Like the five Olympic Rings from which they draw their colour and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship, peace and good wishes 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, Fuwa 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.

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.

In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolising the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 – and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people – can be felt.

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.

Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites 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 symbolise the infinite sky and spread good luck as a blessing wherever she flies.

http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/graphic/n214068254.shtml