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. It dovetails with the upbeat spirit of Paralympians
and the concept of "Transcendence, Equality, Integration"
of the Beijing Paralympic Games.
The determined, optimistic and diligent
spirit of cows reflects a positive attitude to life. The Paralympic
Games calls for people with a disability to enjoy the same rights
to compete in sports as anyone else, and to achieve sporting excellence
and inspire and excite the World, and thus develop their strength
to add vigor and vitality to social progress.
Fu Niu Lele invites people from across
the globe to come to Beijing, enjoy the splendours of the Beijing
Paralympic Games and see the inspiring performances of Paralympic
athletes who achieve the unexpected
(2) Embodying the harmony between man
and nature
As one of the animals closest to human
beings, cows are well-known for their friendliness and their affinity
to the humans who care for them. 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.
In the traditional culture of China,
cows are also depicted as animals considered auspicious in inviting
good weather and bumper harvests.
(3) Carrying rich national style and
cultural features
The design scheme absorbs the modeling
and design styles unique to China's folk engraved prints, New Year
drawings, and toys. This, plus features unique to the modeling of
modern cartoons, shows an integration of traditional folk style
and public interest with that of modern times.
(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.
(5) Commanding space for future designs
and marketing
The design scheme conforms to the principle
of stability. Its basic image facilitates the combination of the
modeling of sports with souvenirs of the Paralympic Games, and is
also good for the adoption of down, plastics and other materials.
The mascot could be made of simple as well as different materials
in accordance with the need for combined modeling. |