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Beijing 2008 Olympic Mascot ‘Nini’
3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
- Title:
- Beijing 2008 Olympic Mascot ‘Nini’
- Manufacturer:
- Shanghai Haixin Toys Co. Ltd.
- Artist:
- Wu Guanying, Han Meilin
- Designer:
- Wu Guanying, Han Meilin, Shanghai Haixin Toys Co. Ltd.
- Production place:
- Asia
- Date:
- 2008
- Period:
- 21st century CE
- Title:
- Beijing 2008 Olympic Mascot ‘Nini’
- Manufacturer:
- Shanghai Haixin Toys Co. Ltd.
- Artist:
- Wu Guanying, Han Meilin
- Designer:
- Wu Guanying, Han Meilin, Shanghai Haixin Toys Co. Ltd.
- Production place:
- Asia
- Date:
- 2008
- Period:
- 21st century CE
- Material:
- Textile, Paper, Wadding
- Technique:
- Embroidering, Stuffing, Sewing
- Dimensions:
- 26 × 21 × 12.5 cm
The five mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were known collectively as Fuwa, or ‘good luck dolls’. Also known as ‘Friendlies’, their individual names, Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini together form the sentence ‘Beijing welcomes you’ in Chinese.
The mascots correspond to the five natural elements, and their colours to the five Olympic rings. Each one bears a wish, in keeping with ancient Chinese culture in which wishes were communicated through signs or symbols.
The mascot seen here is Nini, the swallow, who represents the sky. She is green and her wish is good luck. Nini’s design was inspired by the shape of Chinese kites.
