Athletes that make the podium in Beijing will have more than just a medal to take home.
All medal-winning athletes will receive a special souvenir for their achievements — featuring panda mascot Bing Dwen Dwen and a golden garland of pine, bamboo and plum flower, a traditional Chinese art motif known as the “three friends of winter.”
The trio is known as such because they do not wither in winter, embodying “steadfastness, perseverance, and resilience.”
According to the official Olympic website, “Bing” has several meanings in Mandarin Chinese, though the most common is ice. The word also symbolizes purity and strength.
“Dwen Dwen” means robust and lively, and also represents children.
The Bing Dwen Dwen design — created by Cao Xue — was chosen from more than 5,800 submissions from China and 35 countries as part of a global competition arranged by the Beijing 2022 organizing committee, the official Olympic website said.
