The 2022 Olympic Mascot Is A Panda Named Bing Dwen Dwen & Here's What He Gets Up To
There's a new star at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. No, it's not an athlete or celebrity — it's Bing Dwen Dwen, the official mascot for the Winter Games.
Bing Dwen Dwen is a friendly-looking panda who can sometimes be seen with his bestie Shuey Rhon Rhon, the official mascot for the Paralympic Games, who is "a Chinese lantern child," according to the Olympics website.
They also share that in Mandarin, the most common meaning for "Bing" is ice, although it also symbolizes purity and strength. As for "Dwen Dwen," that means robust and lively, but also apparently represents children.
"Bing Dwen Dwen wears a full-body 'shell' made out of ice, which resembles an astronaut suit — a tribute to embracing new technologies for a future with infinite possibilities," says the site.
"The shell also helps the panda to skate, snowboard and ski alongside the Olympic athletes."
Maybe Bing Dwen Dwen has future aspirations as an Olympian!
The panda takes his responsibility of welcoming the athletes very seriously. Every day he also sends out birthday wishes to the competitors who are celebrating their special day while at the Games.
Bing Dwen Dwen has also been causing a bit of a stir due to how stinking cute he is, with sales of his merch surging as his presence grows on the international stage. According to the Global Times, people in China have been lining up in the cold for hours to get their hands on him.
Even Team Canada can't resist the panda's allure. Alpine skier Erin Mielzynski shared a photo of herself and some teammates posing with the cutie on Instagram.
Work those angles, Bing Dwen Dwen!
