U China Travel Blog

2010 Expo: Constructing the Future

Leo Chu — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 02:35:10 +0000

CHINA Pavilion

With World Expo festivities now well into their third month of operation, Shanghai has begun to comfortably adapt to the excitement that has swept the city. Even within the sprawling grounds of the Expo it appears as though organizers and visitors alike have adjusted to the explosive scale of the fair and its record breaking crowds, making a day at the Expo feel like a walk in the park.

Picturesque weather in recent weeks has provided a seemingly surreal backdrop for the many unique pavilions that represent each country. The vivacious juxtaposition of the world’s many colors on display in accompaniment with one another provides a multitude of food for thought, shedding light on distinctive styles, flavors, and customs ranging from food and drink to architecture, fashion, and technology. While each pavilion adds something special to the fair, a few notable structures stand out from the rest.

Europe flexed their stylistic muscles for this year’s Expo, constructing a number of memorable experiences expressed not only in raw architectural form, but also in the translation of pure ideas providing insight into the daily lives of each nation. Progress in technology, material applications, and an awareness of the improvement of our world’s largest cities in accordance with the Expo’s theme, “Better City, Better Life”, was on display in a number of stellar structures including the Spanish and English pavilions. Within the Americas, Mexico created a beautifully simplistic response to this year’s theme, embodying their characteristically minimalistic response that emphasizes the finer things in life.

Spanish Pavilion

SPAIN Pavilion

Barcelona based architects EMBT (Miralles Benedetta Tagliabue Architects), brought to life their inspired concept for the Spanish pavilion. Composed of locally found bamboo, wicker, and glass, the expressive structure serves to bridge the expanse between China and Spain, between East and West, through formal design and selection of materials, promoting interaction in the realm of both culture and economics. A woven fabric of wicker panels in varying colors creates the exterior membrane of the pavilion, which houses inside a series of exhibitions illustrating Spain’s progressive evolution through a cultural love of dance and art.

UK Pavilion
Experimental architect Thomas Heatherwick constructed a

UK Pavilion

physical representation of the UK’s dedication to environmental preservation in his explosively compact design for the British Pavilion. Perhaps the most successful structure at this year’s expo, the design by Heatherwick Studio is formally fluid as a direct manifestation of the very concept the pavilion intended to exhibit. The structure composed of 60,000 clear plastic rods floats amidst a triangulated landscape that invites visitors to indulge in a moment of relaxation as the excitement of the Expo swarms around them.

Mexican pavilion

MEXICO Pavilion

In another corner of the park the Mexican pavilion most successfully illustrates the conceptual purity of the integration between life’s pleasantries and architecture. Designed by Mexican architecture firm, SLOT, the pavilion consists of a composition of colorful kites shading an open green space. Based on the notion that the presence of natural elements within the urban landscape has the power to improve the quality of our cities beyond the construction of any built form, the Mexican pavilion is certainly one of the only swatches of land within China’s megacities that welcomes visitors to take off their shoes and feel fresh grass between their toes.

China Pavilion

CHINA Pavilion

Not soon to be overlooked, China, the host of the Expo, highlighted the bold nature that has come to represent the mega-power’s presence on the world’s stage in recent years. In an anything but timid fashion, the Chinese pavilion maintains an unforgettable existence within the park, boisterous in scale and stature. Constructed in the traditional Dougong style, a technique dating back more than 2,000 years, “The Crown of the East” uses a system of interlocking brackets to create the main structure of the pavilion.

Designed to emphasize the concept of “Chinese Wisdom in Urban Development”, the pavilion features multimedia exhibitions illustrating China’s monumental migration from rural countryside to dense urban areas. In harmonious juxtaposition, scenes from China’s rich cultural past are shown in unison with illustrations of China’s proposed future.

