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The State Post Bureau
issues on the 12th of November 2005 a set of stamps featuring the Emblem
and Mascots of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, with a total face value of
4.80 yuan. The themes of the stamps are:
"The Emblem of the Games" and the five Mascots: "Beibei", "Jingjing",
"Huanhuan", "Yingying"
and "Nini".
"the Emblem": The Emblem of the Games of the
XXIX Olympiad takes the seal as their thematic expression, integrating
Chinese traditional artistic styles of seals and calligraphy with the
characteristics of sports, miraculously transformed into a figure who is
running, dancing ahead to meet victory. The configuration of this human
shape is similar to the verve of the Chinese character "Jing", short for "Beijing", containing the lingering
charm of Chinese culture.
"Beibei": In China's traditional culture and art,
the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. The
beautiful ancient tale of the fish jumping over the Dragon Gate was used to
describe success in life and the fulfillment of
dreams-and the position of the fish in Beibei's
crown shows that it is jumping for your success. A fish is also a symbol of
surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.
Likewise, the ornamental lines of the water-wave designs, which are taken
from well-known Chinese paintings of the past, echo the message of
prosperity and success. Among the Five friendlies,
Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in
water sports, she reflects the bule Olympic ring.
"Nini": Every spring and summer for the last three centuries, the children
of Beijing
have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the
capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally
one of the most popular. Nini's figure is drawn
from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the
infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Soaring
above Beijing
like her predecessors, Nini is a flying figure
that personifies the beautiful content of life. Swallow is also pronounced
"yan" in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing
was called as an ancient capital city, nestled in the Yanshan Mountains. Among the Friendlies, Nini is as
innocent and joyful as a swallow.She is strong in
gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.
"Huanhuan": In the intimate circle of Friendlies, Huanhuan is the
big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the
passion of sport-and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center
of Friendlies as the core embodiment of the
Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to jump higher,
run faster and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the
light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of
Beijing 2008-and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people can be felt.
The firery designs of his head ornament are drawn
from the famed Dunhuang murals-with just a touch
of China's
traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing
and enthusiastis. He excels at all the ball games
and represents the red Olympic ring.
"Yingying": Like all antelopes, Yingying
is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races
across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China's landscape, the antelope
carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from
harmony with nature. Yingying's flying pose
captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection
in China.The selection of the Tibetan Antelope
reflects Beijing
commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several
decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang
cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western
China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying
is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring.
"Jingjing": Like all baby pandas, Jingjing
makes children smile, and that's why he brings the blessing of happiness
wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his
dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national
treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored b the people of China and
admired for their gentle nature by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing's headdress, which are inspired by the
porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty, symbolize the lush forest and the
harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing
was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature's gifts-and to
preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Among the Friendlies, Jingjing is
charmingly naive and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who
represents the black Olympic ring.
China National
Philatelic Corporation will release six FDCs.
Technical
Details:
Serial number: 2005-28
Values in set: 6
Denomination: 4.80 yuan
Date of issue: 12 November, 2005
Designer of stamps: Wang Huming
Size of stamp: 30 * 40 mm
Perforation: 13.5 * 13
Sheet composition: 10 ("the Emblem"); 10 (se-tenant, " the 5
Friendlies")
Size of sheet: 190 *156 mm
Printing process: Photogravure
Printer: Beijing Stamp Printing House
(6-1)J the Emblem 0.80 yuan
(6-2)J the Beibei 0.80 yuan
(6-3)J the Jingjing 0.80 yuan
(6-4)J the Huanhuan 0.80 yuan
(6-5)J the Yingying 0.80 yuan
(6-6)J the Nini 0.80 yuan
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