The snake version of Bing Dwen Dwen Photo: Xinhua

 
To celebrate the third anniversary of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the new version of the mascot of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games was unveiled in Beijing on Tuesday to welcome the upcoming Year of the Snake.

Designed by Lin Cunzhen, a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the design of the snake-themed mascots draw inspiration from the ancient tale The Legend of the White Snake. One of the most popular Chinese folk love stories, it tells the story of a white snake spirit who falls in love with a mortal man, with her green snake companion helping protect their love.

"The headpiece of the mascot was inspired by the traditional Peking Opera characters from The Legend of the White Snake, with two snakes holding a golden bead. This symbolizes an auspicious and festive spirit," Lin told the Global Times on Wednesday. "The intertwined snakes, supporting and cooperating with one another, also convey the Olympic spirit of unity and progress."

A total of five snake-themed mascot figurines come with different accessories, each symbolizing a distinct blessing: red with a Ruyi (a traditional Chinese ornament symbolizing good luck), green with a gourd for prosperity, cyan with a longevity peach, pink with peach blossoms for joy, and gold with a Yuanbao (gold ingot) for wealth. 
Bing Dwen Dwen was the star of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Products featuring Bing Dwen Dwen, a slightly chubby panda cub squeezed into an ice shell, had sold out during the games.

Following the tiger, rabbit, and Chinese dragon version of Bing Dwen Dwen created in recent years, the snake-themed mascot is his latest makeover.

According to Lin, after the success of the Chinese dragon version of Bing Dwen Dwen, the team began considering how to design the edition for the Year of the Snake. She acknowledged the challenges, noting that the snake, unlike the dragon, is less universally loved and lacks the same inherent appeal.

However, Lin emphasized that in Chinese culture, the snake, once revered as an important ancient totem, symbolizes "calmness, wisdom and vitality."  Establishing the theme of "protection," the team sought a way to merge the snake with Bing Dwen Dwen and decided to give the new version a glamorous Peking Opera costume.
"Drawing from both Eastern and Western cultures, we felt it was important to highlight the snake's symbolism related to health and protection. At the same time, we took inspirations from the headpieces in the Peking opera The Legend of the White Snake, making the snake-themed version cuter."

"Young people today are more focused on traditional culture, embracing the guochao (new Chinese style) trend and valuing products with cultural meaning, which reflects our cultural confidence. In designing the Bing Dwen Dwen series, we focus on blending tradition with innovation." She also mentioned that for the next zodiac edition of Bing Dwen Dwen, the goal is to introduce a fresh concept during the planning process.

Lin, who has witnessed the growing popularity of Bing Dwen Dwen, also reflected on the booming IP economy. She emphasizes that successful designs must be driven by storytelling, content, and strong market engagement. "A successful IP requires a well-rounded approach, with design, marketing, and communication working in tandem," she noted.

Officially licensed cultural products based on Olympic intellectual property, snake-themed mascot merchandise, including plush toys, figurines, pins, fridge magnets, ceramics, and keychains, will be released in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing on November 22, with a nationwide launch in December.

"I hope this year's design can once again become a 'top trend,' bringing good luck to everyone, inspiring more people to learn about snake culture and China's rich traditional culture, while also promoting Olympic culture and the Olympic spirit," said Lin.