Attheotherendoftheworld,Chinawasreelingfromeconomichardship,aseriesofnaturalcalamities,andhumiliatingmilitarylossestowesternpowers.TheTaipingRebellion,aviolentresponsetothesedifficultiesandachallengetotheever-weakeningcorruptManchugovernment,snowballedintoacivilwarthatwouldclaim20millionlivesandhelpprecipitateanendtothousandsofyearsofdynasticruleinChina.
Acenturyandahalfafterthisremarkablecontrastofcircumstances,ShanghaiwillopenthedoorstoacountryradicallydifferentthantheChinaof1851.InanExpoareatwicethesizeofMonacowithanestimatedoverallcostofUS$58billion,theWorldExpo2010willshowcasetheChinesegovernment’sroleinradicallyimprovingChina’ssocioeconomicconditionsanditssuccessinkick-startingandrevvingtheworld’sfastestgrowingeconomy.
UtilizedintraditionalChineseconstructionfornearly3,000years,dougongareinterlockingwoodenbracketsthatcanholdaroofwithoutfastenersthroughmeticulousjoinery.AlthoughtheywereusedmostprominentlyinChina’sSpringandAutumnPeriod(770to476B.C.),theirpopularityspreadpastborderstoinfluenceotherAsiancountries’architecture,includingKoreaandJapan.
Expoorganizersselectedthefinaldesignfromapoolof344submissions.HeJingtang,directoroftheArchitecturalAcademyoftheSouthChinaUniversityofTechnologyultimatelycameupwiththewinningdesign.InadditiontotheirsignificanceasanobjectofChineseantiquity,theroof’s56dougongsymbolicallyrepresentthe56ethnicminoritiesofChina.
Withthetheme“Chinesewisdominurbandevelopment,”thepavilionalsoaimstopromoteChina’svaluesofharmony,natureandspirit.Keepinginsyncwithmanyotherpavilions’decisiontoincorporatesustainabletechnologiesandenergy-savingmeasuresintotheirdesign,thepavilionemploysenergysavingtechnologies,suchasrainwaterharvestingandnaturalventilationsystems.
Thethemeisalsointegratedintoa15,800square-meterexhibitionspaceinsidethepavilion,startingattheuppercoreareawherevisitorswillenjoyamultimediafilmabouttheevolutionofChina’scities.Aftertheeight-minutefilmonethenmovesintoaroomcoveredwithanenlargedreplicaofZhangZeduan’sfamouspainting,“AlongtheRiverDuringQingmingFestival”.Thelivelycharactersofthisstreetscenewillappearmovingtovisitors,andthefestivescenerepresentstheneedforurbanplanningtoencouragesocialandculturalgathering.
Visitorsarethenledtoasightseeingcablecar,whichpassesoverareplicaofanancientcitytofeatureChineseinnovationsinpracticalarchitectureandartisticdesign.ThefinalsectionofthejourneyisfocusedonChina’slowcarbonfuture,anddemonstratesChina’seffortstodealwithclimatechangeamidstmassiveurbanizationanddevelopment.
Thepavilion’sofferingscontinueoutsidethecentralstructure,wherea45,000square-meterjointpavilionshowcasesexhibitionsfromChina’sprovinces,municipalities,andautonomousregions.InadditiontofurtheringtheExpo’sthemeofinnovativeurbanization,thesepavilionswillexpressthediversenatureofChina’sregionalculturesandcustoms.
Fromthisexperience,thetensofthousandsofguestsvisitingthepavilioneverydaywilllikelyimpartwithtwoimpressions.Oneisofacountrywitharichyetdifficultpasteagertoshowcaseitsrapideconomicandpoliticalascent.Thesecondisofacountrystillfacingremarkablechallengesthatmustbesolvedwithoriginalsolutions.With350millionpeoplemovingfromthecountrysidetothecityby2025,thesesolutionscannotcomesooner.
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