Medal Ribbons of Chengdu 2021 FISU Games: Innovative use of Shu brocade

The red- and blue-colored ribbons are decorated with the Hibiscus pattern, the Golden Sun Bird pattern,the checkerboard pattern, and the emblem of the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games, all of which are elegant and generous in design and full of strong Ba-Shu style. On the evening of March 18, the global release ceremony of the Chengdu 2021 FISU Games medals will be held in Chengdu, and the much-anticipated medals will be unveiledfor the first time.

For the first time, the weaving of the medal ribbon applies Shu brocade technology, which perfectly integrates traditional culture with modern sports and has a very oriental aesthetic charm.The unique feature of the ribbon is that the concave and convex touch produced by the pattern of Shu brocade not only has a strong historical charm, but also changes the smooth texture of the traditional ribbon, which has full sense of ritual.

Ma Liwa, a professor at the College of Chinese and ASEAN Arts in Chengdu University and the ribbon designer for the 31st World University Games, said that Shu brocade istime-honored and is one of the four most famous brocades in China, along with the Yun brocade in Nanjing, Song brocade in Suzhou and Zhuang brocade in Guangxi.

With fine texture and elegant color matching, the application of Shu brocade, a national intangible cultural heritage to theChengdu 2021 FISU Games, not only highlights the cultural characteristics of the city, but also highlights Sichuan-style aesthetics.

In Ma Liwa's opinion, Sichuan has a long history, and she hopes to use the medal ribbon to let the world see the rich, diverse, and profound Sichuan culture. Since the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960 AD), Chengdu has been known as the "City of Rong".In folklore, hibiscus (pronounced as “Rong” in Chinese) patterns can be seen everywhere as decoration, and hibiscus is one of the most frequent patterns on Shu brocade. People use hibiscus ornaments as gifts to express their emotions. "The hibiscus pattern onthe ribbon of the medal of the Chengdu 2021 FISU is not only a local characteristic, but also a symbol of welcoming athletes from all over the world to Chengdu to realize their dreams."

In addition, the wonderful "mix and match" of the Golden Sun Bird patternand the checkerboard pattern allow youth and tradition to meet. This is not only in line with the urban temperament of Chengdu, but also implies the openness and diversity of international events.

"Even if it is a detail, we strive for perfection, and we hope that through them, the world can see a youthful Chengdu, and see the Ba-Shu culture in sports competitions." Ma Liwa said.