thefuwa(福娃;literally"good-luckdolls"),formerly"friendlies",arethemascotsofthe2008summerolympicsinbeijing.thedesignswerecreatedbyhanmeilin,afamousartistinchina.thedesignswerepubliclyannouncedbythenationalsocietyofchineseclassicliteraturestudiesonnovember11,2005ataneventmarkingthe1000thdaybeforetheopeningofthegames.theywereoriginallynamed"thefriendlies",butthisnamewasdroppedaschineseofficialswereworriedthatitwouldbemisunderstoodas"friendless"or"friendlies."curseofthefuwamascotsondisplayinbeijinginthemonthsleadinguptotheolympics,theinternetcommunityhaslinkedthefuwatovariousdisastersthathadoccurredinchina.thisinformationcannotbeproven.nini,（妮妮）akite,hasbeenlinkedtothe"kitecity"ofweifang,inshandong,wherethet195trainaccidenttookplace.yingying,（迎迎）atibetanantelope,hasbeentiedtothe2008tibetanunrest.huanhuan,（欢欢）acharacterwithflame-redhair,hasbeenlinkedtothemanyprotestsalongthesummerolympicstorchrelay.jingjing,（晶晶）apanda,hasbeenlinkedtothesichuanearthquakesincetheepicenteroftheearthquakewasclosetothewulongpandaresearchcenter,china’smainbreedingandconservationfacilityforitsbelovednationalanimal.beibei,（贝贝）afish,hasbeenlinkedtotheflashfloodinginsouthernchina.
浦江海鸥
