The medal for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is designed with inspiration coming from "bi", China's ancient jade piece inscribed with dragon pattern. The medals, made of gold and jade, symbolize nobility and virtue and are embodiment of traditional Chinese values of ethics and honor, sending forth strong Chinese flavor.

The medals are 70mm in diameter and 6mm in thickness. On their obverse side, the medals adopt the standard design prescribed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) -- a drawing that represents the winged goddess of victory Nike and Panathinaikos Arena. On their reverse side, the medals are inlaid with jade with the Beijing Games emblem engraved in the metal centerpiece.

The design inspiration of the medal hook derives from jade "huang," a ceremonial jade piece with decoration of double dragon pattern and "Pu", the reed mat pattern.

Jade, or yu in Chinese pinyin, was defined as beautiful stones by Xu Zhen (about 58-147) in Shuo Wen Jie Zi, the first Chinese dictionary. Jade is generally classified into soft jade (nephrite) and hard jade (jadeite).

The history of jade is as long as the Chinese civilization. Archaeologists have found jade objects from the early Neolithic period (about 5000 BC), represented by the Hemudu Culture in Zhejian Province, and from the middle and late Neolithic period, represented by the Hongshan Culture along the Lao River, the Longshan Culture along the Yellow River, and the Liangzhu Culture in the Tai Lake region. Jade has been ever more popular till today.