(Beijing Winter Olympics) From "Hope" to "Ice Pier", why is the giant panda recognized by the world as the "spokesperson" of China's image?
Beijing, January 20 (China News Service) -- As an important element of the visual image system of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the mascot "Ice Pier" has received widespread attention and love since its birth. The "ice pier" combines the image of the giant panda with the shell of the ice crystal, reflecting the characteristics of winter ice and snow sports and modern science and technology, implying the creation of extraordinary and exploration of the future.
On January 16, Datun Road, Beijing, the mascot of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, "Ice Pier", attracted passing citizens to take photos and punch cards. China News Service reporter Yi Haifei photographed
In fact, from the mascot "Panpan" of the 1990 Beijing Asian Games to one of the mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Fuwa "Jingjing", and then to the Mascot of the Beijing Winter Olympics "Ice Pier", the giant panda has become an internationally recognized "spokesperson" for China's image and one of the most recognized Chinese cultural symbols overseas.
What kind of Chinese cultural connotation does the giant panda contain? Why is there a high level of international recognition? Wan Anlun, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication of Beijing Normal University, said in an interview with China News Agency that the giant panda is a species endemic to China and is also in line with China's cultural connotation.
"Specifically, the giant panda is gentle and amiable, implying gentleness and peace and unity; its black and white appearance is also in line with the Taoist yin and yang form; and as a national treasure of China, the giant panda also contains the meaning of harmonious coexistence between man and nature." Wan Anlun said.
As one of the symbols of Chinese culture, the giant panda has always played an important role in international dissemination. Wan Anlun said: "There are three reasons why the giant panda has a high degree of international recognition, one is its rarity, the other is that it contains a peaceful and friendly cultural connotation, and the third is that it coincides with the worldwide animal protection trend since the 20th century." ”
In Wan Anlun's view, the international dissemination of the image of the giant panda is also a journey of "cuteness" in the world of Chinese cultural symbols, and the giant panda is gentle, cute, elegant, lively and relaxed, which is a popular symbol that does not need to be modified.
"One of the biggest obstacles in international communication is the difference in language and writing symbols. In the Internet and digital era, animal image media represented by giant pandas can cross the gap between language and symbols and play a role in international communication. Wan Anlun said.
He said that the "panda image medium", "panda cultural symbol" and "panda diplomatic strategy" are of great significance to China's international image shaping.
The mascots of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, "Ice Pier" and "Snow Rongrong", appeared on Beijing Beichen Road. China News Service reporter Yi Haifei photographed
With the development and evolution of the times, people's aesthetic standards have changed, the image of the panda in international communication has developed and evolved, and the constantly innovating panda image has also conveyed the new image of China.
At the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, the giant panda "Panpan", which held a gold medal and made a running shape, swept Asia with a cute and amiable image and became a classic memory of the times. The color and inspiration of "Fuwa Jingjing", one of the mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, comes from the black ring of the five Olympic rings, conveying the spirit of friendship, peace and positive progress.
The overall image of the Beijing Winter Olympic mascot "Ice Pier" resembles an astronaut, the head shell shape is taken from the ice and snow sports helmet, decorated with colored aura, inspired by the National Speed Skating Hall of the Beijing Winter Olympics - "Ice Ribbon", the flowing bright color lines symbolize the track of ice and snow sports and 5G high technology.
When talking about the innovation of the image of the "ice pier", Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of the Beijing Olympic City Development Promotion Association, once said that the "ice pier" shows the world the image of Chinese people, industriousness and kindness, and at the same time it is a panda facing the future and contains scientific and technological elements, showing China's full self-confidence in the future.
In Wan Anlun's view, the image of "ice pier" is also an excellent material for creating Olympic IP. "It can not only be combined with various ice and snow sports, but also in toy models, costumes, literary images, anime characters, meta-cosmic space and other fields, I believe that the 'ice pier' can also derive more possibilities." (End)
Source: China News Network