Mother Tattoos Son’s back

Leo Chu — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:29:29 +0000

Mother Tattoos Son's back

When the State of Jin, in north of China conquered the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD) and took Emperor Qinzong and his father Huizong prisoners, the country fell into a state of great confusion. A rebel army tried to seize power and asked Yue Fei, a man skilled with both pen and sword, to join them. Yue Fei’s Mother tattooed the words “Remain loyal to and die for the country” on Yue Fei’s Back in order to remind him to be a loyal subject forever. When the Song Dynasty was restored, Yue Fei led an army that crushed the Jin invaders, but was executed due to the machinations of the Song Prime Minister, Qin Hui, who was jealous of his success. The story of Yue Fei’s Mother tattooing his back to ensure his loyalty became popular and was handed down from generation to generation.

Weather Forecast: Simply Summer

Leo Chu — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:00:44 +0000

Remember those bone chillingly brisk winter winds that kept even the bravest of us from venturing into the great outdoors, away from the comforting warmth of our coveted heaters? Spend ten minutes walking one of Beijing’s mega blocks today and you’ll find yourself searching desperately for the nearest shopping mall fully equipped with central AC in a fruitless attempt to even minutely recreate the wispy winds of winter. Ok, that may be a bit of an over exaggeration, but summer has officially arrived, and in China that means its time to break out the paper fans and umbrellas. Undoubtedly the most popular summer accessory, the umbrella is the ideal combatant for any and all extreme weather conditions that plague summer skies. Whether shielding immaculately milky complexions from the sun’s blistering rays or providing shelter from unpredictably abrupt monsoon rains, a faux Burberry umbrella is a must have for a wet, hot, Chinese summer.

Though conditions vary throughout the country one thing is for certain, it’s warm. The cities of Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Lhasa are not only notorious for attracting large numbers of summer travelers, but also for their characteristically intense summer weather. In the frozen depths of Beijing’s excruciatingly drawn out winters, residents yearn longingly to bask in the warm summer sun. When the first few breezy days of summer pass though, Beijinger’s soon remember what summer really feels like. While May and June welcomed uncharacteristically comfortable temperatures this year, July began in true summer fashion, flaunting 40 C, or 104 F degree temperatures from dusk until dawn. With year-round dry air to keep any humidity at bay, and countless varieties of popsicles in all shapes and sizes available on every street corner, tourist season is at its peak in the country’s capital.

While Hong Kong is no stranger to heat given its southern, sub tropical location, it’s the humidity, dampening everyone and everything in its wake, that makes Hong Kong’s summers a force to be reckoned with. On average, a 90% daily humidity is commonplace in Hong Kong, and this summer is no exception. As the city prepares to enter its hottest months, temperatures linger around 33 C, or the low 90’s F, with staggering temperatures temporarily quelled by scattered showers and thunderstorms. Refuge from the heat and humidity is abundantly available throughout the city though, with countless café-lined streets who’s fogged windows entice passers by and air conditioned public transportation that provides relief as you explore the city.

Not unlike Hong Kong, Shanghai’s summer air is often heavily laden with humidity, though not in an entirely unbearable fashion. Gentle summer rains cool Shanghai’s steamy streets and keep temperatures at a tolerable level. In recent weeks intermittent daily showers have kept Shanghai at a bearably warm 27 C, or around 80 F. Although humidity levels remain high throughout the summer season, Expo visitors are undoubtedly grateful for the rainfall.

While perceptions of Tibet’s extreme weather conditions are often over exaggerated, Lhasa didn’t gain its reputation as the “sunlight city” for no reason. Because of its altitude, Lhasa’s air is very thin; therefore warranting drastic temperature swings at a moments notice. June marked the start of Lhasa’s rainy season, promising nightly rains. Though showers during the summer months are virtually unavoidable, visitors are rewarded with some of the areas clearest skies and most vibrant scenery during this lush season.

