Introduction of 2010 China World Expo Pavilions VIII - France Pavilion

France Pavilion at 2010 Shanghai Expo - The Sensual City

Theme: The Sensual City

National Pavilion Day: June 21

Pavilion Mascot: Cat Léon

Pavilion Area: Around 6,000 Square Meters

Location: Within Zone C of the Expo site

Pavilion Features

The "Sensual City" itself is impressive with a large, classical roof garden and a pond. The walls of the square-shaped structure, which is made from a special concrete, are covered in plants and it looks like a white floating palace. Gardens are the centerpiece of the pavilion.


The "Sensual City" showcases the sights, smells, tastes, sounds and feel of France - visitors will be able to admire French gardens and paintings, smell French perfume, taste French cuisine, touch the cool water of pools and fountains, and watch clips from classic French films to soak up the glamor of France.

Highlight 1: Floating Palace

The France Pavilion appears to be floating in the beauty rhyme with water. The structure as a whole is "wrapped into" a huge wire mesh that is made of a new type concrete material, while featuring the plant walls, and water pools internal and external.

Highlight 2: French-style Garden



In the center of the structure stands a French-style garden, with streams flowing alongside. Small fountains and water gardens will help cool the space, where visitors may enjoy the singing of birds, fragrance of flowers, and delicious food under the sunshine and amid the aquatic environment. Surrounded by the space that is permeated with French city ambient sound effects, visitors may think they were in France.

Highlight 3: Alain Delon

As the spokesman of France Pavilion, Alain Delon will tell you his close ties with China at the "France Pavilion Channel" specifically set up for the pavilion exhibition.

Highlight 4: Romantic French Wedding

Visitors may also have the chance to witness a romantic French wedding, which has been held in the city of Tours for several consecutive years. New couples will tie the knot in the beautiful French-style garden within the pavilion.

Previous series of 2010 World Expo: U.S.A. Pavilion
Next series of 2010 World Expo: Japan Pavilion

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

China's Mona Lisa - Painting 'Riverside Scene During The Qingming Festival'

Part of Painting ‘Riverside Scene During The Qingming Festival’

One of Ten China Famous Paintings - Riverside Scene During The Qingming Festival is a custom painting work for the Northern Song Dynasty, which is 24.8 cm wide, 528.7 cm long, color on silk;

The painting scroll is the only survived artwork of Northern Song Dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan in the world, it is one of national treasures in China, now be collected in Beijing National Palace Museum.

Painting ‘Riverside Scene During The Qingming Festival’ in scroll form, with multiple vanishing points composition method, describing a vivid scenery of city living in China's 12 century.

Part of Painting ‘Riverside Scene During The Qingming Festival’

"The Qingming Festival By The Riverside’ Painting is a city scenery scroll describing the capital city of the Northern Song Bianjing, according to statistics, there are totally 1,659 varied characters, 209 animals in the painting, the number is larger than the character number in any of the China Four Classic Novels.

It captures the daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng. The theme celebrates the festive spirit and worldly commotion at the Qingming Festival.

The entire piece was painted in hand scroll format and the content reveals the lifestyle of all levels of the society from rich to poor as well as different economic activities in rural areas and the city.

Part of Painting ‘Riverside Scene During The Qingming Festival’

The painting is famous because of its geometrically accurate images of boats, bridges, shops, and scenery. Because of its fame, it has been called "China's Mona Lisa".

From the painting we can get a glimpse at the prosperous city scenery of the Northern Song Dynasty with contiguous tea houses, bistros, diners and arch bridges over the Bian river, crowds of people going out to make a spring outing, as well as varied characters, such as vendors and peddlers, jugglers, paupers and beggars, monks, fortune tellers and seers, innkeepers, metalworkers and carpenters and so on. The scenery on the painting is so dazzling and dizzying.

The city size and prosperity degree of the North Song Dynasty is supreme than any other country at that time, as the current World Expo in Shanghai is themed with 'City Life', so if you go to the China Pavilion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, you will see such a famous painting describing scenery of ancient Chinese city.

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

Introduction of 2010 China World Expo Pavilions VII - U.S.A. Pavilion

U.S.A. Pavilion at 2010 Shanghai World Expo - Rise to the Challenge

Theme: Rise to the Challenge

Highlights: Gray Steel Structure

National Pavilion Day: July 2

Pavilion Area: Around 6,000 Square Meters

Location: Within Zone C of the Expo Site

Pavilion Features:

The USA Pavilion is a mammoth gray steel structure meant to resemble an eagle stretching its wings in welcome. The pavilion presents a dynamic and emotional story that conveys four core concepts: sustainability, teamwork, health and the spirit of striving for success.The exhibition tells the story of the American spirit of perseverance, innovation, and community-building in a multi-dimensional, hi-tech presentation.

The overall theme of the pavilion is "Rise to the Challenge." In keeping with the Expo's theme of "Better City, Better Life," the challenges depicted will be creating environmentally sustainable communities, engaging in a healthy lifestyle and using technology to improve people's lives. The pavilion showcases American business and technology, as well as culture and values, to foster stronger friendship between the American and Chinese peoples.



Highlight 1: Visual Parable without Dialogue

The USA Pavilion features a show entitled "The Garden" - the story of a 10-year-old girl who envisages turning a vacant city lot into an urban oasis, working with her neighbors to make that happen. The movie - a visual parable without dialogue - includes plenty of computer-generated imagery and 4-D effects, like vibrating seats, mist and lightning. The girl's passion and resolution has inspired her neighbors to work together to turn a dilapidated city into a fascinating place with the spirits of optimism, innovation and cooperation.



Highlight 2: Live Shows and Multimedia

In addition to a daily "Dance-America!" outdoor show, the USA Pavilion will stage a wide range of performances including jazz, pop, ska and classical music, university marching bands, theater and dance.

Previous series of 2010 World Expo: Switzerland Pavilion
Next series of 2010 World Expo: France Pavilion

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

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