Unique cultural heritage set to captivate visiting athletes

As spectators raise their eyes during the opening ceremony of the Chengdu FISU Games, they will be able to see four giant "sun birds". The top of the main stadium at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park, the venue for the ceremony, features a majestic sun bird installation crafted from 12,540 pieces of glass.

A gold foil sun bird, which was unearthed from the Jinsha Ruins in Chengdu in 2001, was crafted by people of the ancient kingdom of Shu three millennia ago. It portrays the tale of the "golden crow carrying the sun" from Chinese mythology. This intricate design beautifully exemplifies the ancient Shu people's deep reverence for the sun. Not only is the gold disk proudly used as the city logo of Chengdu, but it has also been adopted by the National Cultural Heritage Administration as the symbol of Chinese cultural heritage.

"Although it is a relic from 3,000 years ago, it embodies the same spirit of 'Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together' as the modern Olympic ideals," said Zhu Zhangyi, the curator of the Jinsha Site Museum.

In addition to the main stadium of the Dong'an Lake Sports Park, the emblem, torch and medals of the Chengdu FISU Games incorporate elements of the immortal bird. Its exquisite pattern showcases the ambition and aspirations of the people of Chengdu, echoing the event's inspiring slogan — Chengdu Makes Dreams Come True.