On June 5, the first work meeting for participation in the International Horticultural Exposition 2019 Beijing, China (hereinafter referred to as Beijing Expo 2019) by various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the State Council (hereinafter referred to as provinces, regions and municipalities) was held in Yanqing, Beijing. The meeting was attended by about 200 people, including leaders and staff from related agencies of 31 provinces, regions and municipalities, as well as leaders and staff from the Beijing Expo 2019 Coordination Bureau and the Yanqing District government. The attendees visited the site of the Beijing Expo 2019 and respectively claimed their own lots in outdoor exhibition gardens. This meeting signaled that domestic participation in the Beijing Expo 2019 has entered a substantial stage.
With Outdoor Gardens and Indoor Exhibitions, 31 Provinces, Regions and Municipalities Participate in the Beijing Expo 2019
Participation in the Beijing Expo 2019 by various provinces, regions and municipalities involves four main parts — outdoor gardens, indoor exhibitions, forum participation and other activities and participation in international competitions. By using outdoor gardens and indoor exhibitions, the provinces, regions and municipalities will showcase different styles of horticultural features from various regions across China, as well as demonstrate Chinese horticultural products, technologies and culture by using a unitary Chinese Horticultural Demonstration Zone. They will also introduce the best, most widely featured and most representative development ideas and achievements of the Chinese flower industry to the world.
In the Chinese Horticultural Demonstration Zone, with a total area of 25 hectares, each of the provinces, regions and municipalities will occupy a garden area of around 2,000 to 3,000 square metres and include their own designs, arrangements, operation and maintenance during the Beijing Expo 2019. They will focus on plant landscaping, as well as emphasise the exhibition of new varieties, technologies and horticultural products. They will also stress landscaping and application of flowers and other plants so as to fully demonstrate new ideas, materials and achievements in the development of flower horticulture.
Meanwhile, the provinces, regions and municipalities will independently design and arrange their booths in the Chinese Pavilion and be responsible for their own operation and maintenance. Individually occupying 50 to 200 square metres, these booths will be based on horticultural history and culture, features and industry achievements and combine with various competitions and other activities at the Beijing Expo 2019, so as to carry out exhibitions with different themes at different times.
In addition, the provinces, regions and municipalities may, in accordance with the relevant requirements of the organising committee, hold their own themed activity days or activity weeks, carry out image publicity and tourism promotion activities and participate in the performances, tournaments, festivals and celebrations in the Garden.
According to plans, in July, the provinces, regions and municipalities will submit their theme interpretations and exhibition participation plans and sign the Participation Agreement. In September, a number of provinces, regions and municipalities will initiate their outdoor garden construction. By the end of 2018, the construction of the outdoor gardens of all provinces, regions and municipalities will be completed. By April 20, 2019, all the indoor exhibition arrangements will have been finished.
With an Experiential Plan and a Featured Shade Tour, the Chinese Horticultural Demonstration Zone Highlights Human Design
Located on the southern side of the Core Scenic Zone of the Garden and situated in between the Landscape Horticultural Axis and the World Horticultural Axis, the Chinese Horticultural Demonstration Zone is arranged into eight different groups. These groups include Northern China, Southern China, Central China, Eastern China, Northwestern China, Northeastern China, Southwestern China and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
The public space design of the Chinese Horticultural Demonstration Zone follows experiential planning from the perspective of visitors. Following the design idea of “the Way of the Virtuous — the Horticultural Living Room”, the public place will highlight cultural features, allowing it to forge a public scenic space with Chinese characteristics, featuring green shade, nature and leisure, in addition to a clear direction and unified functions and scenes.
In addition, wandering in the public space of the Chinese Horticultural Demonstration Zone, visitors will be able to not only fully appreciate the supreme horticultural works of China and experience the horticultural features from various regions, but also find the “Stones of the Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs”, a variety of horticultural ornaments, water scenes and other scenic spaces with horticultural features.
The core of the public scenic space of the Chinese Horticultural Demonstration Zone is designed to appear as a “Tongxing Square” (literally meaning “Walking Together”), which implies shared mind, virtue and forging ahead with mutual inspiration to achieve the Chinese Dream. To jointly build this significant horticultural stage showcasing the vast territory and abundant resources of China and the elegant demeanour of various Chinese regions, it is planned that participating parties will provide their most regionally-featured ornamental stones to be used in constructing the main scenic spot of the square. Participating parties will also include carvings of the 24 solar terms culture in the center of the square, in an effort to inherit and promote the culture and wisdom of the Chinese horticulture.
According to Ye Dahua, the deputy director general of the Beijing Expo 2019 Coordination Bureau, in this Chinese Horticultural Demonstration Zone, designers strived to forge a public space with Chinese characteristics, cultural traits and horticultural features, as well as integrate public scenes with garden scenes, transport space scenes and resting space scenes, so that they can contrast delightfully with one another.
Telling Stories of Chinese Horticulture,the Indoor Exhibitions Focus on the Idea of a “Splendid China with Flourishing Life”
Facing the Landscape Horticultural Axis to the west, the “World Stage” Lawn Theatre to the east, the Yongning Pavilion to the northwest, the scenic Guirui Lake to the north and the main entrance of the Garden to the south, the Chinese Pavilion occupies the most significant position in the entire garden. In a natural and peaceful way, the Chinese pavilion expresses China's ecological civilization, manifests cultural confidence and tells beautiful horticultural stories in poetic Chinese language. The Chinese pavilion is sure to leave behind a unique architectural heritage for Beijing Expo 2019.
Closely focused on the theme of “Live Green and Live Better”, the exhibition areas of all the provinces, regions and municipalities will showcase their respective horticultural features, industries, technologies and achievements, allowing them to fully demonstrate the achievements of China's ecological civilization.
According to Zhou Jianping, the executive deputy director general of the Beijing Expo 2019 Coordination Bureau, it is hoped that this horticultural gala and the world stage of the Beijing Expo 2019 will communicate Chinese horticultural stories and fully demonstrate the time-honored history of Chinese horticulture, as well as the unique contributions Chinese horticulture has made to the world.
