北京冬奥火种抵达北京丨Olympic flame's arrival sparks 2022 Winter Games

北京冬奥火种抵达北京丨Olympic flame's arrival sparks 2022 Winter Games

Carrying a message of peace and solidarity, the flame for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games arrived to a warm welcome in Beijing on Wednesday.

周三，象征和平与团结的2022年冬奥会圣火抵达北京，受到热烈欢迎。

Witnessed by organizers, sports figures, performers and students, the flame－housed in a red lantern－drew crowds of onlookers as it was escorted by volunteers into a ceremony held at Beijing's Olympic Tower.

在组织者、体育界人士、表演者和学生的见证下，志愿者护送装在红色火种灯中的圣火，进入了在北京奥林匹克塔举行的火种欢迎仪式现场，该仪式吸引了大批围观者。

▲ 周三，在北京奥林匹克塔举行的火种欢迎仪式上，一名护送人员手持装有北京2022 年冬奥会圣火的火种灯。刘平摄/中国日报

The flame arrived early on Wednesday after being flown from Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics, where it was lit two days earlier.

当地时间2021年10月18日，冬奥会火种在奥林匹克运动发祥地希腊点燃，之后于周三早些时候飞抵北京。

Public exhibitions of the torch and the traditional national relay in the host country have been streamlined for the Beijing Games due to COVID-19 precautionary measures.

根据新冠肺炎疫情防控措施要求，北京冬奥会的火炬展示和传统的东道国火炬传递活动均已简化。

Cai Qi, secretary of the Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee and president of the organizing committee for the Games, lit a cauldron on a stage using a torch ignited from the lantern's flame. The lighting of the cauldron signaled that the curtain had been raised on the Beijing Winter Olympics, which run from Feb 4 to Feb 20. Games events are scheduled in three zones－downtown Beijing, the capital's northwest Yanqing district and co-host Zhangjiakou in Hebei province.

北京市委书记、北京冬奥组委主席蔡奇手持由奥运火种点燃的火炬，点燃火种台。火种台的点亮标志着北京冬奥会已经拉开帷幕。本届冬奥会将于2月4日至2月20日举行。冬奥会将在三个赛区举行——北京赛区、位于北京西北部的延庆赛区以及河北省张家口赛区。

▲ 北京市委书记、北京2022年冬奥组委主席蔡奇周三上午从工作人员手中接过用奥运圣火点燃的火炬。魏小豪/中国日报

Due to the pandemic, Games organizers have cut back the traditional torch relay to a small-scale event. The relay will take place in three host areas and involve about 1,200 torchbearers due to COVID-19 containment protocols.

由于疫情原因，北京冬奥组委已精简传统的火炬传递活动规模。受新冠肺炎疫情防控方案限制，火炬传递将在三个赛区进行，约1,200 名火炬手参与传递。

The relay is scheduled for Feb 2 to Feb 4, with the route connecting landmarks, historical sites and major tourism attractions in Beijing and Zhangjiakou. The culture and warm hospitality of the hosts will be on display, the organizing committee of the Games said.

火炬传递时间为2月2日至4日，路线连接北京和张家口市的地标、古迹和主要旅游景点。北京冬奥组委表示，将展现出东道主国的文化以及热情好客。

"As an iconic cultural element of the Olympic Games, the torch relay plays a significant role in promoting the host's international image while spreading the message of peace, solidarity, friendship and health," said Zhang Jiandong, a vice-mayor of Beijing and executive vice-president of the organizing committee.

北京市副市长、北京冬奥组委执行副主席张建东说：“火炬传递作为奥运会的标志性文化元素，在传播和平、团结、友谊和健康的信息，和提升东道主国际形象方面发挥了重要作用。” 

The shortened torch relay with reduced crowds, will help ensure the health and safety of all participants as well as that of local communities. The preparation work for the Games has been adapted to the pandemic situation, Zhang added.

精简火炬传递活动，控制人员规模，将有助于确保所有参与者以及当地群众的健康和安全。张建东还表示，冬奥会的筹备工作已根据疫情防控形势做出了调整。

According to the organizers, the Olympic flame will be displayed at the Olympic Tower, before being taken on an exhibition tour across the country next month, including visits to the chilly northeastern provinces in early January to engage people's interest in the Games.

冬奥组委表示，奥运圣火将在奥林匹克塔上进行展示，并于下个月在全国范围内进行展示。一月初圣火将抵达寒冷的东北，这将点燃人们对奥运会的兴趣。

▲ 2021 年 10 月 20 日，在中国首都北京奥林匹克塔举行的冬奥会圣火欢迎仪式。摄魏晓豪/chinadaily.com.cn

An online version of the torch relay making use of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies is also planned for social media platforms, with the details yet to be announced.

社交媒体平台预计将利用虚拟现实和增强现实技术，进行线上火炬传递，目前具体细节尚未公布。

Wang Xiangyu, a deputy director of Beijing 2022's culture and ceremonies department, said, "Although the length and duration of the torch relay has been reduced, this represents an innovative approach to maximize the benefits of the technology in connecting more people in an interactive way.

北京2022冬奥组委文化活动部副部长王向豫表示：“虽然火炬传递的长度和持续时间有所减少，但这一创新形式可以最大限度地发挥技术优势，以互动形式让更多人参与进来。”

"However, we will keep the traditional offline event on a smaller scale to make sure that people still get to feel the warmth of the flame and get inspired by the Olympic spirit up close," he said.

他说：“但是，我们将精简传统线下火炬传递活动规模，以确保人们仍然能够感受到圣火的温度，近距离地感受奥林匹克精神。” 

The design concepts of the flame lantern, the demonstration cauldron, the logo for the torch relay and the torchbearers' uniforms, all of which drew inspiration from Chinese culture and traditions, were also unveiled at Wednesday's ceremony.

火种台、火炬接力景观火炬标志、和火炬手服装等也在周三的仪式上亮相。其设计灵感均来源于中国传统文化。

The lantern, which will be used for the flame exhibition tour, is based on the Changxin Palace Lamp, a bronze oil lamp from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), while the cauldron features the same red and silver colors and cloud pattern as the torch.

用于圣火展示的火种灯以西汉（公元前206年-公元24年）的青铜油灯长信宫灯为基础。火炬一样，火种台为红、银两色，绘有云彩图案。

"The designs of the torch, lantern and cauldron echo each other within a consistent concept that strikes a strong impression of dynamism and vitality," said Li Jianye, a member of the design group.

设计组成员李剑叶称：“火炬、火种灯和火种台的设计概念一致并相互呼应，给人以活力四射的印象。”

Drawing inspiration from the main cauldron for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, the torch for the Beijing 2022 Games is dubbed the "flying ribbon". It spirals upward to create two overlapping, fluttering ribbons with the red, inner one evoking rising flames to contrast with the silver-plated outer layer.

从2008年北京夏季奥运会的主火炬中汲取灵感，北京2022年冬奥会火炬被称为“飘扬的丝带”。它向上盘旋，形成两条重叠的、飘动的丝带。内层的红色丝带唤起向上的火焰，与镀银外层形成鲜明对比。