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The Torch Relay lantern will be used to store the Olympic flame. Its main purposes will be to receive the Olympic flame kindled in Olympia, to light the Olympic torch and to exhibit the sacred flame.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires the flame remain lit during the entire course of the Torch Relay in order to protect the sanctity of the Olympic flame and the purity of the Torch Relay. If the torch flame should be extinguished, it must be relit using the mother flame stored in the lantern. This is to ensure that the flame used to light the Olympic cauldron at the Opening Ceremony comes from the sacred Olympic flame kindled in Olympia.
The inspiration for the original design of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay lantern comes from the traditional lanterns used inside ancient Chinese palaces. The silver luster of the lantern coupled with crystal-clear glass serve as a foil to the flame and communicates the Olympic flame's sanctity and purity.
The torch relay cauldron is lit at the end of the torch relay, to signify its end. The flame is kindled from the torch of the last torchbearer on each leg. The flame is then perpetuated when the flame guards kindle the torch relay lantern from the cauldron.
The torch relay graphic is one of the key image elements for the torch relay of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The torch relay graphic together with the torch relay symbol, torch relay colors, torch relay fonts, and torch relay slogan, forms the basic image of the torch relay of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. These elements will be applied in the torch relay image & look designs, including the torch relay uniforms, torch relay convoys, torch relay publications and the city landscape design of the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. They will create a unique visual image for the torch relay of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, spread Chinese culture and the torch relay theme, and build an excellent environment for the torch relay. The elements will create a celebrative atmosphere throughout the cities which the relay will pass, promote the sanctity of the Olympic flame, encourage Torchbearers and Escorts Runners, enhance people's experience of the torch relay, and to provide a visual setting for the recording and broadcasting or the torch relay to the world.
The Torch Relay Graphic of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The design concept of the torch relay graphic
Phoenix is the king of birds and belongs to Fire in Five Elements. It is the spirit of fire. The soaring phoenix with graceful bearing and dignified air is the totem of fire. The legend "phoenix nirvana and rebirth out of ash" also symbolizes man's constant striving spirit.
Down the ages, "Long" (Chinese dragon) and "Phoenix" are the traditional totems embedded with people's blessing and hope.
Phoenix has left a deep imprint in Chinese civilization. The auspice and hope represented by it has always been a part of people's daily life.
Visual creation concept: Passion, Vigor, Culture and Celebration.
In conformity with the concept of "People's Olympics" of the Beijing Games, we aim to express Chinese people's hospitality in inviting the world and blessing the world, to exhibit the vitality and passion of the Olympic Games, and to deliver China's long history and unique culture with modern technique.
According to this design concept, we determined our ultimate goal as under the guidance of the basic values of the Olympic Games, taking the unique culture of the host country and host city as the basis of the visual design, to create a Chinese humanistic style, unique and vigorous core graphic for the Olympic Games.
Logo of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay. The torch relay graphic is comprised of the core graphic of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the traditional Chinese phoenix pattern.
The torch relay graphic comprises the lucky cloud pattern exquisitely with the phoenix pattern, achieving the effect of vivid and distant. The modern design deeply expresses the unique integration of hardness and softness, implicitness and elegance in traditional Chinese arts.
The phoenix joins the great Olympiad, brining the hope of luck and peace to the world, representing the core connotation of the torch relay graphic.
The Logo of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay owes much of its inspiration to the traditional concept of "fire phoenix", and presents the image of two runners holding the Olympic Flame high. As ancient Chinese legend has it, phoenix is the king of all birds, and symbolizes good fortune, eternity, nobility and happiness. The use of the phoenix image in the Torch Relay logo conveys the idea that the Torch Relay will send the best wishes from the Beijing Olympic Games to people all over China and the rest of the world.
Slogan of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay. The theme of the relay is "Journey of Harmony".
The theme embodies the Olympic ideal of 'placing sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity'. 'Harmony' boasts strong Chinese characteristics, and expresses the traditional Chinese philosophy in pursuit of a balance between man and nature, among people and between man's body and soul. It also supports Chinese people's wish of building a harmonious society of enduring peace and common prosperity.
The slogan of the relay is "Light the Passion Share the Dream".
The slogan is highly expressive of the theme and distinctive in sentence structure. "Light the passion" captures the spirit of Olympic Torch Relay and is inspiring. "Share the Dream" falls within Olympic language terminology and correlates with the staging concepts of the Beijing Olympic Games and its "One World One Dream" slogan. The slogan is simple, meaningful and easy to remember, read and share.
Using banners, large building decorations, bridge decorations and outdoor advertising, the city look will create an exciting atmosphere for the Torch Relay in the designated route cities. Provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and cities located outside China's mainland will retain the option of the look they prefer in conformity with the "Technical Manual of the Image and Look for the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay" and real-world expectations.
The Olympic flame will travel to five continents via chartered aircraft flights.
Chartered aircraft will be used outside China's mainland and will share the same overall image of the Torch Relay, with red and yellow as the dominant colors. Aircraft exteriors will have an eye-catching display of "Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay" and the slogan of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay "Light the Passion Share the Dream." This will aid in transmitting to the world a message of peace as well as the Chinese people's concept of harmonious development through the symbolic figure of the phoenix.
As the core of the relay operation, the convoy is responsible for providing support to the torchbearers and the production of official video footage.
The convoy is the most ornamental part of the Torch Relay and a focal point for the crowds. The Beijing Olympic Torch Relay convoy consists of 13 automobiles and six motorcycles. Except for the police car and the ambulance, every other type of vehicle has a unique look but shares integral components with the rest of the convoy.
The convoy will present a long-lasting and classic picture; the base color system of red and yellow echoes the colors of the sacred flame and the Torch Relay, creating an exciting and dynamic visual effect.
Design of the uniforms for the Torch Relay
The design of the uniforms for the Torch Relay is a vital component of the Torch Relay Image and Look.
As required by the IOC, the elements of the uniforms must include the Olympic Rings, the emblem of the Beijing Olympic Games, the logo of the Torch Relay, the core graphic and color system of the Torch Relay, and the composite logo of the Torch Relay partners. White should be the base color of the torchbearer uniforms and no commercial symbols are to be included.
The uniforms adopt a phoenix pattern and Chinese red as their main elements and "harmony" as their design concept. The focus lies in the integrity of the Olympic characteristics and traditional Chinese culture.
There will be separate uniforms for the torchbearers, escort runners and staff members. Both long and short uniform styles are available to suit the weather conditions during the Torch Relay and religious customs of different countries.
The modern style of the staff uniform expresses vitality and dynamism. While keeping in conformity with the uniforms of the torchbearers and escort runners, the staff uniform is practically designed to suit the staff members' needs along the relay routes.
The uniform for the escort runners is simple - yet tasteful - with the graphics and style identical to those of the torchbearer uniform. Blue will be the main color of the escort runner uniform to distinguish it from the torchbearer uniform.
As required by the IOC, the uniforms for the torchbearers should not bear any commercial symbols. The base color of white, coupled with striking Chinese red and yellow-orange as well as matte silver, communicates the Torch Relay's excitement and festiveness. On the front of the torchbearer uniform, the symbol of a phoenix is printed on the upper left side. The Olympic Rings and "Beijing 2008" are printed on the back of the uniform.
The uniform has raglan sleeves and a streamlined traditional phoenix pattern on one side that gives the impression of a phoenix ready to fly. Seen as the queen of birds, the phoenix is very influential in Chinese culture. Donning a uniform with graphics of such a lucky bird and auspicious clouds, a torchbearer will feel proud in carrying and passing the torch to extend peace aspirations to various places around the world.