Ever since August 8, the Olympic medals have caught the attention of athletes and spectators from around the world. CRI's Zheng Chenguang reports.For the first time in history, the Olympic medals blend metal and jade. The technique of inlaying jade into metal can be dated back to China's Han Dynasty 2000 years ago. In Chinese culture, jade is a symbol of higher class and elegance.
He Zhenliang is with the International Olympic Committee or IOC.
"The combination of gold and jade has reflected the core values of the Chinese people. It shows our respect and praise for the athletes."
Games officials say the medals combine western and eastern elements. For example, 13 kilograms of gold and 1.3 tons of silver were sourced from Australia, and nearly 7 tons of bronze were sourced from Chile. Meanwhile, jade was collected from west China's Kunlun mountain.
The designers put a seal between the inner layer and a groove to bond metal and jade. The seal also acts as a buffer that withstands vibrations if the medal falls.
Cui Ning, deputy minister of cultural division of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, says such design has won wide recognition among IOC officials.
"We kept in constant contact with experts at the IOC during the designing and manufacturing process. We provided them with upgraded samples and they approved and appreciated them all."
Shanghai Mint was the official manufacturer of the medals. Medal makers say the first and foremost concern was to make sure the purity of the medals met IOC standards.
They also had to take into account Shanghai's humidity and ensure it didn't affect the surface of the silver and bronze medals.
Zheng Chenguang, CRI news.
