Mascots “Tuan Tuan” and “He He” welcome you at the 4th Grand Canal Culture and Tourism Expo, please join the Expo to experience waves of surprises.

The fourth Grand Canal Culture and Tourism Expo will be held as scheduled in Suzhou from September 22 to 25. The first wave of surprise brought to us by the annual event in the name of the “Grand Canal” this year is the eye-catching mascots “Tuan Tuan” and “He He”. The mascots of last year were elegant and cute, and sat side by side quietly; this year they dance with joy and invite you to the Fourth Expo, which will be more open, inclusive, and fashionable.

“Tuan Tuan” and “He He”, the mascots of the Expo, were born in 2021. “Tuan Tuan” is a girl and “He He” a boy. In Chinese, “Tuan Tuan” stands for unity, while “He He” represents harmony. They are highly consistent with the theme of “inclusiveness, innovation, and sharing” of the Expo, while seamlessly fitting with Suzhou’s urban spirits, namely promoting culture and wisdom, openness and inclusiveness, striving for innovation and excellence, as well as boosting harmony and sustainable development.

The beautiful costumes and “Watery Charm” in Jiangsu Province

The Grand Canal, which stretches thousands of miles to the sea, nourishes the life of people living along the Grand Canal. The loveable“Tuan Tuan” and “He He” are the typical images of the “Grand Canal” as well. In terms of mascot costume and ornamental design, the Guqin (a traditional Chinese musical instrument and a national intangible cultural heritage representative) is selected for the headwear of “Tuan Tuan”, while the fan-making technique (another national intangible cultural heritage representative) is selected for the headwear of “He He”. The moon-shaped fan and the folding fan in their hands are also typical Suzhou-styled fans.

The “Watery Charm of Jiangsu” series of tourism promotional films has a theme song Jasmine that you never get tired of hearing. Patterns on the costume of “Tuan Tuan” are jasmines, the provincial flower of Jiangsu; patterns on the costume of “He He” are osmanthus fragrans, the city flower of Suzhou.

Exquisite design elements to represent the Grand Canal that connects the past to present

The main colors of the costumes are red and green, which are not only the classic color combination of Taohuawu woodcut New Year pictures but represent the youth, enthusiasm, and innovation of the Grand Canal culture belt as well. The waves of the bases on which “Tuan Tuan” and “He He” stand are drawn from the ceaseless waves of the Grand Canal. It also tells the striking story of the Grand Canal.