Its a Small World After All-Rose Disarno

Leo Chu — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 04:02:38 +0000

Kathrine,Rose,Yvonne and their friend in front of UK Pavilion

The world first came together in London in 1851 at the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park to celebrate what was known as The Great Exhibition, an international gathering intended to display the industrial advancements of various nations. Derived from a French tradition of national exhibitions, the World’s Fair, or World Expo as it is now known, has evolved into a universal forum for societal development, influencing the fields of industry, art, design, education, international relations, and tourism.

This year Shanghai is proudly hosting the World Exposition, themed “Better City, Better Life”, and anticipates welcoming more than 70 million visitors who will explore the microcosm of international communities temporarily stationed along the city’s Huangpu River.

Recently I joined the treading chorus of millions on a weekend trip to Shanghai to experience the excitement surrounding the 2010 Expo. Getting off to a late start on a drizzly Saturday morning, I was more than shocked, or rather pleasantly surprised, to find not a single person in line waiting to purchase tickets. Fluidly weaving through switchbacks of white barricades, I eagerly offered my entrance fee to the attendant at the window and was presented with a hologramed ticket.

It was not until I had made my way through security when I realized my friends and I weren’t the only ones taking advantage of the subdued heat. The park was abuzz with energy, inducing a nearly instantaneous sensory overload of sights and sounds. Memories of childhood vacations at Disney World’s Epcot Center came flooding back, only this was so much bigger, like Epcot on steroids. The world was mine to explore, from the deserts of the Middle East to the planes of Africa, uncovering the unfamiliar treasures scattered throughout the park’s vast expanse.

A Close picture of UK Pavilion

World-class architects dominate the landscape at this year’s Expo, creating pavilions that reflect the uniquely distinctive styles of each individual country. While many of the pavilions attract visitors with their striking outward appearance, it is often what lies within each structure that illustrates each nation’s advancements in industry, design, technology, and urban functionality, the dominant theme of this year’s fair. Most impressive among the many structures within the grounds appeared to be the British pavilion, designed by Thomas Heatherwick. Seemingly floating above an angular outdoor plaza, the pavilion is composed of an array of 66,000 clear plastic rods splayed in a rounded cube. At first glance the building appears organic, resembling a porcupine, but from a close proximity each rod becomes distinctively clear, giving the structure an explosive quality.

Overwhelmed with excitement I eagerly composed a list in my mind of all the countries I hoped to visit that day. At first, the prospect of falling in step with thousands of other patrons was without a doubt somewhat daunting, but my anxiety quickly faded as each line continuously meandered towards its final destination. It wasn’t necessarily the length of each line that struck me, but perhaps the most fascinating observation that came to light as we were herded towards each exhibit was instead the overwhelmingly disproportionate number of Chinese visitors, vastly outnumbering the miniscule Western population.

I knew I shouldn’t have been surprised, but surprised I was indeed. Of the thousands of enthusiastically credulous visitors patiently corralled in front of each pavilion, only a handful of foreigners were scattered throughout a field of Chinese faces. After a bit of thought it dawned on me that for many of the millions of visitors that would engage in this years Expo, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore all that the world has to offer. Far and away lands that were once just a spec on a map were now no further than a walk in the park, albeit a very large park.

With a population looming at more than 1.3 billion, the majority of Chinese Nationals will likely never extensively traverse the globe, sampling its rich diversity. Boasting the world’s largest single homogenous population, it makes perfect sense that the Expo would be held in Shanghai, not necessarily to introduce China to the world, but to introduce the world to China.

A WALK THROUGH TIME-Go Inside of Terracotta Warriors Pit

Leo Chu — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 06:11:36 +0000

Few archaeological discoveries compare to the Terracotta Army that was uncovered in Xian’s eastern suburbs in 1974. Following this abundant discovery, archaeologists began to reveal and preserve the mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin, the self-declared first emperor of China. Researchers learned that the army of more than 8,000 soldiers, infantrymen and cavalry were constructed to serve as Qin Shi Huang’s army in the afterlife.

