Photo: Xinhua

Thursday marked the 30-day countdown of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou, set to take place in East China's Zhejiang Province. In the lead-up to the sporting event, the design details of the victory ceremony components, including bouquets, trays, and podiums, were revealed. The official theme song and music video were also released and a commencement ceremony dedicated to the event's volunteers was held. 

On Thursday morning, the commencement ceremony for volunteers was held at Zhejiang University, with 1,800 representatives of a total of 37,600 volunteers expected to serve during the event in attendance. The global recruitment drive for volunteers for the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Para Games was initiated in May 2021, with 317,000 applications received. 

"We're fully prepared to execute each process, step, and detail in our volunteer service to contribute to this grand event," student volunteer representative Zhao Hongyan, told the Xinhua News Agency. 

The volunteer body is primarily comprised of individuals from 46 universities within Zhejiang Province. Additionally, specialists in fields such as sports, less-commonly spoken languages, and medical experts were sourced to provide much-needed assistance during the event. Additionally, around 400 volunteers from other provinces among others joined the effort, according to a Thursday Xinhua report.

The floral bouquets for the awards ceremonies were named "Fruits of Triumph," and included rice ears and lotus pods, representing harvest and achievements in Chinese culture, along with the iconic "Rainbow Purple" representing the event's core color palette. 

Unique to this year's Asian Games is the inclusion of decorative vases inspired by Huagu, a kind of vessel from the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The Dongyang wood carving, a national-level intangible cultural heritage, was also employed in the vessels' crafting. The undulating water patterns on the vases echo the rhythm of Zhejiang's landscape, and could be kept by award-winning athletes and treasured forever.

The design of the medal trays draws inspiration from the gentle ripples of West Lake's waters in the breeze. 

The outer part of the podium mimics the color scheme of the "Rainbow Orchid," while the stage itself is adorned with an "Ink and Watercolor White" hue. A modular design approach is employed for the podium to accommodate various sports, embodying the spirit of sustainability.

The song The love We Share, performed by renowned Chinese artist Sun Nan, has officially been endorsed as the Games' theme song. The song's music video portrays iconic landscapes from across Asia, showcasing the unity of people from diverse backgrounds and regions.

Global Times