBeijing2008OlympicGames,carryingamessageoffriendshipandpeace--andblessingsfromChina--tochildrenallovertheworld.Designedtoexpresstheplayfulqualitiesoffivelittlechildrenwhoformanintimatecircleoffriends,FuwaalsoembodythenaturalcharacteristicsoffourofChina'smostpopularanimals--theFish,thePanda,theTibetanAntelope,theSwallow--andtheOlympicFlame.EachofFuwahasarhymingtwo-syllablename--atraditionalwayofexpressingaffectionforchildreninChina.BeibeiistheFish,JingjingisthePanda,HuanhuanistheOlympicFlame,YingyingistheTibetanAntelopeandNiniistheSwallow.Whenyouputtheirnamestogether--BeiJingHuanYingNi--theysay"WelcometoBeijing,"offeringawarminvitationthatreflectsthemissionofFuwaasyoungambassadorsfortheOlympicGames.FuwaalsoembodyboththelandscapeandthedreamsandaspirationsofpeoplefromeverypartofthevastcountryofChina.Intheiroriginsandtheirheadpieces,youcanseethefiveelementsofnature--thesea,forest,fire,earthandsky--allstylisticrenderedinwaysthatrepresentthedeeptraditionalinfluencesofChinesefolkartandornamentation.IntheancientcultureofChina,thereisagrandtraditionofspreadingblessingsthroughsignsandsymbols.EachofFuwasymbolizesadifferentblessing--andwillhonorthistraditionbycarryingtheirblessingstothechildrenoftheworld.Prosperity,happiness,passion,healthandgoodluckwillbespreadtoeverycontinentasFuwacarrytheirinvitationtoBeijing2008toeverypartoftheglobe.Attheheartoftheirmission--andthroughalloftheirwork--FuwawillseektounitetheworldinpeaceandfriendshipthroughtheOlympicspirit.DedicatedtohelpingBeijing2008spreaditsthemeofOneWorld,OneDreamtoeverycontinent,FuwareflectthedeepdesireoftheChinesepeopletoreachouttotheworldinfriendshipthroughtheGames--andtoinviteeveryman,womanandchildtotakepartinthegreatcelebrationofhumansolidaritythatChinawillhostinthelightoftheflamein2008.
Likeallantelopes,Yingyingisfastandagileandcanswiftlycovergreatstretchesoflandasheracesacrosstheearth.AsymbolofthevastnessofChina'slandscape,theantelopecarriestheblessingofhealth,thestrengthofbodythatcomesfromharmonywithnature.Yingying'sflyingposecapturestheessenceofaspeciesuniquetotheQinghai-TibetPlateau,oneofthefirstanimalsputunderprotectioninChina.TheselectionoftheTibetanAntelopereflectsBeijingcommitmenttoaGreenOlympics.HisheadornamentincorporatesseveraldecorativestylesfromtheQinghai-TibetandSinkiangculturesandtheethnicdesigntraditionsofWesternChina.Strongintrackandfieldevents,Yingyingisaquick-wittedandagileboywhorepresentstheyellowOlympicring.Everyspringandsummer,thechildrenofBeijinghaveflownbeautifulkitesonthecurrentsofwindthatblowthroughthecapital.Amongthekitedesigns,thegolden-wingedswallowistraditionallyoneofthemostpopular.Nini'sfigureisdrawnfromthisgrandtraditionofflyingdesigns.Hergoldenwingssymbolizetheinfiniteskyandspreadgood-luckasablessingwhereversheflies.Swallowisalsopronounced"yan"inChinese,andYanjingiswhatBeijingwascalledasanancientcapitalcity.AmongFuwa,Niniisasinnocentandjoyfulasaswallow.SheisstrongingymnasticsandrepresentsthegreenOlympicring.
IntheintimatecircleofFuwa,Huanhuanisthebigbrother.Heisachildoffire,symbolizingtheOlympicFlameandthepassionofsport--andpassionistheblessinghebestows.HuanhuanstandsinthecenterofFuwaasthecoreembodimentoftheOlympicspirit.Andwhileheinspiresallwiththepassiontorunfaster,jumphigherandbestronger,heisalsoopenandinviting.WhereverthelightofHuanhuanshines,theinvitingwarmthofBeijing2008--andthewishfulblessingsoftheChinesepeople--canbefelt.ThefirerydesignsofhisheadornamentaredrawnfromthefamedDunhuangmurals--withjustatouchofChina'straditionalluckydesigns.Huanhuanisoutgoingandenthusiastic.HeexcelsatalltheballgamesandrepresentstheredOlympicring.
Jingjingmakeschildrensmile--andthat'swhyhebringstheblessingofhappinesswhereverhegoes.Youcanseehisjoyinthecharmingnaivetyofhisdancingposeandthelovelywaveofhisblackandwhitefur.Asanationaltreasureandaprotectedspecies,pandasareadoredbypeopleeverywhere.ThelotusdesignsinJingjing'sheaddress,whichareinspiredbytheporcelainpaintingsoftheSongDynasty(A.D.960-1234),symbolizethelushforestandtheharmoniousrelationshipbetweenmanandnature.Jingjingwaschosentorepresentourdesiretoprotectnature'sgifts--andtopreservethebeautyofnatureforallgenerations.Jingjingischarminglyna?veandoptimistic.HeisanathletenotedforstrengthwhorepresentstheblackOlympicring.
InChina'straditionalcultureandart,thefishandwaterdesignsaresymbolsofprosperityandharvest.AndsoBeibeicarriestheblessingofprosperity.AfishisalsoasymbolofsurplusinChineseculture,anothermeasureofagoodyearandagoodlife.Theornamentallinesofthewater-wavedesignsaretakenfromwell-knownChinesepaintingsofthepast.AmongFuwa,Beibeiisknowntobegentleandpure.Stronginwatersports,shereflectstheblueOlympicring.