This photo, published on July 1, shows the "Olympic dragon" made by 72-year old Liu Wenrong from Beijing. [Photo: Beijing Evening News]

A 72-year-old woman in Beijing's Chongwen District made a 1.5-meter-long "Olympic Dragon" with waste paper from outdated magazines to welcome the upcoming Games, the Beijing Evening News reports.

Liu Wenrong, a resident in Lvjingyuan Community and maker of the dragon, said she made the paper dragon with over 5,000 triangles she and her two apprentices made from waste paper.

The 72-year-old, who has a talent in turning waste into handicrafts, also used two ping pong balls as the eyes of the dragon and copper wire as its beard. Five Olympic rings made from 900 beads were attached to the body of the dragon.

All materials used were waste items.

(CRI July 2, 2008)