Introduction of 2010 China World Expo Pavilions VI - Switzerland Pavilion

Switzerland Pavilion at 2010 Shanghai World Expo - Rural and Urban Interaction

Theme: Rural and Urban Interaction

Highlights: Curtain of Woven Aluminium Elements

National Pavilion Day: August 12

Pavilion Area: around 4,000 square meters

Location: Within Zone C of the Expo site

Pavilion Features：

A combination of technological insight and beautiful dream - Switzerland Pavilion best shows the characteristics of modern Switzerland, including the pursuit of excellence, innovation and high-quality life, as well as concepts of future facing, forward looking and sustainable development.


The most distinguished feature of the Switzerland Pavilion is the chair lift ride. The jouney takes about 10 minutes. The chair lift will take people up and out to the roof garden from the inside pavilion. The chairs are sheltered to ensure operation under the raining weather.






Highlight 1: Interactive and Intelligent Facade

The interactive, intelligent facade enveloping the pavilion is a curtain of woven aluminium elements under which visitors pass to access the urban area on the ground floor of the building. LED lights comprised of an energy source, a storage unit and a consuming unit are incorporated into the facade.

The energy produced is made visible in the form of flashes that are triggered by the pavilion surroundings, such as the sun or flashes made by visitor cameras. Thanks to the storage of energy in each individual cell, the facade is also active at night, when the cells will trigger each other.



Highlight 2: Use of Chinese Philosophy

The design concept is visible in a mix of many contradictory elements. The Chinese Philosophy of "Yin" and "Yang" is well reflected in the entire building, to achieve an ingenious combination of high-tech and nature.

Highlight 3: IMAX Film "The Alps"

At the top end of the ramp of the exhibition area, visitors can see a 10-meter-high projection screen in the atrium. The IMAX film "The Alps," showcasing magnificent Swiss mountain scenery, will be projected.

Previous series of 2010 World Expo: Spain Pavilion
Next series of 2010 World Expo: USA Pavilion

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

The Dragon Boat Festival in China is Coming!

The Dragon Boat Festival, officially falling on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, also known as Double Fifth Day, is one of important traditional Chinese festivals, the other two being the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year.

Now as the Dragon Boat Festival in China is coming soon, which will fall on 17, June this year, so maybe you want to know some interesting things about this tradtional Chinese festival.

While many stories regarding its origin abound, the most popular and widely accepted version regards Qu Yuan, a minister during the Warring States Period (475 - 221 BC)

Legend of the Dragon Boat Festival's Origin

At the end of the Zhou Dynasty, the area we now know as China had fallen into a state of fragmentation and conflict. While the Zhou dynasty had ruled for several centuries, several other states, originally feudal domains, tried to carve out their own kingdoms. The state of Qin would eventually emerge the victor and unify all of China under one rule for the first time in history.

Qu Yuan served as minister to the Zhou Emperor. A wise and articulate man, he was loved by the common people. He did much to fight against the rampant corruption that plagued the court-- thereby earning the envy and fear of other officials. Therefore, when he urged the emperor to avoid conflict with the Qin Kingdom, the officials pressured the Emperor to have him removed from service. In exile, he traveled, taught and wrote for several years. Hearing that the Zhou had been defeated by the Qin, he fell into despair and threw himself into the Milou River. His last poem reads:

Many a heavy sigh I have in my despair, grieving that I was born in such an unlucky time;
I yoked a team of jade dragons to a phoenix chariot;
And waited for the wind to come, to sour up on my journey.

As he was so loved by the people, fishermen rushed out in long boats, beating drums to scare the fish away, and throwing glutinous rice dumplings (namely 'zong zi' in Chinese) into the water to feed braver fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body.

The Modern Dragon Boat Festival in China

Starting from that time to this day, people commemorate Qu Yuan through Dragon Boat Races, eating zong zi, and several other activities, on the anniversary of his death: the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.

