Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
Unit 4 – Page 1
UNIT 4 - ELEMENTS OF CHINESE CULTURE IN THE
BEIJING 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES
Liu Peng, President of Chinese Olympic Committee : “The
Beijing Olympics will bear the elegance of Chinese culture.”
What will be the elements of Chinese culture in the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games?
4.1
WHAT IS CULTURE?
Culture generally means “the way of life”. Elements of culture can be material, such as
1.
what we eat, what we wear and what we play, and non-material, such as habit, language,
festival, belief, law and values.
2.
Culture is shown in day-to-day life. For example, the way Hong Kong people live bears a
lot of elements of Chinese culture. Examples of these elements include using chopsticks,
celebrating Chinese New Year and worshipping our ancestors. Can you give more
examples in the following fields?
Wear
Eat
Play
Educate
(For suggested answers, please refer to teacher’s guide)
Personal, Social and Humanities Education Section,Education Bureau
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
4.2
1.
Unit 4 – Page 2
HOW ARE CULTURAL ELEMENTS SHOWN IN THE OLYMPIC
GAMES?
Today, the Olympic Games have become one of the most important sporting events in the
world. It is watched and concerned by billions of people. Therefore, it is a good chance
for the host countries to promote themselves to the world.
2.
There are many chances for a host country to put its cultural elements into the Games, for
example, the prize for winners. Can you name more examples?
HOW DID GREECE PUT THE ELEMENTS OF GREEK CULTURE
INTO THE 2004 ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES?
Visit the website of 2004 Athens Olympic Games by IOC:
http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=2
004
Read the photos of the 2004 Olympic Games in Photo Gallery and their
descriptions. Name the things in which Greek culture can be seen.
Elements of Greek culture can be seen in:
1. the prize (a crown of leave)
2. the mascot (Athena, a Greek goddess)
3. the venue (some events were held in ancient Greek stadium,
some venues were decorated with pictures about ancient Greek )
4. opening ceremony (figures from Greek myths)
Personal, Social and Humanities Education Section,Education Bureau
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
4.3
1.
Unit 4 – Page 3
WHAT ELEMENTS OF CHINESE CULTURE DO THE
BEIJING OLYMPIC IMAGES BEAR?
Emblem, mascot, torch, slogan and pictogram are important
Olympic images. From various sources (newspaper, magazine, internet
etc) find these images of the Beijing Olympic Games. Stick them in the boxes below.
Emblem
Torch
Pictogram
Slogan
Mascot
Personal, Social and Humanities Education Section,Education Bureau
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
2.
Unit 4 – Page 4
Visit
the
official
website
of
the
Beijing
2008
Olympic
Games
(http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/). Study the emblem, torch, slogan, mascot,
medal and pictograms of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Match them with the
elements of Chinese culture in the table.
Image
Element of Chinese culture
Emblem
It is known as "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing". It has an image of
Chinese Seal. In Chinese culture, a seal made of stone or metal
means respect and honesty.
Medal
They carry inspiration coming from "bi"(璧), China's ancient jade
piece inscribed with dragon pattern.
Emblem, torch
It is red, which is a favourite colour of the Chinese people.
Medal
They contain jade, which means virtue in Chinese culture.
Medal
Their hooks derive from jade "huang"(璜), a ceremonial jade piece
with decoration of double dragon pattern and "Pu"(蒲), the reed
mat pattern.
Emblem
It has the image of a Chinese character “Jing”(京). It has a
traditional Chinese art form - calligraphic art.
Mascot
They mean different blessing, namely prosperity, happiness,
passion, health and luck.
The design features traditional “scroll” and "Lucky Cloud". It
sends the idea of “harmony”.
They look like inscriptions on bones and bronze
objects in ancient China. For example, the ancient
inscription of the word “run” (走) is shown here.
Does it look like any pictogram of the 2008
Summer Olympic Games?
Torch
Pictogram
Slogan
Mascot
It means "the whole Mankind lives in the same world and seeks
for the same dream and ideal". It carries the meaning of
"Harmony of Man with Nature" and "Peace Enjoys Priority".
They are the ideals of the Chinese people since ancient times.
Each of them has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional
way of expressing affection for children in China.
Mascot
They contain the features of four popular animals among the
Chinese -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope and the
Swallow.
Slogan
The number looks like Chinese characters in handwriting.
Personal, Social and Humanities Education Section,Education Bureau