Though the area of the excavation site containing the vast army, known as the pits, has been accessible to tourists for the past few decades, only a small number of foreign guests have actually had the opportunity to walk amongst the soldiers, standing face to face with each unique sculpture without interference from the fences that separate visitors from the expanse of the pit.

Such a privilege has ordinarily been reserved for dignitaries and heads of state including Queen Elizabeth II, but at U China Travel we are making this unique opportunity a reality for our guests. If you have ever imagined what it would feel like to be enveloped by centuries of ancient history this experience will bring to life a past that has been resting beneath the earth’s surface for more than 2,000 years.

This unforgettable journey through time takes visitors through Pit One, the largest of the excavation sites. Located 1.5m from the burial ground, Pit One is 230m long and rests 7m underground. Within the pit more than 8,000 soldiers stand at attention to the Emperor, organized by a series of corridors intended to resemble palace hallways. Each statue varies in height, uniform, and hairstyle in accordance with their particular rank. Walking amongst the soldiers, one is easily enamored by the intricate detail that defines each soldier’s face, for no two soldiers were carved to have the same face.

This intimate rendezvous with history is an experience we are sure will remain with you in a way few sightseeing opportunities do, inviting visitors to gain an up close, personal access to a past of truly epic proportions.

No Time Like Mao-By Catherines Disarno

Leo Chu — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 06:15:22 +0000

Few leaders in history invoke as much national pride as Chairman Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China. His influence is everywhere, looming especially over the largest public square in the world, Tiananmen Square. Modern China owes all that it is to their beloved leader, coming in droves daily to the Mausoleum where his body has been laid to rest to continue to pay their respects. I felt compelled to do the same but as one of the very few westerners in the long line to the building, I was definitely aware that I stood out. Perhaps it was paranoia but I felt as though I kept receiving looks of curiosity, possibly suggesting that I did not belong there, that the accomplishments of this great man were not for me.

Because the Mausoleum is only open for a few hours in the morning, people are in a mad dash to wait in line, but the line moves quickly and you are immediately aware that people are there for one reason, and they are willing to do what it takes to get inside. You are not able to stand in line with a camera in your possession, hats are to be taken off inside, and I was even asked to take my sunglasses off while still outside, a considerable distance from the entrance.

I was not ready for the frenzy that is visiting the mausoleum. Arriving only an hour before closing time put me in a position of slight panic as I realized that I had to check my bag across the street and still get through the security checkpoints. Young and old alike were skirting around me at a hectic pace to be herded through the maze of ropes. The pace, the process, the sense of urgency that you feel as people are pushing past you, is all for the good of those who want to pay their respects.

After getting my ID checked at the second security tent, there was nothing standing between myself and the entrance of the massive building, where the Chairman awaited our arrival. As I stood in line I was not quite sure what to expect as I tried to imagine how the space would be filled. I found myself conjuring up familiar images of the Chairman shaking hands with other world leaders, or sitting across from them in an office, hair perfectly in place, proud smile on his face. With these pictures running through my mind I was not surprised by the large white statue of a seated Chairman Mao, facing the entrance, that I saw as I walked through the front entrance, slightly reminiscent of the Lincoln Memorial. While the statue is not overwhelmingly large I was still left wondering what else I would see. Mao was only one very average sized man, and the Mausoleum is one very huge building. However as soon as you walk into the building, you feel this strange sense of calm. The noise and activity of the line is silenced as the atmosphere is put into perspective. While he was only an average size man, his influence was, and still is, larger than life.

The farther into the building that you proceed, the more you realize why so many people have made this trip. While you are in the building there is no talking but there is so much to take in that I would not have known what to say even if I wanted to. Passing by the actual body is quick as you are unable to stop at any point in time, but you walk out of the building with a new understanding of how proud China is of Chairman Mao. Buildings built in his honor or his picture plastered around the city can only begin to explain it, but the mass amounts of people that show up daily, more than three decades after his death, simply to see this great man is the true testament of the admiration that a people have for this man.

