The first Olympic mascot 'Waldi' a Daschund dog appeared at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Mascots are used to communicate the Olympic spirit to the general public, especially youth and children. They are usually a character or animal native to the country where the games are being held and showcase the history and culture unique to the host city. In more recent years it has been common to have more than one mascot. This could be to ensure gender equity but has undoubtedly increased the merchandising potential of the Olympic mascot.

Yingying the Tibetan Antelope is one of five 'Fuwa' mascots produced for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Fuwa carries a message of friendship, peace and good wishes from China. Yingying is one of the four mascots that embody the natural characteristics of China's most popular animals the other three are the swallow 'Nini', the panda 'Jingjing' and the fish 'Beibei'. The fifth mascot 'Huanhaun' represents the Olympic flame. Each of the Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name and when their names are put together "Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni" they say "Welcome to Beijing".

According to the official website for the Beijing Olympics 2008 Yingying like all antelopes is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. Yingying's flying pose is like that of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan antelope reflects Beijing's commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China.

Yingying is strong in track and field events and represents the yellow Olympic ring.