...Well Not Quite Yet
The Chinese calendar has been reset and time is now counted in anno post olympic. But it’s not quite finished yet… there’s still the Para Olympics:
And here’s its very own emblem:
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“Dubbed "Sky, Earth and Human Beings," the emblem of the Beijing Paralympics is a stylized figure of an athlete in motion, implying the tremendous efforts a disabled person has to make in sports as well as in real life. With the unity and the harmony of "sky, earth and human beings," the emblem incorporates Chinese characters, calligraphy and the Paralympic spirit. It embodies the Paralympic motto of "Spirit in Motion" and reflects the integration of heart, body and spirit in human beings -- the core of the philosophy of Chinese culture. The three colours in the emblem represent the sun (red), the sky (blue) and the earth (green).”
And mascot:
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The design of Fu Niu Lele derives its inspiration from the farming cultivation culture of ancient Chinese civilization, and bears the following salient features:
(1) Showing the rich concept of the Beijing Paralympic Games
Cows, symbolic of a down-to-earth, diligent, staunch and never-say-die spirit, are adopted to show the unremitting spirit of athletes with a disability in being the best they can be. […] Cows, symbolic of a down-to-earth, diligent, staunch and never-say-die spirit, are adopted to show the unremitting spirit of athletes with a disability in being the best they can be.[..] The determined, optimistic and diligent spirit of cows reflects a positive attitude to life
(2) Embodying the harmony between man and nature […]Throughout the history of the development of world civilization, poetry and songs have clearly expressed the aspiration of humankind for a harmonious life. Cows have often found their way into the natural, cozy and poetic country life reflected in literary and art works, showing public expectation for the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
(3) Carrying rich national style and cultural features […]
(4) Cows are widely accepted internationally […]
Cows were one of the first animals depicted in literary and art works. Cases in point include the Lascaux mural in France and Altamira rock paintings in Spain, which all contain drawings of cows. Therefore, adopting cows as the mascot of the Paralympic Games, instead of traditional rare animals, is a creative act in terms of design to a certain extent
Thanks to the Paralympics, I’ve learn a lot about cows.
And to finish up this post: Do you know where the next Olympics will be held?
I bet you said London in 2012 (at least for the well informed!) Well that would be right if I had said the next SUMMER Olympics, I just said Olympics. So the next Olympics will be the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada in 2010. And since we are at it, the 2014 ones will be in Sotchi which is in…………..……Russia .
