首页 -> 2008年第1期
奥运会（Ｏｌｙｍｐｉｃ Ｇａｍｅｓ）
作者：爱 奥／辑译
（编 者）
A Brief History of the Olympic Games
·The Ancient Olympic Games·
According to historical records,the first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 B．C．They were dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the ancient plains of Olympia．They continued for nearly 12 centuries，until Emperor Theodosius decreed in 393 A．D．that all such “pagan cults”be banned．The ancient Olympic Games included the following events：pentathlon，running，jumping， discus throw，wrestling，boxing，pankration，and equestrian events．
·The Modern Olympic Games·
The Moden Olympic Movement，revived in 1892 by French educator and philosopher Baron Pierre de Coubertin，has been the inspiration for extraordinary sports performances，personal excellence and international goodwill for more than a century and continues to work toward building a better and more peaceful world．Through a1most 200 National and Regional Olympic Committees and more than 50 International Sports Federations，the Olympic Movementpromotes its ideals through sport 365 days a year all over the world．
In 1894，the International Olympic Committee was founded in Paris as an independent body charted to guide the activities of the Olympic Movement and the organization of the Olympic Games while nurturing and sharing Coubertin's philosophy of peace through sport．Two years later，in Athens，the first Games of the modern era took place，imprinting upon the world's collective memory a concrete expression of the ethics of sport，culture and peace that marked the ancient Olympic Games．Every four years，since 1896，the Olympic Games have brought the countries of the world together in a celebration of the collective human spirit and individual athletic achievement．
During the 20th Century，the modern Olympic Games witnessed progress，global growth and immense change．Against the backdrop of two world wars，periods of economic adversity and prosperity，the Olympic Games and their ideals have exhibited an enduring appeal to all humanity，creating legends and heroes out of athletes once unknown．The Olympic Games have become a global stage for almost every human emotion：triumph，agony，glory and defeat．It is here where the glory of sport and the spirit of international goodwill come together to create the world's greatest spectacle．
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
·The Official Mascots·
Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration，Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games，carrying a message of friendship and peace-and blessings from China-to children all over the world．
Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends，Fuwa also embodies the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals-the Fish，the Panda，the Tibetan Antelope，the Swallow-and the Olympic Flame．
Each figure of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name-a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China．Beibei is the Fish，Jingjing is the Panda，Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame，Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow．When you put their names together一Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni—they say “Welcome to Beijing”，offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games．