The gold medals handed out at the Beijing Games were nicknamed jinxiangyu, which means 'jade framed in gold', the combination of two ultimate treasures. They were said to be the most expensive gold medals in Olympic history, costing 2,000 yuan (HK$2,300) each.
But for a Chinese athlete, gold is priceless. It is the glory of all glories, won at home. It also means unprecedented government and corporate rewards, a handsome advertising income and a guarantee of lifetime security and state support.
The first thing young gymnast Jiang Yuyuan reportedly said after winning the women's team gold was: 'Mother, now you don't have to beg.'
Her mother once threatened Yuyuan, when 10, that if she gave up on the harsh training, the only option she had was to come home and beg. Her father made a meagre income as a cab driver in Guanxi .
At a party thrown at judo gold medallist Yang Xiuli's Liaoning home to celebrate her victory, city officials announced a prize of 100,000 yuan in cash and a flat. The mayor pledged that 'from now on, if Yang's family has any problems, the city government will always be there to help'.
Just before the Olympics, Yang's family could not even afford 9,000 yuan for her younger brother's university fees and they had to borrow from relatives.