Dancing Beijing is the name of the official emblem of the
2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, were a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 302 events in 28 sports, one...
, which took place in
BeijingBeijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
in the
People's Republic of ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
. It was unveiled in August 2003 in a ceremony attended by 2,008 people at
BeijingBeijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
's
Temple of HeavenThe Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing, in Xuanwu District. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest...
.
The emblem draws on various elements of
Chinese cultureThe Culture of China is one of the world's oldest and most complex cultures...
, depicting a traditional red
Chinese sealA Seal, in an East Asian context, is a general name for printing stamps and impressions thereof that are used in lieu of signatures in personal documents, office paperwork, contracts, art, or any item requiring acknowledgment or authorship...
above the words "Beijing 2008" and the
Olympic ringsThe Olympic symbols are the icons, flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee to promote the Olympic Games. Some—such as the flame, fanfare, and theme—are more common during Olympic competition, but others, such as the flag, can be seen throughout the year.-Motto:The Olympic...
. The seal is inscribed with a stylised calligraphic rendition of the Chinese character 京 (
jīngJing can refer to:Software:* Jing , formerly Jing ProjectPlaces:* Beijing, capital of China * Jinghe County, a town in Xinjiang, China...
, meaning 'capital', from the name of the host city) in the form of a dancing figure.
Discussion
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Dancing Beijing is the name of the official emblem of the
2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, were a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 302 events in 28 sports, one...
, which took place in
BeijingBeijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
in the
People's Republic of ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
. It was unveiled in August 2003 in a ceremony attended by 2,008 people at
BeijingBeijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
's
Temple of HeavenThe Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing, in Xuanwu District. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest...
.
Description
The emblem draws on various elements of
Chinese cultureThe Culture of China is one of the world's oldest and most complex cultures...
, depicting a traditional red
Chinese sealA Seal, in an East Asian context, is a general name for printing stamps and impressions thereof that are used in lieu of signatures in personal documents, office paperwork, contracts, art, or any item requiring acknowledgment or authorship...
above the words "Beijing 2008" and the
Olympic ringsThe Olympic symbols are the icons, flags and symbols used by the International Olympic Committee to promote the Olympic Games. Some—such as the flame, fanfare, and theme—are more common during Olympic competition, but others, such as the flag, can be seen throughout the year.-Motto:The Olympic...
. The seal is inscribed with a stylised calligraphic rendition of the Chinese character 京 (
jīngJing can refer to:Software:* Jing , formerly Jing ProjectPlaces:* Beijing, capital of China * Jinghe County, a town in Xinjiang, China...
, meaning 'capital', from the name of the host city) in the form of a dancing figure. The curves are also claimed to suggest the body of a wriggling
Chinese dragonChinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
. The open arms of the figure symbolise the invitation of
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
to the world to share in its culture. The figure also resembles that of a runner crossing the finish line. Red, the dominant colour of the emblem, is an important colour in Chinese society, often signifying good luck.
Design
The logo was created by
Guo ChunningGuo Chunning is a Chinese graphic designer and the vice president of the Beijing Armstrong International Corporate Identity . He is internationally known for designing Dancing Beijing, the official emblem of the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing in the People's Republic of China.Guo was born...
, the vice-president of the "Beijing Armstrong International Corporate Identity" (AICI). There was only one seal among the 1,985 entries contributed by designers from China and overseas. Other entries included dozens of
Great WallsThe Great Wall of China or is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from Xiongnu attacks during various successive dynasties. Since the...
, pandas and dragons. Other designers include Chang Wu (張武).
Unveiling ceremony
International Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas on 23 June 1894. Its membership consists of the 205 National Olympic Committees....
President Jacques RoggeJacques Rogge, Count Rogge is a Belgian sports functionary. He is the eighth and current president of the International Olympic Committee .-Biography:...
delivered an address at the unveiling ceremony saying, "Your new emblem immediately conveys the awesome beauty and power of China which are embodied in your heritage and your people." Rogge continued, "In this emblem, I saw the promise and potential of a New Beijing and a Great Olympics. This is a milestone in the history of your Olympic quest. As this new emblem becomes known around the world and, as it takes its place at the centre of your Games, we are confident that it will achieve the stature of one of the best and most meaningful symbols in Olympic history." The ceremony was delayed by several months because of the
SARS outbreakSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . There has been one near pandemic to date, between the months of November 2002 and July 2003, with 8,096 known infected cases and 774 deaths worldwide being listed in the World Health...
in 2003.