Bing Dwen Dwen, the mascot of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games was designed by the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (GAFA) in Haizhu.

Bing Dwen Dwen, meaning "ice" ("Bing") in Mandarin, symbolizes purity and strength as "Dwen Dwen" represents children. The mascot takes after the panda, China's national treasure. Bing Dwen Dwen is encased in a full-body shell of ice.

It was created by a team from GAFA after 10 months of hard work and more than 1,000 revisions. During this period, they traveled to and from Beijing more than 20 times.

Living in the south of China, Cao Xue, the chief designer and the dean of the School of Visual Art and Design of GAFA admitted that his team had no concept of winter with no experience of ice and snow.

But "the lack of knowledge stimulates our desire and creativity. The halo surrounding the mascot's face suggests ice and snow tracks, as well as the flowing 'ribbons' on the exterior of the National Speed Skating Oval," noted Cao.

Bing Dwen Dwen, the mascot of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. [Phooto/WeChat account: gzhzfb]