Shanghai 2010 World Expo & Shaolin Haibao

[GeneChing]

Washington Post coverage

Shanghai opens Expo with dazzling display
By Farah Master and Ben Blanchard
Friday, April 30, 2010; 2:36 PM

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Shanghai officially opened its multi-billion-dollar Expo Friday with a dazzling display of fireworks, lasers and dancing fountains, amid tight security and the virtual shutdown of its main Pudong financial district.

After a rather low-key performance by singers and dancers in an indoor arena, the ceremony moved outside, with fireworks exploding off bridges and fountains shooting water up as high as 80 meters (263 ft).

Some 6,000 LED fuchsia, red and yellow balls floated into the murky Huangpu River, creating a bright sea of balloons against the black water.

"The World Expo is a grand event to showcase the best achievements of human civilization. It is also a great occasion for people from around the world to share joy and friendship," President Hu Jintao told a welcome dinner for foreign leaders.

"As the first registered World Expo hosted by a developing country, the Shanghai Expo will be an opportunity for China and also for the world," Hu added, to an audience which included North Korea's number two, Kim Yong-nam.

The city left nothing to chance for the big night, lining the roads with police and all but shutting down from early in the morning the Pudong financial area, home to China's tallest building, its main stock exchange and numerous upmarket hotels.

China's business capital, playing host to world leaders including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, is swabbing travellers for explosives at its airports, x-raying bags on the subway and even warning people not to hang their laundry outside.

The Expo aims to showcase the latest technology and inventions from 189 countries ranging from the United States and Germany to North Korea and financially troubled Iceland and Greece, often in innovative or bizarre national "pavilions."

Shanghai has taken great pride in hosting the Expo, nearly two years after the capital Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics, winning huge praise for the opening and closing ceremonies in another high-level security operation.

The city has spent a reported $58 billion on the Expo and related infrastructure to accommodate the 70 million mainly Chinese who will visit during the six-month spectacular.

The Expo site, which opens to the public Saturday morning, is expected to host on average more than 300,000 visitors a day.

"It's not a waste of money because as Chinese we need to support it. It is necessary for China as it will help us rise in international stature," said Chen Wei, 26, who was watching the ceremony on a giant screen in the ritzy Xintiandi shopping area.

'PEARL OF THE ORIENT' REVISITED

The Expo's theme is "Better City, Better Life," a slogan plastered all over rapidly expanding and crowded Shanghai.

The main site has been designed to be environmentally friendly, incorporating the country's largest solar plant and the use of zero-emission vehicles. However, most of the pavilions will be demolished after October 31 when the Expo ends.

The government also had to relocate thousands of people for the Expo, some forcefully, according to rights groups. Activists have been threatened by the police to keep quiet during the festivities.

"The Shanghai Expo authorities should be mindful that many remember the 2008 Beijing Olympics as much for the arrests and detention of peaceful protesters and journalists as for the achievements of the athletes," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.

Shanghai is counting on spectacle, business and tourism keeping politics out of most visitors' minds.

The city has tried to revive the glamour associated with it in the 1920s, when Shanghai was dubbed the "Pearl of the Orient" for the lavishness of its glitterati and art deco buildings.

Swathes of streets have been redeveloped, including the historic Bund waterfront promenade, where the government splashed out on a $700 million revamp.

Still, not everyone watching the ceremonies on screens around the city seemed to know much about what an Expo, also known as the world's fair, is.

"I was talking to a security guard the other day and he said the Expo only happens every 150 years. Is that true?" said Xiao Xiong, 32, a cleaner from the southwestern city of Chongqing.

(Additional reporting by Royston Chan, Melanie Lee and Jason Subler; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

[GeneChing]

This popped to the top of my newsfeed, probably because it mentions Jackie prominently.

Shanghai kicks off World Expo

Countries from all across the globe will have a presence in the 2010 World Fair in Shanghai

The multi-billion-dollar 2010 World Expo has officially opened in Shanghai, China's commercial capital, in what the country hopes will highlight its rising global influence.

More than 180 countries and 57 international organisations are expected to showcase their culture in the six-month long event themed around sustainable development.

Many are doing in so in pavilions with radical architecture.

