International students interviewed Zhang Wen, the head designer of Hangzhou Asian Games mascots.
Sohaib was at Zhang Wen's studio.Photo provided to Hangzhoufeel
Recorder
By Amjad Muhammad Sohaib
I am a Pakistani student majoring in design at China Academy of Art(CAA). A year ago, I first heard about the Asian Games from a fellow classmate. Although I was in my home country at the time, I remember thinking about the possibility of participating in the future if provided with the opportunity.
Recently, my teacher sent me an invitation to participate in an Asian Games calligraphy activity as a part Hangzhoufeel's recruiting event for Gen Z Int'l Youth Newscasters of Hangzhou Asian Games. I was thrilled to receive the invitation and eagerly accepted it. On May 30, I met up with a group of schoolmates at Xiangshan Campus before traveling to the Nanshan Campus of CAA where we participated in the activity. The assignment was to write the Chinese characters '福' and '亚运会' on square pieces of paper. At first, I was a bit nervous about damaging the paper with my brushstrokes, but the Chinese calligraphy major students helped us write "亚运会," and the activity turned out to be a great learning experience about the Chinese traditions.
Later, we got the chance to meet and interview with Zhang Wen, the head designer of Hangzhou Asian Games mascots and a teacher at CAA.
During our conversation, we learned that these mascots are deeply rooted in the Chinese culture and are designed to represent modernism and intelligence in China's smart cities, as well as being associated with famous landmarks and using metaphors from old traditions.
They are also intended to evoke good memories and convey the behavior of small children. It was surprising to learn about the many challenges the teacher faced in creating these endearing mascots that resonate strongly with people. Overall, this experience was a beautiful and precious opportunity to gain insights into the Chinese culture.