Guangzhou's Haixinsha Asian Games Park hosted a public calligraphy event on January 25, 2026, integrating traditional customs with the city's contemporary "Greater Bay Chicken" mascot. The gathering featured over 20 Lingnan calligraphers and painters offering free spring couplets and artworks to the public.
A highlight was the gift exchange between artists and city partners. Lian Deng presented a handwritten "福" (fortune) character to Professor Liu Pingyun, designer of the "Greater Bay Chicken" mascot, who reciprocated with a signed mascot doll. Representatives from businesses, including Nippon Paint Investment and Guangzhou Metro Group, also received calligraphic works in recognition of their contributions to urban development.
A dedicated "public couplet zone" attracted long queues, with participants selecting auspicious phrases for calligraphers to write on the spot.
Interactive zones allowed families to try activities like rubbing New Year paintings and writing wish cards. A wish wall filled with messages from children included hopes to be "as energetic as the Greater Bay Chicken." A retired teacher, Ms. Liu, attended with her grandson, who became interested in learning calligraphy after seeing the mascot sculpture. "This blend of IP and tradition makes intangible heritage more appealing to the younger generation," she observed.
The event concluded with "warm blessing bags" distributed to outdoor workers such as sanitation staff and takeaway deliverymen. This marked the third in a series of post-Games cultural activations leveraging the "Greater Bay Chicken" IP, following earlier events at Yuntai Garden and Grandview Mall.
A Guangzhou cultural and tourism official noted that the city aims to transform the Games' legacies into tangible cultural assets, using the mascot as a bridge to engage the public and sustain the vitality of event venues after the Games.
Author | Feng Huiting
Photo | Guangzhou Organizing Committee of the 15th National Games
Editor | Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
