Victory ceremony elements of Hangzhou Asian Games unveiled

Victory ceremony elements - bouquets, trays, and podiums - of the 19th Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, were officially unveiled on Aug. 24, to mark the 30-day countdown to the event.

Photo shows the victory ceremony bouquet called “Fruits of Triumph" for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee)

The victory ceremony bouquet, “Fruits of Triumph,” includes twigs of the sweet-scented osmanthus flowers, the city flower of Hangzhou, twigs of Longjing tea, also known as West Lake Dragon Well tea, rice ears, seedpods of the lotus, Rosa chinensis, and Phalaenopsis orchid.

"The name 'Fruits of Triumph' suggests the persevering sporting spirit of the athletes. I hope they will make abundant achievements during the Asian Games," said Zhang Wen, designer in charge of the floral vessel of the bouquet for the victory ceremony of the Asian Games. Zhang, who is also a teacher at the School of Foundation Studies of the China Academy of Art, said that the flowers and the plants used for the victory bouquet will showcase the city's distinct cultural essence and charm.

The osmanthus flower was recommended by the Bureau of Gardening and Cultural Relics of the city at a solicitation event for the Asian Games on March 7. And the idea of the flower won first prize.

The floral vessel, which appears for the first time at the Asian Games, was based on a vase during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). Standing 18 centimeters tall, it features Dongyang wood carvings, a national intangible cultural heritage item. The design of the vessel also includes a mascot of the Games celebrating victory, and ripples of the Qiantang River in Zhejiang.

Zhang Wen said, "I hope with this floral vessel, the bouquet will be transformed from a simple bunch of flowers into a permanent souvenir, which expresses the joy of victory."

The medal tray and podium were all designed by a team headed by Zhang Junjie, who was responsible for the designing of the Asian Games medals. The inspiration of the tray is taken from the waves of the West Lake of Hangzhou.

Photo shows the medal tray for the victory ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee)

The medal tray, which is about 52 centimeters long, is molded with aluminum through a single-piece press molding process. With a water-based coat, the tray is light, sturdy and environmentally-friendly. "I hope the tray will reflect the local tranquil and serene ambience," said Zhang Junjie, who is also the director of the China Academy of Art’s industrial design department.

The victory ceremony podium features a building block design, with the block for gold medalists standing about 40 centimeters tall, and the blocks for silver and bronze medalists are about 20 centimeters tall. The podium can be assembled according to the number of medalists. It adopts rainbow purple as the main color with an ink white surface.

Photo shows the podium for the victory ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee)