Sichuan Garden: Hometown of Pandas Land of Abundance

Sichuan Garden for Beijing Expo 2019 will take “Hometown of Panda, Land of Abundance” as the theme with panda and “Shu” culture as the soul. The garden is composed of different part focusing on “Traveling of Panda in Sichuan and Nourishing Rivers for the Land of Abundance”to present the culture connotation, regional feature, gardening and gardens to visitors.

There are three major functional areas, namely Introduction Exhibition, Nourishing Rivers for the Land of Abundance and Traveling with Panda in Sichuan. Taking Dujiangyan Irrigation System nourishing the “land of abundance” as the center, garden landscapes are created based on “Water Culture”, “Ancient Civilization of Shu”and “Land of Abundance”. Such themed areas as “Hometown of Panda”, “Footprint of Panda”, “Playing in Water”, “Return to Nature”, “From Ancient to Modern” are presented along the main line of “Traveling of Panda in Sichuan” to show the natural beauty, history and culture of the province.

As a national treasure, Panda is not only the symbol of Sichuan bot also the representative of China in the world. At the entrance to the Sichuan Garden, the landscape of distinctive features composed of creative sculpture of pandas with regional characteristics, group sculpture of red pandas and an independent sculpture of a panda creates the atmosphere to warmly welcome the guests. On the left of the entrance is the garden of pandas. Taking abstract pattern of featured architectures of Sichuan and western-Sichuan as the background, it demonstrates little pandas in different gestures. On the right side of the entrance is a sculpture integrating such elements as the map of Sichuan, pepper and panda. It is symbol of the garden to reflect the significance of Sichuan as the “hometown of Pandas”.

“Because the wonderful irrigation system can control the supply of water, famine and hunger is scarce in the area. As a result, it is reputed as the land of abundance.” Minjiang River is the source of Shu culture. Dujiangyan Irrigation System on the river has brought about the fertile fields in the land of abundance. It can be said that it is the Dujiangyan Irrigation System that nurtures the land of abundance today. Nourishing Rivers for the Land of Abundance area integrates the plank road with the elements of wood tripod dam, dam made of bamboo cages, and the“fish mouth” to control the water and featured landscapes of water culture square promoting the culture of water control to interpret the water culture from material and spiritual layers and show the wonderful landscape of the land of abundance with distant mountains (Minshan Mountain) and near water (Minjiang River).

Focusing on Panda exploration, Traveling with Panda in Sichuan themed area combines the process of wild training of panda and the culture of Sichuan to echo the theme hometown of panda. “Road to Home” with landscapes along the footprints of panda shows the life of panda near rivers in bamboo forest with “Playing Water in Bamboo Forest”and the wild training for panda to “Return to the Nature”. The regional characteristics is expressed in creative way with guiding landmarks, new bamboo charcoal composite material structure, bamboo bulletin boards, group panda sculpture with plants and lighting effects. The cultural journey starts at “Gate to Sichuan”. Ancient civilization of Sanxindui and Jinsha is presented with such gardening techniques as green plant sculpture, miniature landscape and small garden ornament. Using the miniature western Sichuan residences, Mengding tea fields, pepper, Sichuan pepper, citrus and Sichuan style bonsai, it shows the traditional agriculture culture of western Sichuan. The magnificent chapter of ancient Sichuan civilization and the idyllic scenery of western Sichuan are shown to the world.