Dragon Boat races are the most exciting part of the festival, drawing crowds of spectators. Dragon Boats are generally brightly painted and decorated canoes. Ranging anywhere from 40 to 100 feet in length, their heads are shaped like open-mouthed dragons, while the sterns end with a scaly tail. Depending on the length, up to 80 rowers can power the boat. A drummer and flag-catcher stand at the front of the boat. Before a dragon boat enters competition, it must be "brought to life" by painting the eyes in a sacred ceremony. Races can have any number of boats competing, with the winner being the first team to grab a flag at the end of the course. Annual races take place all over China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and other overseas Chinese communities.

Tzung Tzu / Zong Zi (Glutinous Rice Dumpling)

The traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival, Tzung Tzu (in Chinese 'Zong zi') is a glutinous rice ball, with a filling, wrapped in corn leaves, so it also known as glutinous rice dumpling. The fillings can be egg, beans, dates, fruits, sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, meat, or a combination of them. They are generally steamed.







Talisman and Charms

Another aspect of the Dragon Boat Festival is the timing: at the beginning of summer, when diseases are likely to strike, people also wear talisman to fend off evil spirits. They may hang the picture of Zhong Kui (a Chinese deity supposed to be a chaser of demons), guardian against evil spirits, on the door of their homes, as well.

Adults may drink realgar wine ('Xiong Huang Jiu' in Chinese), and children carry fragrant silk pouches, all of which can prevent evil. It is said that if you can balance a raw egg on its end at exactly noon on Double Fifth Day, the rest of the year will be lucky.


Last, wish all my Chinese friends in home or at abroad Happy Dragon Boat Festival!

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

World Expo and Chinese Culture – Snuff Bottle from Qing Dynasty

Snuff bottle has been an exotic goods, it was taken to China by Italian missionary during the Ming Dynasty. However, after face-lift via Chinese traditional art, later with the production and painting technologies become more and more sophisticated increasingly, snuff bottle become a symbol of identity and taste in the socitey. Both at the London Expo held in 1862 and Panama Expo held in 1915, Chinese snuff bottles won special medals.

Original snuff bottles from the Qing period are a desirable target for serious collectors and museums. A good bottle has an extra quality over and above its exquisite beauty and value: that is touch. Snuff bottles were made to be held and so, as a rule, they have a wonderful tactile quality.



Snuff bottles were made out of many different materials including porcelain, jade, ivory, wood, tortoiseshell, metal and ceramic, though probably the most commonly used material was glass.

The snuff bottle winning prizes at World Expo is an inside-painted snuff bottle. The so-called inside-painting, namely use a specific fine brush, painted exquisite picture inside the snuff bottle by hand.




The class of bottle that arouses most interest is that known as inside painted. These are glass bottles which have pictures and often calligraphy painted on the inside surface of the glass.These delightful scenes are only an inch or two high and are painted while manipulating the brush through the neck of the bottle.

There still has production of inside-painted snuff bottles today, as a pure artwork, snuff bottles had been wiped off its original practical value. While the workmanship of inside hand painting has passed on from generation to generation, and become an essence of traditional Chinese art.

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

Introduction of 2010 China World Expo Pavilions V - Spain Pavilion

Spain Pavilion at 2010 Shanghai World Expo - The Infinite City

Theme: From the City of Our Parents to the City of Our Children


National Pavilion Day: August 30


Pavilion Area: Around 6,000 Square Meters


Location: Within Zone C of the Expo Site


Pavilion Features:

The Spain Pavilion is designed to be a hand-weaved wicker basket structure supported by the steel framework inside. "The Basket," as some have dubbed the pavilion, is "dressed" in more than 8,000 wicker panels in brown, beige, and black. Wicker weaving is a tradition in both Spain and China and the pavilion is like a bridge connecting the two nations. The panels were handmade by craftsmen in Shandong Province, each one unique in design.

The pavilion contains three exhibition halls which will take visitors through the time and space of the development of the cities in Spain with the theme of "From the City of Our Parents to the City of Our Children." The three displays are created by famous Spanish film makers from three decades.



Highlight 1: Chinese Calligraphy

The design is so specific because the black panels form the shapes of Chinese characters - sun and moon, for instance. It adds more Chinese culture flavor to the pavilion and make the pavilion more artistic.

