Reporters introduced to Shantou, host city of this year's Asian Youth Games

A three-day cultural exhibition about Shantou, a port city in South China's Guangdong province that will host the Third Asian Youth Games this year, has concluded at the 2022 Beijing Media Center.

The Asian Youth Games were postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will take place from Dec 20 to 28 this year.

Products related to the event, such as mascot figurines and items adorned with the event's logo, and local crafts, including wood carvings and embroidery, attracted the attention of foreign journalists.

Ji Weiqi, an official with the Shantou organizing committee for the Asian Youth Games, introduced preparations during a live broadcast on the Beijing Media Network on Sunday.

"The Games will consist of 21 sports and 161 events, featuring athletes age 14 to 17," Ji said.

They will include some sports that are not in the Olympics, such as dragon boat racing, he added.

The construction and renovation of the athletes village and 25 competition venues have been completed, according to the Olympic Council of Asia. After the Asian Youth Games, all venues will be made available for future events.

Amid the ongoing buzz surrounding Beijing Winter Olympics mascot Bing Dwen Dwen, Ji presented the Asian Youth Games mascot, Jinfengwa.

"Lively and passionate, Jinfengwa is inspired by Shantou's city flower, the jinfeng flower (known overseas as the dwarf poinciana or peacock flower), and integrates local cultural elements," he said. "The red headwear indicates that Shantou people will welcome Asian teenagers with enthusiasm."

Located in the Chaoshan region in eastern Guangdong, Shantou is an important gateway to the Maritime Silk Road and the hometown of many Chinese living abroad.

Folk culture exhibits, including ceramic inlay work and inner paintings－paintings on the inside of glass vessels－were on display, and visitors attempted to make Shantou kung fu tea and paper-cuttings.

Chen Weina, a Chaoshan embroidery craftswoman, said each household in the region has a person who is skilled in the intangible cultural heritage, which dates back more than 150 years.

"I practiced for dozens of years to make these beautiful patterns," she said about a piece that was part of the exhibition.

The exhibition is part of a series of "Colorful China" events at the Beijing Media Center that aim to showcase local cultures across the country to journalists and visitors from home and abroad.