Five Friendlies' named Beijing Olympics mascots
Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and
inspiration, the Five Friendlies will serve as the Official Mascots of
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and
peace--and blessings from China--to children all over the
world.
Designed to express the playful qualities of five little
children who form an intimate circle of friends, the Five Friendlies also
embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular
animals--the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow--and the
Olympic Flame. 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. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese
culture, another measure of a good year and a good life. The ornamental
lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese
paintings of the past. Among the Five Friendlies, Beibei is known to be
gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic
ring.
Each of the Friendlies has a rhyming two-syllable name--a
traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is
the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying
is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow.
 When you put their
names together--Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni--they say "Welcome to Beijing,"
offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of the Five
Friendlies as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games. The Five
Friendlies also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations
of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins
and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature--the sea,
forest, fire, earth and sky--all stylistic rendered in ways that represent
the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and
ornamentation.
 Spreading Traditional Chinese Blessings Wherever
They Go
In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition
of spreading blessings through signs and symbols. Each of the Five
Friendlies symbolizes a different blessing--and will honor this tradition
by carrying their blessings to the children of the world. Prosperity,
happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent
as the Five Friendlies carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every
part of the globe. At the heart of their mission--and through all
of their work--the Five Friendlies will seek to unite the world in peace
and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing
2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, the Five
Friendlies reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to
the world in friendship through the Games--and to invite every man, woman
and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that
China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.  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. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another
measure of a good year and a good life.
The ornamental lines of the
water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the
past. Among the Five Friendlies, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure.
Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.
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 by people
everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing's headdress, which are inspired
by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), 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. Jingjing is
charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who
represents the black Olympic ring.  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 run faster, jump higher 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 enthusiastic. He
excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring.
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.  Every spring and summer, 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. Swallow is also pronounced "yan" in
Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital
city. Among the Friendlies, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow.
She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.
Source document: www.fivefriendlies.com (After the Beijing games the website was closed)
© Copyright of five friendlies belongs to
International Olympic Committee, the Chinese Olympic Committee and
the
Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX
Olympiad. | 
