On the afternoon of August 29th, the "Sprouting Miracle": "Greater Bay Chicken" Sharing Session kicked off at the China Import and Export Fair Complex.

Following the official debut of the mascots for the 15th National Games, "Greater Bay Chicken," inspired by the Chinese white dolphin that inhabits the Pearl River Estuary, has rapidly gained widespread popularity and become a household cultural symbol across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Unlike many trendy IPs, "Greater Bay Chicken" has taken a distinctly different path of long-term development. What truly brings the IP to life is the human touch its creators have instilled in their work.

In the eyes of Liu Pingyun, designer of the "Greater Bay Chicken," the mascot's breakout popularity represents a cultural resonance co-created by the public. It is precisely the affectionate nickname spontaneously given by the masses that allows the mascot to go beyond a mere visual symbol and become a warm, down-to-earth cultural representative of the GBA.

According to Wu Zhengdan, artistic director of the Guangzhou Acrobatic Art Theatre and a national first-class actor, the mascot's explosive popularity stems not only from Liu Pingyun's creation of such an adorable character but also from the theatre and its acrobatic artists, who breathed new life into it. When the young performers donned the mascot costumes to portray their characters, Wu Zhengdan felt they were freeing their playful nature and becoming more fully themselves.

The growth of "Greater Bay Chicken" is a microcosm of the burgeoning cultural and artistic creativity in the GBA. The mascot, carrying a warm and uplifting energy, is now embracing a broader world.

在南国书香节，“大湾鸡”主创们畅谈湾区顶流IP成长故事

8月29日下午，《萌动奇迹》——“大湾鸡”跃动分享会在中国进出口商品交易会展馆拉开帷幕。

自十五运会吉祥物正式亮相以来，以栖息于珠江入海口的中华白海豚为灵感展开设计的“大湾鸡”迅速出圈，一跃成为粤港澳大湾区家喻户晓的文化符号。与很多网红IP不同，“大湾鸡”走出了一条截然不同的长线生长之路。真正让IP拥有生命力的，是创作者藏在作品里的人文温度。

在“大湾鸡”设计者刘平云眼中，“‘大湾鸡’的出圈，是一场全民共创的文化共鸣。大众自发赋予它亲切的昵称，正是这份来自大众的喜爱，让吉祥物跳出单一的视觉符号，成为有温度、有烟火气的湾区文化代言人。”

在广州市杂技艺术剧院艺术总监、国家一级演员吴正丹看来，“大湾鸡”能够这么爆火，不仅在于刘平云创作了这么萌的形象，更在于广州市杂技艺术剧院、杂技艺术家们为“大湾鸡”注入了新的生命。小演员们穿上“大湾鸡”衣服去塑造角色时，吴正丹感觉到，他们解放天性、更加自我。

“大湾鸡”的成长，正是大湾区文艺原创力量蓬勃发展的缩影。这群“大湾鸡”，正带着温暖的力量，遇见更广阔的天地。

文 | 记者 李娇娇 实习生 刘子煜 陈炫润
图 | 主办方提供
译 | 黄健新
英文审校 | 曾敏