China Presents the 2022 Winter Olympics Mascot ‘Bing Dwen Dwen’
The Chinese mascots of the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics were officially unveiled on September 17 at the Shougang Gymnasium sporting arena in Beijing.
The mascot for the Beijing Winter Olympics is a cute chubby panda wearing a space suit named Bing Dwen Dwen. With the pandas being the national animal in China, it was previously also used as a mascot in several other sporting events including the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.
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According to China Youth Daily, the first part of the mascot’s name, Bing, which means ice in Chinese, stands for purity and strength, and alludes to fact the Olympics will be held in the winter. Dwen Dwen means stocky and cute, which fits the overall image of a panda. It symbolizes the strength and diligence of Olympic athletes and the Olympic spirit.
The idea behind Bing Dwen Dwen is a panda on a Space Mission according to the mascot’s designer. The panda is seen looking down on Earth from space. It is a panda expert on ice sports from the future.
The Paralympic mascot, Shuey Rhon Rhon, took the shape of a red Chinese lantern. Shuey, which is the Chinese word for snow, symbolizes the color white and beauty. Rhon Rhon means inclusiveness, mutual exchange and mutual understanding.
The red Chinese lantern is supposed to convey the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year. The body of the lantern emits a warm glow, reflecting the tenacity and perseverance of the winter Paralympic athletes.
According to the People’s Daily, Bing Dwen Dwen was designed by an art team from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Shuey Rhon Rhon was designed by a senior year college student from the Jilin College of The Arts.
