Upper Structure of German Pavilion at Beijing Expo Finished; German Traditional Ceremony Shows National Characteristics

At 11 a.m. on November 12, German craftsmen dropped their wine glasses on the ground, marking the official completion of the upper structure of the German Pavilion at the German Exhibition Garden of Beijing Expo 2019. Hans-Joachim Fuchtel, the Secretary of State of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture & General Representative of the German Exhibition Garden of Beijing Expo 2019, Wang Hong, the Vice Mayor of Beijing & Secretary General of the Executive Committee of Beijing Expo 2019, Marc Vink, the Belgian ambassador to China, Axel Wildner, the Agricultural Counselor of the German Embassy in China, Peng Youdong, the Deputy Director of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Yin Zonghua, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Liu Hong, Secretary General of the China Flower Association, Zhou Jianping, Executive Deputy Director, Ye Dahua, Deputy Director and Wang Chuncheng, Deputy Director of the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau, were all in attendance at the capping ceremony.

The Chinese and German attendees took a group photo in front of the German Pavilion

The German Pavilion, with the theme of "Seeding the future" will fully demonstrate the concept of "sustainable development"

The German Exhibition Garden at Beijing Expo 2019 covers an area of 2,016 square meters and has a 425-square-meter pavilion building area. With "Seeding the future" as its theme, the German Exhibition Garden aims to demonstrate the contribution of modern horticulture and advanced science and technology to the sustainable development of cities, and to reflect on the important role of gardening in modern life through renewable raw materials and products. The German Pavilion is divided into upper and lower layers and will set up six exhibition areas to interpret the concept of "sustainable development". At the same time, there are insect hotels, nest boxes, water circulation, forest ecosystems, vertical gardens and other exhibition areas in the German Exhibition Garden.

Rendering of the German Exhibition Garden of Beijing Expo 2019

Wang Hong, the Secretary General of the Executive Committee of Beijing Expo 2019 & Vice Mayor of Beijing, expressed her high expectations for the wonderful performance of the German Exhibition Garden at Beijing Expo 2019 in her speech:

We are impressed by the rigorous and earnest working attitude and the rich exhibition experience of the German team, which has set an example that we all can learn from. German horticulture has a long history. It is believed that the German Exhibition Garden will become one of the most popular exhibition gardens at the Beijing Expo. Chinese-German relations have a long history, and China and Germany have long enjoyed deep friendship and close cooperation. We believe that holding Beijing Expo 2019 will further enhance the level of public horticultural appreciation, enhance international cultural exchange and trade cooperation, and will further promote China's ties with other countries around the world, including Germany, so that the world can deepen its mutual trust through understanding. We will strive to make Beijing Expo 2019 a unique, splendid and unforgettable horticultural exposition.

Vice Mayor Wang Hong delivered a speech

The German traditional "beam raising ceremony" is held; German customs are demonstrated at International Horticultural Exhibition

As a celebration event jointly held by the construction craftsmen and owner for the completion of a building, a "beam raising ceremony" is common in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the process of building construction, the "beam raising ceremony" is held when the skeleton construction and the roof are completed. This traditional custom can be traced back to 14th century in Germany. When the custom first began, the “beam raising ceremony” marked the point in time that the house owner would pay the hardworking craftsman. With the inheritance of this tradition, on the construction site of the German Exhibition Garden at Beijing Expo, the roof of the German Pavilion is decorated with wreaths and branches and the craftsmen who enjoy the title of "German Luban" wear special clothes to express their gratitude to the builder and the owner of the house. They also pray for the house at the same time. During this process, all the people involved drink traditional German wine. Following a toast to all those in attendance, the German craftsmen drop their glasses from atop the roof and break them, indicating good luck and success.

The site of the "beam raising ceremony"

Hans-Joachim Fuchtel, the Secretary of State of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture & General Representative of the German Exhibition Garden of Beijing Expo 2019 said in his speech:

The German side attaches great importance to participating in the Beijing Expo 2019. At the Beijing Expo, we should not only show Germany's advanced horticultural technology, but also express the good friendship and good foundation for cooperation between the Chinese and German people through the exhibition. The German Pavilion takes "falling leaves" as its architectural form, expressing the concept of "sustainable development" through the evolution of deciduous leaves into renewable resources that can be used by people. Today, the German traditional "beam raising ceremony" custom is being held here to express our thanks to the craftsmen who have worked hard for the construction of the German pavilion and also to express our heartfelt thanks to all the organizations that have supported the construction of the German pavilion. Let's raise our glasses and pray for the capping of the German Pavilion.

Speech delivered by Hans-Joachim Fuchtel, the Secretary of State of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture & General Representative of the German Exhibition Garden at Beijing Expo 2019

The German Exhibition Garden of Beijing Expo 2019 under construction

Currently, 108 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in Beijing Expo 2019, which is the International Horticultural Exhibition with the largest number of participating countries and international organizations. Most of the 80 outdoor exhibition gardens opened by countries and international organizations have seen construction organized and initiated. In addition, the indoor exhibition plans of 31 countries and international organizations are in the process if being collected and sorted out, and will be released to the public once the process is completed.