Traditional Chinese culture inspires Winter Olympics torch design

Published: February 12,2022

Torch bearer Yang Yang (L) hands over the flame to the torch bearer Su Bingtian during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

As audiences across the globe watch the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the Beijing 2022 torch is adding uniqueness and vitality to their experience.

The torch, named “Flying,” has drawn its design inspiration from various aspects of traditional Chinese culture.

To mark the opening day of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 4 — the “Beginning of Spring,” the first of the 24 solar terms on the traditional Chinese calendar — the torch features 24 well-designed apertures to present a vibrant flame burning incrementally larger.

To honor Beijing’s status as the world’s first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics, the 2022 torch is similar in design to the 2008 Games’ main cauldron, which resembles a traditional Chinese scroll. It is decorated with patterns that gradually change from auspicious clouds — another visual element inspired by traditional culture — at the base to snowflakes at the top.  

Xinhua