Friday's opening ceremony was held amid tight security, featured a song by Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan, Austrian waltz music, a performance by pianist Lang Lang and a rendition of Puccini's Nessun Dorma by Italian pop tenor Andrea Bocelli.

A barrage of fireworks along the Huangpu River and a light show followed.

Relocation

World leaders, including Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, attended the opening ceremony.

The Chinese government spent eight years and more than $50 billion preparing for Expo Shanghai 2010, the country's first world's fair, which aims to showcase the latest technology and inventions through innovative or radical national "pavilions".

The main site has been designed to be environmentally friendly with the creation of the country's largest solar plant and the use of zero-emission vehicles. However, most of the pavilions will be demolished after October 31, when the Expo ends.

The government also had to relocate thousands of people for the Expo, some forcefully, according to rights groups.

"The Shanghai Expo authorities should be mindful that many remember the 2008 Beijing Olympics as much for the arrests and detention of peaceful protesters and journalists as for the achievements of the athletes," Sophie Richardson, the Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said.

Al Jazeera's Divya Gopalan, reporting from Shanghai, said despite the billions of dollars that had gone into preparing for the Expo, more than what was spent for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, there is more to the event than meets the eye.

"This event is not only about showcasing China's economic strength, it's also about showing the country's strength on the diplomatic front," she said.

"Leaders of countries are here to build ties with China with the view to improving their monetary status and their diplomatic relations.

"If a country chose to not come to this event, it would be regarded as a snub towards China. As a result we have seen 189 countries, ranging from the US and Germany to North Korea and financially troubled Iceland and Greece, come to Shanghai, and many of them have spent lots of money on pavilions to show their support to China."

Tight security

The government also launched the biggest security operation in China since the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing in preparation for the event.

As a result, not all Shanghai residents are celebrating the event, which brings additional traffic restrictions and security checks across the city.

"The traffic restrictions are not convenient for Shanghai residents but in the future, it will bring Shanghai many business opportunities," Xu Qing, a local resident, said.
in depth

An additional 8,000 police officers have been brought in to help Shanghai’s 46,000-strong police force to patrol the city, according to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency.

An estimated 70 million people, mainly Chinese, are expected to tour the giant exhibition site, as Shanghai hopes to recreate the glamour of an event that was traditionally seen as one of the most prestigious international events before the rise of the Olympics.

Shanghai allocated $45 billion to upgrade the city's infrastructure, creating the world's longest metro system, two new airport terminals and a $700 million promenade on the historic Bund as well as new roads, parks and bridges.

"They have certain expectations of the international audience," Bo Zhiyue, a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute, said.

"They are trying to boost their international image by trying to doing what they think will meet the expectations of foreigners."

The first world fair was held in London's Hyde Park in 1851, in the landmark Crystal Palace which was later destroyed in a fire.

The 1889 Paris Expo saw the creation of another famous landmark as French structural engineer Gustave Eiffel presented his Eiffel Tower as a tribute to
developments in science and engineering.

For China's 1.3 billion people, powering an economy likely to soon overtake Japan as the world's second-largest, the outcome of the Expo will be cast as another display of the Communist leadership's power and prestige.

factbox: SHANGHAI world expo

Expo's theme is "Better city, Better life"
70 million visitors expected, mostly Chinese, just five per cent will be foreigners
Will showcase the latest green technology from 189 countries and 57 organisations
20,000 cultural performances
First Expo in a developing country
Site spans 5.3 sq km across both sides of Huangpu River, twice the size of Monaco
China says it has spent $4.2bn - others say true cost is closer to $58bn
Standard day ticket costs $23 (160 yuan)
Shanghai allocated $45bn to upgrade city's infrastructure
City has adopted a blue shaped mascot called 'Haibao', meaning treasure of the sea
Runs from April 30 - October 31
Source: Reuters

[GeneChing]

First the theme song scandal and now this?

Has Gumby Been Robbed in Shangai?
Updated: 7 minutes ago
Jonathan Adams Contributor
AOL News

(April 30) -- The Shanghai Expo, the biggest world's fair ever, opened today amidst fireworks and lavish performances from Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. But as the event's five-month run begins, at least one nagging question remains unanswered: Is the ubiquitous symbol of the extravaganza a straight rip-off of Gumby?

