Mascot for Hainan's first continental-level sports event unveiled

The mascot for the Sixth Asian Beach Games 2020, a lively Eld's deer called Yaya, was officially unveiled on Nov 28, a day marking the one-year countdown to Hainan province's first continental-level sports event, as well as the only one on this scale to be staged in China next year.

Yaya, an energetic deer in ethnic costume characteristic of the South China province, was chosen. The first "ya" of the name comes from Sanya, and the second one from Asia, whose Chinese name is yazhou, representing the dynamic, interconnected and inter-dependent relationship among Sanya, Asia and other parts of the world.

"The mascot was inspired by the close bond between Hainan and the Eld's deer, indigenous animals reputed as the "Elves of Hainan island" and a Class I Key Protected Species in China," explained Lin Guangqiang, Party chief of the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Television and Sports.

"Deer, which sounds like lu (good fortune) in Mandarin, has always been an auspicious element in traditional Chinese culture. Also, the beautiful love story of 'deer looking back' is well-known in Hainan, which even makes Sanya's nickname, 'the deer city'; those are reasons why Yaya is the greatest symbol of the upcoming sports event", Lin added.

As for the solicitation process, Lin said that started in July, with 32 proposals. Six were selected as finalists.

"We sent these six candidates to 2,020 students from primary and middle schools in Sanya, to let them be the jury," said he.