Palace Museum collects jade Fuwa (photos attached)

Updated：2007-06-15

(BEIJING, June 15) -- For the first time in its history, China's Palace Museum has brought a special Olympic licensed product, the Fuwa mascots, into its treasure collection.

The latest collection comprises five Fuwa made of jade plus a piece of ruyi, a Chinese ornamental object symbolizing good luck. At a ceremony on Friday, attendants saw the five jade dolls standing on a victory podium 29 centimeters tall, also made of jade.

The creators of the art work used jade for several reasons. The history of jade is as long as the Chinese civilization. In the Chinese culture, jade symbolizes beauty, nobility, purity, perfection, constancy and immortality. For millenia, jade has been an integral part of the culture of China.

The jade Fuwa

The jade Fuwa unveiled at the Palace Museum

The jade Fuwa unveiled at the Palace Museum

The Palace Museum presents a certificate to Cao Xiuyun, deputy director of BOCOG General Office

Deputy Director of BOCOG Marketing Department Wang Yu speaks

Deputy Director of Palace Museum Chen Lihua speaks