Highlight 2: Cultural Events

Cultural Events Performance buffs and gourmets will be delighted by the pavilion, where they can enjoy authentic flamenco dancing and taste Spanish delicacies. The Spain Pavilion will be turned into a gastronomic cabaret that offers a feast to visitors every night by serving authentic delicacies and sizzling shows. The Spanish cultural events include soap bubbles, flamenco dancing, Latin and Spanish music. The daily show will be staged twice, at 6pm and 8pm, in the pavilion's amphitheatre.

Previous series of 2010 World Expo: Hong Kong Pavilion
Next series of 2010 World Expo:

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

May 31: World No Tobacco Day

Today, May 31, is the 23rd "World No Tobacco Day". At least today, you and I should work together to allow the good wish "World No Tobacco" come to reality to an utmost degree.

The ‘World No Tobacco Day’ every year has a specific theme. For example in 2009 it was "Refuse Second-Hand Smoke, Let your Lung Breathe freely", and this year the theme is "Gender and Tobacco: Concern Promotion Behaviors to Women"

Obviously, this year the theme of ‘World No Tobacco Day’ is against to tobacconists directly. As the market aimed to male smokers has no more space to dig – the number of male smokers in many countries and regions is continued to decrease –so tobacco companies around the world switch their expect for a huge profits to women.

In low and middle income countries, including developing countries like China, the tobacco industry begin to infiltrate through female market via various channels, they work hard to play up the benefits of smoking to women. Dr. Betcher, Director of WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, said at the news conference held at United Nations Office at Geneva on 28, May, said: "Tobacco companies are investing heavily in marketing to attract women, especially in middle income countries. They induce women believe that smoking is a symbol of beauty and liberation. Under the influence of this market strategy more and more young girls start smoking. "

Currently, 40% of men around the world smoke, while women smokers only accounted for 9% of the entire female population. Therefore, to promote more and more women to become smokers, become a big business in the eyes of tobacco companies. However, there is an unethical matter lies in this practice: compared to men, women are more susceptible to harms of tobaccos.

Among the 1 billion smokers on the earth, women smokers only account for 20%. However, among the 500 millions people who died from smoking every year, there are 150 millions are women, accounting for 30%. That is to say that among 800 million male smokers, there were 350 million lost their lives due to smoking every year, the ratio accounting for 0.44%; while the death rate of women smokers is as high as 0.75%, which is almost double the male.

Now the WHO is appealing to worldwide governments to prohibit all tobacco adverting, promotion and sponsorship activities, and take actions to protect women's lives and health from threat of tobacco. Aside from the resistance to tobacco advertising, promotion and activities, we should take actions from ourselves, exhort women close to ourselves away for smoking or persuade women smokers give up smoking as soon as possible.

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China

Introduction of 2010 China World Expo Pavilions IV - Hong Kong Pavilion

Hong Kong Pavilion at 2010 Shanghai World Expo Pavilions - The Infinite City

Theme: Hong Kong - The Infinite City

Location: Within Zone A of the Expo Site

Pavilion Features:

The three-story metallic structure explores the theme "Hong Kong - the Infinite City," which features Hong Kong's unique connectivity with the mainland and the world in terms of both hardware and software, as well as the city's links to nature, to the past and to the future. The exhibition focuses on the special administrative region's transport network, advanced scientific facilities, financial and trade systems, multinational culture and sustainable high-quality urban life. Highlights include environmental protection, tourism, culture, innovation and the "one country, two systems" principle.

Pavilion Highlights:



Highlight 1: Wetland Park

The third floor of the pavilion will have an indoor wetland park based on the Hong Kong Wetland Park.


Highlight 2: Cultural Extravaganza

Fashion shows, film debuts, visual art exhibitions, a raft of performances and parades - all these feature in Hong Kong plans for the World Expo. There will be 47 cultural performances from the special administrative region during the fair, featuring Cantonese opera, Chinese and western music, multi-media shows and dance. Two visual art exhibitions are also on the agenda. One show will feature the development and innovation of ink art, while the other will highlight the assimilation and transformation of western and Chinese aesthetics in shaping the uniqueness of Hong Kong art.

Previous series of 2010 World Expo: India Pavilion
Next series of 2010 World Expo: Spain Pavilion

* Original address of this China gift post: China Gift and Fine Arts & Crafts in China