Photo: VCG

The mascots for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games, Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon, were unveiled at Beijing's Shougang Ice Hockey Arena on Tuesday.

The image of Bing Dwen Dwen is designed based on the giant panda. Dressed in a full body suit of ice, a symbol of purity and strength, the panda wears a helmet with colored halo, representing ice, snow tracks, and the flowing "ribbons" on the exterior of the National Speed Skating Oval. The dynamic lines of the halo represent the snow tracks and 5G technology, and the heart shape in its left palm represents the host country's hospitality. 

Bing is the Chinese character for ice, while Dwen Dwen is a common nickname in China for children that implies healthiness, cuteness, and ingenuousness, traits associated with pandas.

Shuey Rhon Rhon, the mascot of Winter Paralympic Games, demonstrates Chinese elements such as the auspicious color red and the Chinese lantern, which has a history of over 2,000 years and is associated with harvest, celebration, prosperity, and brightness. The body of the cute red lantern shines, embodying the fighting spirit of the Winter Paralympic athletes and the theme of the Winter Paralympics that inspires the world.

"We spent almost one year and revised more than 1,000 times in creating and improving the image of Shuey Rhon Rhon," Jin Wei, main designer of Shuey Rhon Rhon, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

According to Jin, Shuey has the same pronunciation as snow in Chinese. The first Rhon in the mascot's name means to include or tolerate, while the second Rhon means to melt, to fuse and warm. The name expresses the hope that there would be more inclusion for people with impairments, and more dialogue and understanding between world cultures. 

"The mascot incorporates the best elements and characteristics of China and the Chinese people. What I can say already now is that it will be a wonderful ambassador for China and the Olympic Games Beijing 2022," International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on the launch ceremony. He noted that he expected the launch of the Olympic mascot to generate even more interest in Beijing 2022, especially among young people.

"I was very excited when revealing the image of the mascots. I have been preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympics for a long time, and every day is a countdown to me. The two adorable mascots make me anticipate the Winter Olympic Games more," Wu Dajing, the men's 500m short track speed skating Olympic champion and world record holder, said at the launch ceremony. 

The unveiling of the mascots marks the culmination of a journey that began in August 2018, when the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games launched a global design competition for the mascots. A total of 5,816 submissions were received from 36 countries and regions including China, and were reviewed by domestic and international experts in a comprehensive evaluation and selection process. The final Olympic and Paralympic mascots chosen were designed by teams from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and Jilin University of Arts respectively, according to the official website of Beijing2020.