Enter the Magical West: A Tour Guide for the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau

Author: Qian Jun (Editor) / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Here is Guangdong's "Yu Hui Yuan," covering an area of 1,518 square meters. The overall layout of the garden is characterized by traditional Lingnan garden art, with themed buildings like the boat hall arranged near the pond. Modern garden architecture is complemented by stone carvings and wood carvings, blending with simple and abstract modern artistic forms. The garden's greening primarily features tropical plants such as palm trees, Erythrina indica, and Cassia fistula, with colorful shrubs added to highlight landscape layers and color variations.
This is Hainan's "Fengqing Yuan," where we can experience the charming scenery and Li ethnic culture of Hainan. The garden covers an area of 1,051 square meters. Based on Hainan's geographical environment, historical culture, and ethnic culture, the garden draws inspiration from the tropical landscapes of "Lu Hui Tou," "Tianya Haijiao," and "Wuzhi Mountain" to create its theme. A triangular garden is set in the center of the exhibition, featuring Li ethnic totem decorations, a sailboat dock, and scenic areas like the South China Sea, creating an engaging experience. The entire garden is planted with paradise grass from the United States, with king coconut trees as the main theme and and as complementary elements.
[Human and Nature Pavilion]
Hello, visitors! After exploring the Hainan Fengqing Yuan, the tour of the China outdoor exhibition is complete. Next, we will continue to visit the theme pavilion of the 99 Kunming International Horticultural Exposition—Human and Nature Pavilion. The Human and Nature Pavilion has a total construction area of 4,953 square meters and a land area of 19,148 square meters, with a paved area of 1,800 square meters, a greening area of 6,290 square meters, and a landscape water area of 6,100 square meters. The Human and Nature Pavilion is the theme pavilion of the exposition, and its construction integrates the terrain, utilizing two platforms with a height difference of 2.4 meters and water surfaces to fully express the concept of mountains, forests, water, and architecture blending together. The layout of the Human and Nature Pavilion is based on a triangular unit derived from a of a clover leaf, forming three hexagons. The building structure uses an stainless steel grid shell, with strong regularity, free spatial division, and a decorative composite aluminum plate roof. The height of the building is 15 meters. The gathering and resting square at the main entrance of the Human and Nature Pavilion is adjacent to the main tourist route and the landscape water area. A large expanse of grass gradually extends toward the water, offering a sense of closeness to nature. The water area is divided into two parts, with the front section larger and primarily featuring natural landscapes, connected to the front water area through waterfalls.
[Science and Technology Pavilion]
Now we have arrived at the Science and Technology Pavilion, with a total construction area of 3,064 square meters, a paved area of 1,080 square meters, and a greening area of 2,800 square meters. The ground level is at 1,938.95 meters. Based on the site conditions, the Science and Technology Pavilion is divided into two main parts: exhibition halls and a surround screen theater. The exhibition halls are arranged in a rectangular layout, 40 meters from the main tourist route, with a small square in front. The square is surrounded by greening, small decorative items, and flagpoles to enhance the atmosphere. The surround screen theater is designed in a spherical shape, located to the right front of the exhibition halls, metaphorically representing a fruit. The main exhibition hall has a reinforced concrete frame structure with a floor-to-ceiling height of 7.5 meters. Large areas of the hall use clear glass floor-to-ceiling windows, and a conical glass roof with a diameter of 12 meters is installed at the top to allow sunlight to enter, meeting the lighting needs of the central greening area. The surround screen theater has two floors: the lower floor is a café and lounge, while the upper floor is a surround screen cinema. The outer contour of the cinema is made of a steel grid shell with a silver-gray surface matching the aluminum plate facade. The spherical cinema has a diameter of 24 meters and can accommodate 230 spectators.
[International Pavilion]
The International Pavilion is located at the eastern end of the Expo Garden, with a total construction area of 11,000 square meters and a land area of 13,250 square meters. The square area is 4,300 square meters, and the greening area is 3,050 square meters. The indoor ground level is at 1,953 meters. The theme building is set against a lush mountain and forest backdrop, creating a beautiful environment. The building's design consists of a circular main body and an arc-shaped wall over 100 meters long, presenting large exhibition spaces to the audience. The structural design uses several circular column grids to create complete and flowing spaces. Exhibition rooms from around the world are arranged around the central courtyard, fully reflecting the harmonious relationship of an equal and friendly international family. The inclined arc-shaped building in the background exudes an upward and forward momentum, symbolizing the determination of humans and nature to move together into the 21st century. Most of the International Pavilion is two stories high, with a height of 8.5 meters, while some sections are three to four stories tall, reaching 19.2 meters. The overall plan size is approximately 66 meters × 78 meters. The circular roof of the central courtyard has a diameter of 18 meters, and the central circular area uses a steel grid shell glass skylight. The square in front of the International Pavilion is designed in harmony with the terrain, featuring a courtyard with scenic water flows, green grass, and flowers. The indoor and outdoor greening complement each other, integrating the pavilion layout into nature.
[Art Square – Revolving Stage – Cliff Sculpture]
We have now arrived at the Art Square, located at the center of the entire international outdoor exhibition area. During the World Expo, artists from various countries performed wonderful cultural programs here. Now, performances of Yunnan ethnic folk songs and dances are held here at fixed times. The giant sculpture we see here, with hands clasped, is a gift from the Guangdong Provincial People's Government to the World Expo, named "Hand in Hand." It symbolizes the unity of heaven, earth, and humans, implying harmonious development between humans and nature. "Hand in Hand" also carries another meaning: the Pearl River is the mother river of Guangdong, and its source is in Yunnan. Both Guangdong and Yunnan share the same river and the blessings of nature, with their people working together for progress.
This is the audience stand of the Art Square, capable of accommodating 5,000 spectators. To the right front are two stacked stones called the Wind-Activated Stones, which can rotate 360 degrees, with their speed influenced by the wind. The center of the square is the stage for artistic performances, with a musical fountain behind it. The cliff sculpture opposite us is the largest artificial mountain in China, standing 63 meters tall and carved from an old quarry. The red English letters "EXPO" on the cliff are the acronym for the 1999 World Horticultural Expo, with the emblem—the Green Flower of Life—to its left.
[Large Greenhouse]
Now, let's visit the Large Greenhouse to see exotic trees and flowers. The Large Greenhouse has a total construction area of 3,630 square meters and a land area of 2,400 square meters. The ground level is at 1,932 meters. The main body of the Large Greenhouse faces the central axis of the World Expo entrance, forming a linear connection with the Expo gate, Garden Avenue, and Century Square, making it a significant landmark and scenic feature. The design of the Large Greenhouse reflects a strong sense of modernity. The entire building is divided into several parts based on usage, including a lobby, exhibition halls, corridors, offices, tropical sections, temperate sections, and cold sections. The height of the building is 22.25 meters. The exhibition sections use high-transparency insulated glass and new transparent materials combined with steel structures, while the greenhouse sections employ prestressed steel and wood trusses, and the rest of the building uses a reinforced concrete frame structure. The overall structure appears lightweight, spacious, and modern. The facade uses variations in height and is segmented. The cold section is 8–12 meters high, the temperate section is 10–16 meters high, and the tropical section is 10–20 meters high, breaking the monotony of the building's shape. Based on the growing environments and ecological needs of plants in three climate zones, the three sections increase in size and height from small to large, with roof slopes also increasing progressively, forming a spiral upward trend. This metaphorically represents the dialectical law of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Visitors can admire the natural scenery both from the outside through glass and by immersing themselves inside, enjoying the craftsmanship of nature from different perspectives.