11th Asian Games: Beijing 1990

The 11th Asian Games were held from Sept 22 to Oct 7, 1990, in Beijing, China. It was the first major international sports event to be held in the People's Republic of China.

Seven world records (six in archery, one in cycling) and 89 Asian records were broken, while one world record and eleven Asian records were equaled at the Beijing Asiad.

The games served as a precursor to China's further development in the sporting arena, as the country went on to bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics and then won the bid for the 2008 Olympics.

Emblem of the 11th Asian Games [Photo/ocasia.org]

The emblem of the 11th Asian Games consisted of the shining sun of the emblem of the Olympic Council of Asia and an "A" made from an image of the Great Wall.

The Great Wall is a symbol of ancient Chinese civilization, while the "A" is an abbreviation of "Asia". The combination expressed the fact that the Asian Games being held in Beijing would serve as a bond uniting the peoples of Asia.

The shape of the Great Wall in the emblem also looks like "XI", which represented the 11th Asian Games.

Mascot of the 11th Asian Games [Photo/ocasia.org]

The mascot of the 11th Asian Games is China's national treasure – the panda. This one was named Panpan. With an Asian Games medal in her hand, Panpan is lively and friendly, spreading her arms wide and encouraging athletes to enjoy each other's achievements.