The issue came up amidst uproar at a Shanghai news conference April 23, when a National Public Radio reporter produced pictures that highlighted similarities between the beloved, bendable green American character and the Shanghai Expo's mascot, Haibao.

According to NPR, Expo spokesman Xu Wei responded, "Haibao was unveiled a long time ago. If anyone thinks that their copyright has been violated, that person would already have used legal means to address this by now."

Haibao's creator, Wu Yongjian, said he never set eyes on Gumby before making his character and called any accusations of plagiarism an insult.
In comments to United Daily News, Haibao's Taiwanese creator Wu Yongjian strongly denied plagiarism, saying he had not seen the Gumby character before conceiving Haibao. He said the accusations were a "huge insult to his integrity" and reputation, and that he would not rule out legal action against anyone making reckless claims.

Gumbygate followed similar charges in the Japanese media that a tune used as an "official" song for the Shanghai Expo was a knock-off of a Japanese pop song, and that the Expo's China Pavilion borrows concepts from a Japanese architect.

Japan's NTV News even tracked down Joe Clokey, the son of Gumby's late creator Art Clokey. "It looks like they were influenced by Gumby, because that's Gumby's eyes, Gumby's shape, and the cowlick, [it's] a little bit like Gumby's hair," the junior Clokey said.

"When people want to use Gumby's shape ... they should just contact us. Gumby could be in China," he said, before joking, "Looks like he already is!"

Chinese blogger Han Han had other concerns. "Haibao makes my head hurt," wrote Han Han, as translated by China Smack. "When everyone saw that he was flat, it raised a big problem for those who were trying to make three-dimensional Haibaos: what should his back look like? Does he have a tail? Does he have a butt? Does he have a butt crack?

"No one knew, so when we saw statues of Haibao in the city, the front sides were all the same, but some Haibaos had backs without cracks, and others had cracks. But recently, because the Haibaos without butt cracks were more numerous, the butt crack has been announced officially as having left China."

Herewith, a brief look at how the two cow-licked humanoids stack up:
Gumby, left, and Haibao

Click the link for this last part - it's funny

[GeneChing]

433,000 people @ 86 degrees and 82 people with heat stroke isn't too bad. At a concert with 1/10th the attendees, we'd a higher percentage than 9 people.

Shanghai Expo Gets 433,000 Visitors on First Weekend (Update1)
May 03, 2010, 5:56 AM EDT

May 3 (Bloomberg) -- More than 433,000 people visited Shanghai’s $44 billion World Expo on its first weekend, enduring temperatures as high as 86 degrees Fahrenheit as they stood in queues that were as long as three hours for some exhibits.

Almost 128,000 people streamed into the 5.3 square kilometers (2 square-mile) Expo park today as of 5:00 p.m. local time, according to organizers. More than 225,000 visitors toured the exhibits yesterday, 17,900 more than the 207,700 there on May 1, the first day the event was open to the public.

“We came yesterday and today and all we did was wait in queues,” said Yang Jun, who came with five family members from neighboring Jiangsu province. “I’d have rather watched it on TV. It’s too hot out here.”

Police were deployed to oversee longer queues at some of the pavilions and water mist was sprayed over walkways and benches to help cool visitors after doctors at the site treated 82 people yesterday for heat stroke and other ailments. Shanghai, China’s richest city, estimates 70 million people will visit the six-month long expo, more than 10-times the number who traveled to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Temperatures rose to as high as 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) today, according to the China Meteorological Administration. Thunderstorms are forecast to hit the city tomorrow evening and the morning of May 5, with temperatures as high as 28 Degrees Celsius, according to the weather bureau.

More Shade

Organizers today opened special lines at gates into the park for visitors more than 70-years old and said they’re installing more shelters for shade, providing more water to visitors and adding doctors. Lines for more popular exhibits such as the Australia and U.K. pavilions continued to be as long as 30 minutes to 40 minutes, China Central Television reported.

Shanghai’s Dragon TV, a unit of government-owned Shanghai Media Group, called on visitors during its broadcast to obey rules set out by expo organizers as it showed footage of people cutting in line, trash littering the grounds and visitors circumventing a barrier to pick flowers off a tree on display.