OBAMAO

Leo Chu — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:09:17 +0000

Days ago when I was visiting the Summer Palace, I came across a T-shirt that made my guests and I laugh. The t-shirt showed an image of President Obama dressed as Chairman Mao, referencing an image that is deeply imbedded in many westerners’ minds. I found it very entertaining to see Obama wearing the traditional communist clothing and hat. The idea of these two very different men as one in the same spans time and creates an image that would make many people think. Actually the concept of westerners wearing communist clothing is not unheard of though. One westerner in particular, Norman Bethune, was known for this.

Norman Bethune (1890-1939) was a Canadian thoracic surgeon. During the 1930s he became a loyal communist, and this led him to Spain, where he joined the anti-

Norman Bethune Wearing Chinese Solider Clothes

Fascist struggle. On the Spanish battlefields he became aware that 75% of serious battle casualties would survive if operated on immediately. In early 1938, he arrived in China, and proceeded to Yan’an, the revolutionary base area of the Chinese Communist Party. Mao Zedong commissioned him to organize a mobile operating unit in the interior of North China. Although he was forced to work under extreme circumstances, sometimes operating for forty hours straight without sleep, and within minutes of the front lines, he saved the lives of many Chinese party members and soldiers. He died of septicemia, contracted when he cut himself while operating under great pressure from advancing Japanese forces.

While President Obama shares few political similarities with the Communist Party, he is well respected among China’s people. Our general impression of Obama is that of a smart, well-educated and well-spoken man. His speeches are also wildly used in China as material for learning English.
There are a few small details that gave me a very good impression of what kind of man he is. They all happened as he was running for President leading up to the election!

As people began to shuffle out of a small meeting room one day following a speech from Obama, the television cameras that were still running happened to catch Mr. Obama in the corner of their lens cleaning the table he had used. Chinese media covered lots of stories of this small detail and praised him for his qualities of good etiquette, organization, education, and respectfulness. China is a nation that also pays attention to the small details. We say that small details tell the true quality of people, especially when they are not in the spot light. This was my first impression of Barack Obama.

I also noticed how smart he was during the election. To be honest, I don’t really like the election system. I don’t like that the competitors search through your personal and political history to reveal things they might have done in the past. During the election I remember hearing about a preacher who had been Obama’s spiritual leader for over 20 years and also did the baptism for Obama’s two daughters. His preacher held many biases against white Americans, which he voiced openly in his sermons. His competitor tried to use this against him. Lots of people thought he needed to apologize, and also end his relationship with that priest. But during a speech he gave in Philadelphia on March 18, 2008, Obama was remembered for saying, “We are the people in order to form a perfect union.” During this speech Obama stated that he would not end his relationship with his black preacher, just as he could not end his relationship with his white grandmother that raised him. Obama spoke of grandma who said she was afraid of black people walking next her and robbing her. She also said she hated black people. He loved and accepted his grandma and also accepted his black preacher. The bad comments on race made by his preacher were as much a fault as forgetting that America is a nation that keeps changing and improving. The word “change” was also the core of his election motto. This gave me a very good impression how intelligent he is. This is what the president Obama is in Chinese people’s eyes!!

Dragon Boat Festival

Leo Chu — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 06:37:56 +0000

Celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, the Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwu, commemorates the life and death of Qu Yuan, a historic scholar who served under the King of Chu during China’s Warring States Period. Qu Yuan enjoyed a favorable sitting with the king until his wisdom and judgment were scrutinized by his fellow officials within the court, leading to his abrupt removal from power.

Exiled from his post as a servant to the people he adored, Qu Yuan expressed his sorrow and anguish in the form of poetry. When the torment of his life became too much to bare, Yuan took his own life by drowning himself in the depths of the Milo River. Though the people of Chu took great lengths to search for Qu Yuan in an effort to save him, they were unable to recover his body. The annual Dragon Boat Festival is held in memory of the exhausting rescue effort put forth to by the people of Chu.

