ABCs of Beijing Olympic Games

Here are some interesting figures and facts about the 2008 Olympic Games being held in Beijing from Aug. 8 to 24.

• NUMBER “8”: This number is seen by many Chinese people as lucky as it is a homophone for the Chinese character of “fortune.” This is why the Games’ opening ceremony is to start at eight seconds past 8:08 p.m. on the eighth night of August, the eighth month, 2008.
•  SEVEN YEARS and 300 BILLION YUAN: China is reported to have spent seven years and more than 300 billion yuan (about 44.12 billion U.S. dollars) on all the Olympic projects.
•  FOUR BILLION: The Beijing Olympic Games has a projected TV audience of 4 billion people, compared with the 2004 Athens Olympics’ 3.9 billion.
•  FIVE: Each of the five Olympic mascots, know as “Fuwa” or “good luck dolls,” represents the five traditional elements — metal, wood, water, fire and earth – of the Chinese Yin-Yang philosophy. When their childlike names are put together, it spells “Bei-jing-huan-ying-ni” — Beijing welcomes you.
•  THIRTY ONE: Of the 31 Olympic venues in Beijing, 12 are entirely new structures, 11 are refurbished existing venues and eight are temporary, built especially for the Games.
•  24,000 MEDIA PERSONNEL: The Games organizer predicts 24,000 media personnel will attend the 2008 Olympics where an estimate11,526 athletes will compete. This means two media staff members for every competing athlete.
• 4.8 BILLION YUAN: Around 8,000 licensed products are on sale at about 6,000 Beijing Olympic outlets in every provincial capital and major city in China. Games organizers said the merchandising campaign have generate more than their projected 4.8 billion yuan.