“The expo is great,” said 29-year old Liu Ting, who traveled to Shanghai from northern China’s Inner Mongolia province. “It’s crowded but we were expecting that,” she said after visiting the Australian pavilion.

China Pavilion

Passes for the red China pavilion named “The Crown of the East” were gone before 9 a.m. local time on the Expo’s opening day. Pavilion officials yesterday handed out 50,000 of the free passes, China News Service reported. Arguments broke out between police and visitors barred from the China pavilion because they failed to obtain passes, Shanghai’s Dragon TV reported.

Lin Youmian, the 28-year old owner of a fashion accessories business in Fujian province, was among visitors who failed to get passes for the China pavilion today. Instead, she sat at the Turkish pavilion eating Iskender kebab, a traditional dish of grilled lamb and beef served over bread, which she described as “acceptable.”

“What I wanted to visit was the Chinese pavilion but we were too late,” Lin said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao officially opened the expo on April 30 at an evening ceremony marked by fireworks, a laser show and performances by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and martial-arts film star Jackie Chan. Visiting leaders including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso watched the display from the expo site along the shores of the Huangpu river.

Five-Day Holiday

To ensure smooth operations for the fair, Shanghai has deployed armed police to patrol the Expo park, restricted sales of knives and given local residents a five-day holiday through May 4, during which they’ve been asked to stay at home as much as possible.

Exhibits at the Shanghai expo include a giant mechanical baby at the Spanish pavilion, ostrich meat wraps at the Africa hall, Italian artisans making shoes by hand and beer served outside the German pavilion.

World expos began with the 1851 World’s Fair in London’s Crystal Palace that showcased the wealth and technological prowess of Europe’s industrialized nations.

They’ve led to the construction of iconic structures, including the Eiffel Tower and Seattle’s Space Needle. The events are now divided into so-called Universal Expos, such as the one in Shanghai, and smaller, more specialized exhibitions.

“I went to the expo in Hanover and this one here is so much nicer,” said Rufus Brevett, 19, a student from the U.K. “It’s massive.” Hanover, Germany hosted the 2000 expo.

--With assistance from Chua Kong Ho, Allen WanFan, Wenxin, Yang Huiwen and Luo Jun in Shanghai. Editors: John Liu, Gregory Turk

[GeneChing]

Word is that the lines are atrocious and unbearable.

Shanghai World Expo presents 6,500 free performances over two months
17:00, June 30, 2010

As of June 25, the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai already presented a total of 6,500 performances, or 116 performances per day on average, since the opening of the Expo Park, with 348 performance programs being repeatedly staged, according to a report by Wen Hui Daily.

Tourists who have viewed the performances number about 8.5 million and one of every two tourists to the World Expo has watched such a performance. Over the past two months, the World Expo-related cultural performances have been staged in a generally smooth and orderly manner.

They have highlighted the World Expo theme, enriched the happy atmosphere and helped to disperse tourist flows at the Expo Park.

There were average 116 performances per day in May and June at the Expo Park. The performing programs are large in number and high in performance frequency, implying the future trend for the World Expo – cultural performance activities will come to be the extension of the exhibition content.

During the two months, 39 countries from five continents, six international organizations and 14 cities conducted national pavilion days and honor day activities and special activities, and 11 Chinese provinces and municipalities each held week-long activities. Carefully selected by the organizers, all the performances highlight the most unique cultural features of every country and region, from which tourists have experienced the charm of diversified culture.

Three original performance programs will be staged in July and August. The shadow puppetry "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" will be staged at the Dock Theater between July 1 and Oct. 8. The warriors from the Shaolin Temple will give a Kung Fu performance, tailor-made for the World Expo, at the Entertainment Hall between July 1 and August 31. Another Kung Fu show "Wudang: Taiji and Dao" will be presented just at the Entertainment Square in front of the Entertainment Hall to compete with that of the Shaolin Temple.

As of June 25, exhibitors submitted 195 performance applications to the World Expo organizers, including much-watched famous performances to be performed by renowned performing groups. Scotland’s bagpipe is known as the "cultural business card" of Scotland and a bagpipe performance will be staged in the European Square in mid-July.