The traditions that accompany the festival evolved from a collection of myths surrounding the events of Qu Yuan’s tragic death. Folk legends tell of the loyal actions of Qu’s admirers who threw rice into the river to keep the fish from eating Qu Yuan’s body. It is from this myth that the tradition of eating zongzi evolved. Zongzi, rice dumplings cooked in bamboo leaves, are abundantly available during the annual festival and are filled with a variety of ingredients. Sweet zongzi are made with glutinous rice, bean paste, dates and honey, while savory zongzi are often made with peanuts, green beans, or meat and always have salty egg yolk inside.

Another tradition that evolved in accompaniment of this festival is the dragon boat races. Annual crowds pack riverfronts throughout mainland China, Hong Kong, and other southeast Asian countries with significant Chinese populations to watch teams race in traditional carved wooden boats. This event is believed by many to have derived from Qu’s admirers who rapidly paddled boats around the place they thought his body had fallen to rest in order to distract the fish from finding and eating him.

While historians believe that the holiday may have actually begun much earlier in ancient China’s history, most people today celebrate according to the legends surrounding Qu Yuan. While the holiday has always been recognized as a cultural holiday, it was not until 2008 that it was observed as a public holiday by the Peoples Republic of China.

UA,Fort Smith Delegation,May 14-25

Leo Chu — Wed, 26 May 2010 02:18:10 +0000

At Bund,Shanghai,May 15

I just finished the tour of the Delegation from University of Arkansas,Fort Smith, USA. It was a 12-Day Trip that we visited 5 cities in China. From working on the paper works for all of these travel details to escort the whole trip, it made me know the reality and to ensure the tour quality. I had great time with these young, energetic American. I want to say THANKs for all of them for making this trip happened. Also, I want to say THANKS to Professor Peerbolte and Professor Wu that I had wonderful time of working with you!

Finally, I wish everyone the best and wish to see you again in the future!

First Day in Shanghai-May15-2010

EXPO Visiting, Pavilion of Croatia-May 16

EXPO Visiting, DPRK Pavilion,May 16

EXPO visiting China Pavilion-May 16

Yu Garden-Shanghai,May17,

Shanghai Changning District Government

Shanghai Global Luxury Trade Centre,May 17

Shenzhen Stock Exchange,May 20

Hong Kong Victoria Peak-May 21

They Married in Jumbo Restaurant,Hong Kong-May21

Summer Palace, Beijing,May23,2010

Obama Shirt in Summer Palace-May 23

At Great Wall-May 23

Temple of Heaven,May 23

Sitting Together at Dumpling Restaurant,Beijing

Happy Brithday, Kane! You are 24!

Three Italians, Tobacco, and China part 2

Frank Li — Sat, 15 May 2010 08:13:53 +0000

Matteo Ricci

In August 1582, the third Italian, Matteo Ricci who was born in 1552 in Macerata, today a city in the Italian region of Marche, arrived at Macau, a Portuguese trading post on the South China Sea coast where he learned Chinese language and customs.

In 1601 Ricci was invited by the Emperor Wanli（1563-1620）to become an advisor, he was the first Westerner to be invited into the Forbidden City. After his predictions of solar Eclipses, which were significant events in the Chinese world, Ricci was given free access to the Forbidden City, and granted a generous stipend that helped the Jesuits in China. However, he never met the reclusive Wanli Emperor.

Snuff Bottles

Upon arrival at the Forbidden City, Ricci presented the Emperor three important things: map of the world, two chime clock and snuff—the pulverized tobacco. As snuff became a part of life like tea and wine, scholars and the nobles developed a Chinese snuff culture. Snuff bottles were made of gold, silver, crystal etc. The story goes, when an official was scratching his crystal snuff bottle for some remains of the precious powder, he discovered the beauty of the scratching, and then the Inside-painting, a unique Chinese art was started.

Today, in China, there are several hundred million cigarette smokers; smoking is much more harmful than chewing and snuffing. From the beginning of 2011, China will ban smoking in public places, good news!