The ongoing 2008 Beijing Olympic Game is full of traditional Chinese flare.
The seal character pictograms, the friendly mascot Fuwa, the gold-and-jade medals, the torch bearing lucky clouds. The list goes on.
Olympic image and look
Chinese cultural elements have been woven into the design and production of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Image and Look.
Logo: Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing
“Young, dynamic — bringing together history and cultural heritage, as well as the future of China.” This was how Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), described the Beijing Olympics logo, which was unveiled on August 3, 2003 in a ceremony attended by 2,008 invited guests at the Temple of Heaven.
The emblem, officially entitled “Chinese Seal — Dancing Beijing”, has a single Chinese character on a traditional red Chinese seal. The words “Beijing 2008” are written with a Chinese brush below it. The figure in the logo resembles a runner or dancer and the Chinese character “jing” which means “capital”.
It also represents the ancient Chinese art of seal-cutting which dates back to 3,700 years ago. Seals have been used by individuals as well as for official documents. The new logo was a joint effort that started with a design by the Beijing Armstrong Visual Identity Corp. The designers chose the seal to personify the Chinese character and provide a new image of Beijing that combines traditional culture with sports.
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