It took two years to complete the design work for the Chinese Olympic athletes’ entry uniform. After several rounds of selections and evaluations, final uniform designs with the theme of “making a good start” were officially confirmed in March last year for the Chinese Olympic athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics.
After designing uniforms for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology has since taken on the task of costume design for a number of major international sporting events, creating uniforms for athletes that confidently express the national identity and image (形象) of China.
Since the appearance of the athletes is a focus of the opening ceremony, an eye-catching color like red is a top choice, especially since it is the primary shade in China’s national flag and also symbolizes energy, enthusiasm and joy in traditional Chinese culture. White — which represents brightness, purity and holiness — plays a softening role in the costume design. The combination of red and white at the opening Ceremony of the Olympics reflects the theme of the design: “making a good start”.
Color along with patterns can convey the visual characteristics of a country and express a more accurate national image. The bottom edge of the white dress for female athletes has China’s national flower, the peony. The source for the pattern was drawn from a Ming Dynasty (1368—1644) peony bowl, which is representative of traditional Chinese aesthetics (美学). The design of the men’s shirts is inspired by the five-star pattern of China’s national flag. It reflects the spirit of the Chinese Olympic team to fight together for national honor.
Professor He Yang, one of the designers behind the uniform, said that one of their considerations during the design process was that the uniform should reflect the traditional Chinese cultural character in an understandable and identifiable way. “We need to strike a balance between cultural representation, etiquette (礼仪) and the spirit of modern Chinese sportsmen,” said He.
【小题1】What is known about the colors of the entry uniform?| A．White is used as the major color of the entry uniform. |
| B．Red is chosen in line with the color of the national flag. |
| C．Red is used as the only color to symbolize Chinese identity. |
| D．The mixture of red and white softens the theme of the uniform. |
| A．The Chinese abundant history. |
| B．The Chinese athletes’ art taste. |
| C．The representative Chinese elements. |
| D．The Chinese athletes’ sports achievements. |
| A．They manage to develop Chinese sports. |
| B．They are devoted to promoting Chinese culture. |
| C．They are qualified to win the world competitions. |
| D．They make efforts to strengthen international cooperation. |
| A．A good start at Tokyo Olympics |
| B．An eye-catching appearance at Tokyo Olympics |
| C．The entry uniform of Chinese athletes for Tokyo Olympics |
| D．The spirit of the Chinese Olympic team to fight for national honor |
