Hey there, sports fans! 🥳
Have you ever wondered about the amazing mascots of big sports events? Well, let’s dive into the story of the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, a city in northeast China that’s known as the “Ice City”! 🏂❄️
As the 9th Asian Winter Games wrapped up, everyone was talking about the super cool mascots: “Binbin” and “Nini”, inspired by the mighty Siberian tigers! 🐯🐯 But did you know that when Harbin first hosted the games many years ago, their mascot was a soybean named “Doudou”? 🌱
Back in 1996, when Harbin hosted the 3rd Asian Winter Games, they chose Doudou as their mascot to celebrate their rich farming history. Heilongjiang, the province where Harbin is located, is famous as the “home of soybeans” in China. That year, they had a record-breaking harvest with over 30 million tonnes of grains! 🌾🥇
Fast forward to today, and the mascots have changed from a friendly soybean to two energetic tigers! Binbin’s name comes from “Harbin”, connecting the mascot directly to the city. Nini means “you” in Chinese, so together they say, “Harbin welcomes you!” Isn’t that neat? 🤗
But why tigers? Well, the Siberian tiger is a symbol of strength and courage. Unfortunately, by the end of the 20th century, there were fewer than ten wild Siberian tigers left in China due to habitat loss and poaching. 😢
But there’s good news! China has worked hard to protect these amazing animals. In 2021, they opened the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, which is huge—it’s about the size of 2 million soccer fields! 🏞️⚽ Now, there are around 70 wild Siberian tigers and 80 wild leopards living there. How awesome is that? 🎉
Not only are they protecting wildlife, but Heilongjiang has also stopped cutting down trees for lumber since 2014. This means forests have grown bigger and healthier, providing homes for about 500 kinds of wild animals! 🌳🦉🐿️
All these efforts have made Heilongjiang a cool place to visit. Tourism in the Greater Hinggan Mountains has jumped up a lot, with more and more people coming to enjoy nature. 🏕️🚵
Plus, Harbin is famous for its ice and snow. They’ve turned winter fun into a big part of their economy. Imagine ice castles, snow sculptures, and lots of winter sports! 🏰☃️⛷️
The change from Doudou the soybean to Binbin and Nini the tigers shows Heilongjiang’s amazing journey. It’s a story of growing from farming roots to caring for nature and embracing a snowy wonderland. 🌟
So next time you think of mascots, remember how they can tell a powerful story about a place’s history and dreams! What’s your favorite mascot? Let us know! 😊
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
