Chinese Souvenirs: Olympic Mascot Dolls
This has got to be my favorite souvenir from China… and my favorite stuffed animal ever. I love the Beijing Olympic mascots. While Olympic mascots are usually rather ugly, the Chinese designers put a lot of thought into theirs, and it shows.
Interesting fact, if you’re not going to visit the link above: the names of the five “Fuwa,” as they are called, are Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. When the syllables of their names are strung together, they say, “Beijing huanying ni,” or, “Beijing welcomes you.”
Before the Olympics, there was a sort of “Fuwa hysteria” where every street vendor worth their weight was selling knock-off stuffed animals, key chains, posters, buttons, T-shirts, and what have you. All around Beijing and Shanghai, there were also official stores selling the same things but at a higher price (and higher quality, of course).
The Yingying doll in the picture was bought at an official store in Beijing. One of my biggest regrets about that trip was only buying one. When I went back to Beijing after the Olympics were over, all the Fuwa stores were gone. The street vendors stopped selling Fuwa merchandise, too. Everyone had moved on to the Shanghai Expo and its lovable mascot, Haibao.
Mega Vacation Part One: Beijing
I was in Beijing in the summer of 2006 when the city was scrambling to improve its image in time for the Olympics, and I honestly didn’t think they would make it. The area surrounding Tiananmen Square was so torn up, it could… uh… well… it was pretty torn up, okay? Three years later, not much has changed. Our hostel was right in the middle of all the construction, too, so this is what we had to put up with every day:
I’m sure Beijing was on its best behavior and at the peak of its cleanliness during the Olympics, but once the world stopped watching, everyone fell back into their old habits of smoking, spitting, littering, queue-jumping, and just being pushy and noisy all around. The city is as dirty and smelly as it’s always been, and only the Olympic venue area comes close to reflecting the modern standards that were supposed to set an example for the rest of the country. Sadly, China still has a long ways to go.
Beijing continues to be a great starting point for travelers to China, though, and is definitely a must-see. The Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Xiushui Silk Market deserve mention, but the best thing about Beijing is its proximity to the Great Wall. Yes, there are other nearby cities, but they don’t offer the cultural relevancy and transportation hubs that Beijing does. And if you come to China, you have to see the Great Wall. You– have– to.
I’ve walked the Wall three times now (which is, admittedly, a little overboard), and yet I’ve never been able to get the perfect picture. One of those trips was to the “Secret Wall,” a low-key tour that isn’t very spectacular, so maybe it doesn’t count. But please don’t make me go again. My feet can’t handle anymore.
Haibao, Shanghai’s Expo Mascot
China’s next big event, which is receiving enough attention here to possibly be the second coming in disguise, is the Shanghai 2010 World Expo. Last year, statues of a cartoony blue guy started cropping up in different cities, Changzhou included, but I didn’t realize he was the official mascot for the expo until I went to Shanghai and saw the craze firsthand.
His name is Haibao, which means “treasure of the sea,” and, like the Fuwa from the Beijing Olympics, his likeness is being exploited throughout several official mascot merchandise stores. Seriously, they can fill up an entire store with just this guy. He comes in all sizes, from a small keychain to an enormous blow-up doll. Don’t get any ideas, now.
On Nanjing Road in Shanghai, many people have started selling knock-off Haibao dolls at a fourth of the price. All of these vendors come across as very nervous and fidgety, though, and will flee at the slightest hint of police presence. I guess the Shanghai government wants to crack down on the knock-off market. But wait a minute. At the same time on the same street, there are hundreds of nonchalant vendors pushing DVDs, watches, purses, bags, marijuana, and even prostitutes. Haibao dolls, though? That’s going too far.
Stand and Sing for the Olympics
There is a huge TV in the center of the shopping mall that plays Olympic games all day long. Last night, several people—myself included—stopped to watch the women’s badminton game, China against the US. And I found myself in a predicament. Normally, I cheer for the US when the US is playing another country, and I cheer for China when China is playing another country. So who do I root for when they play each other?! I just wanted one side to hurry up and win so I could say, “Yep, that’s mah team,” but the advantage kept creeping up until China finally won 29 to 27.
On a similar note, I had gone out with a friend yesterday, and she asked if I could sing America’s national anthem. I froze up. All that came to mind was the tune of “Mo Li Hua.” In fact, I couldn’t remember how any English song went! How sad is that? The transformation has begun…
Of course, just when my “ting bu dong” anger issues were subsiding, I got worked over by some guys in the elevator. It’s silly, but it really is my pet peeve, like how you don’t call Marty McFly “chicken” or Raymond J. Johnson “Mr.” But, you know, there will come a day when I do “dong,” and that’ll be the day when I’ve also forgotten how to say the pledge of allegiance.
I’m totally joking about that last bit.
It’s Olympic Mania, Baby!
This is the first I can remember of having any interest in the Olympic games. Well, back when I was a baseball card-collecting kid, I may have watched an event or two, but not even Salt Lake City could get much enthusiasm out of me. Now, though, I watched the entire four-hour opening ceremony and have been checking out basketball and volleyball games in my free time.
If you hadn’t picked up on the vibes, the Beijing games are an important milestone. It’s the first time the Olympics have come to China, and Beijing, from what I’ve seen and heard, has cleaned up considerably in preparation. But then, the news I get is very selective. I didn’t know anything about the murder that happened in Beijing. I only found out from Bart who has enough sense to check Yahoo News from time to time.
Regardless, everyone around here is pretty excited about the games. I should point out, though, that Beijing is far north of Changzhou, so there’s no chance I’d be able to see any of it up close. I don’t think I would want to, anyway. That has got to be one chaotic city right now. Sunday afternoon in the Nan Da Jie shopping mall is enough crowd for me. Kthanxbye.
It’s Cool to Boycott the Beijing Olympics
But how can anyone say no to a face like this?
Loading ...