If you’ve been keeping up with the Winter Olympics in Beijing, you might have noticed Olympians from countries around the world posing with a plush toy panda after they compete. But why are some of the winning athletes posing with the toy after their events instead of immediately receiving their medals? The Bing Dwen Dwen toys comes stuffed inside a plastic shell that represents ice and is decorated with a gold wreath. Bing means “ice” in Mandarin Chinese, though it also symbolizes purity and strength. Dwen Dwen means robust and lively and it also represents children. To learn more about the Bing Dwen Dwen toys visit the link in our bio.