The new series of Bing Dwen Dwen unveiled in Beijing, December 28, 2022. /CFP
Beijing Winter Olympics sensational mascot Bing Dwen Dwen was back in the market on Wednesday in the Chinese capital, this time with a new look.
As the Year of the Rabbit in Chinese lunar calendar will fall on January 22, 2023, Bing Dwen Dwen, originally a panda shaped mascot, is dressed as Lord Rabbit, or Tu'er Ye, a traditional folk figure in Beijing.
The new series of Bing Dwen Dwen unveiled in Beijing, December 28, 2022. /CFP
After consultation and communication between the Chinese Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee, the new edition is allowed to go on sale in the domestic market, as a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the Beijing Winter Olympics, as well as good wishes to the coming new year.
Chinese zodiac culture is widely recognized globally, and the combination of Lord Rabbit and Winter Olympics convey the message of happiness, peace and health, according to Rabbit Dwen Dwen's designer Lin Cunzhen, deputy dean of the School of Design under the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
The new series include stuffed toys, badges, key rings as well as creative displays, priced between 68 yuan to 168 yuan (about $10 to $24).