Henan and its culture in flowery language

Henan is the birthplace of Chinese characters. At the 2019 Beijing Expo, the Henan Pavilion will use the theme of “flowery language” in its integration of Chinese culture with gardening and show the world the mountains, rivers, plains and history of Henan.

The Henan Pavilion consists of eight scenic spots featuring flowers: Jiang Shan Ru Hua (Picturesque Rivers and Hills), Hua Cui Zhong Zhou (Brilliant China), Hua Ying Lang Dao (Flowers Corridor), Jiu Qu Hua He (Crisscross Flowery Rivers), Gen Yue Hua Yi (Mountain Flowers), Hua Yu Jia Yuan (Flower Garden), Bai Xing Hua Lin (Family Name Flowers), and Zhu Shui Fei Hua (Flying Flowers near Water).

Jiang Shan Ru Hua (Picturesque Rivers and Mountains), a splendor landscaping scene, is located at the entrance to the Pavilion. A freehand Chinese painting style, it celebrates Chinese hills and rivers. The gate uses the Chinese characters as the decorative symbol and is unified with the overarching theme of the Pavilion. The next scene, Hua Cui Zhong Zhou (Brilliant China), also draws inspiration from the culture of Chinese characters and takes the character “Zhong” as the main shape of the sculpture. The word “Zhong”, which stands for the Central Plains, derives from the geographical position of Henan in China. It is also a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Peony, Chinese rose, and chrysanthemum, the three plants typical of Henan, combine to create a colorful landscape of plants and flowers. Hua Ying Lang Dao (Flowers Corridor) will feature liana plants combined with steel and wood structures. Visitors will go through the flower corridor to experience the joys of a variety of space transformations. This will inspire their enthusiasm for their visit and thoughts about gardening life.

A flowery creek, cascading waterfalls, and a river of Chinese characters converge into the main road. This represents the crisscrossing river system of the Central Plains. Hence, the name Jiu Qu Hua He (Crisscross Flower River). The retaining walls on both sides are rammed earth ones, which are a tribute to the long history of the Yellow River civilization. At the Gen Yue Hua Yi (Mountain Flowers), the designers integrate Henan’s chrysanthemum culture and gardening techniques into a natural landscape painting. This forms a dynamic landscape featuring a garden of chrysanthemums, creeks and hills. This enables visitors to have immersive experience in a picturesque environment. Hua Yu Jia Yuan (Flower Garden) offers gardening pleasures including fruit trees, vegetables, and ornamental gardening and windowsill gardening featuring fruits, vegetables, and Chinese roses combined with Chinese characters. This is further enhanced by vases, picture frames, wooden chairs and other elements. This creates a strong everyday life atmosphere and is the best choice for tourists to take pictures.

Henan is the ancestral home to many Chinese family names. Bai Xing Hua Lin (Family Name Flowers) will display 100 Chinese family names through mini-sculptures in the form of a hundred paper airplanes. The paper planes on the galleries waft in the air. Visitors can find their family names on the planes and identify with their ancestral memory. Zhu Shui Fei Hua (Flying Flowers near Water) will be dominated by the main sculpture combined with flower platforms and waterfalls as the background. In the front is a small square, which can be used as a stage for performances including the Yu (Henan) opera and other special cultural activities on important festivals. The south side of the stage has a dragon-shaped gallery together with seats for the audience during performances. The gallery can also be used for temporary shelter from rain for tourists.