India's song and dance drama "Ticket to Bollywood" will be staged at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center in mid-July. The drama, strongly recommended by Indian government departments, showcases the 40-year development course of Bollywood. Furthermore, performances will be given by a Jamaican Reggae band, a drum performance group from Burundi, Italy's Teatro Regio Totino and other performing groups and all represent the highest artistic level of each country.

[GeneChing]

This kid is kungfu fighting
Print E-mail China Daily, July 2, 2010

This kid is kungfu fighting

One of the most popular attractions in Henan Province is the Shaolin Temple, a Buddhist temple famous for kungfu fighting monks. Now, visitors can catch a glimpse of the martial arts practitioners the temple is renowned for at the Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The Henan Pavilion promotes its culture to the world by bringing kungfu masters to perform in the Expo Garden. The Shaolin Temple kungfu show will continue until the end of the Expo.

Twelve-year-old Zheng Haohao, or Shi Yanhao, the name he goes by at the Shaolin Temple, is one of those performers. The young boy is a specialist in kungfu and enjoys sharing his talent with audiences all over the world. He performs four times a day. His passion and interest in learning kungfu convinced his parents to send him to the Shaolin Temple. Haohao left his home in Fuyang, Anhui province, three years ago at the age of nine. Devoting his life to the martial arts and the temple, he left behind his parents, a 14-year-old sister and a three-year-old brother. He only gets to go back to his family for 15 days a year during the Spring Festival.

Although he is away from home, he enjoys his life at the temple. And those who live at the temple enjoy a very healthy lifestyle.

He begins his day at 6 am with a run in the fresh mountain air. He said that this part of the day is very important in order to maintain his spirit.

After breakfast at 8 am, young monks like Haohao will spend time before noon taking school lessons in subjects such as maths and science.

"Basic courses are taught," said Shi Yanfeng, a 27-year-old senior monk. "They're not so hard. After all, here it is the kungfu that is essential."

After lunch, the afternoon is spent practicing kungfu. Haohao said he has learned more the three major kungfu styles taught at the temple.

Food at the Shaolin Temple is basic. Monks are served vegetarian dishes. Haohao is okay with a life without meat and, in fact, says he loves the food in the temple, especially the eggplant.

While other children his age have the Internet, TV and comic books, Haohao lives in a world focused on nature and peace. Instead of hanging out with friends in the street, he spends his time practicing kungfu with other young monks.

"We usually compare kungfu moves in our spare time," he said.

"They always like to run in the mountain," said Shi, the senior monk. "We quite enjoy this lifestyle. It's pure and simple."

This is not the first time that Haohao has left the temple to give performances. He said that he has visited New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom in past three years. That's why he says he is never nervous performing in front of people.

"I like to perform in front of an audience. They like my performances, and I feel very happy when performing."

That's true, the local eggplant is delicious. I used to hate it, but after eating so much of it at Shaolin, I've learned to love it.

[GeneChing]

I posted a new thread on Shaolin Zai Wo Xin Zhong (Shaolin Temple in My Heart) by Abbot Shi Yongxin two days ago.

Shanghai Book Fair 2010 opens
China Daily, August 11, 2010

Shanghai Book Fair 2010 starts on today at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. The annual exhibition features the theme "Love reading, love life - hand in hand with the Expo".

Nearly 500 Chinese publishers will bring some 150,000 books to the event, among which at least 100 will be new books.

Actors Jet Li and Zhou Libo, as well as Shi Yongxin, the abbot of Shaolin Temple will attend along with celebrity writers like Mo Yan, Wang Anyi and Liu Xinwu, who will give lectures or sign their books.

Besides showcasing a host of Expo-themed books, the book fair will also hold 20 Expo-related activities alongside its 400 cultural activities.

Visitors to Shanghai, with their Expo tickets, can enjoy all three evening book exhibitions for free, in addition to a discount of 20 percent on all books.

[GeneChing]

Maybe this will become my Shanghai news repository thread...

More parents in Shanghai send kids for kungfu classes
By Channel NewsAsia's China Correspondent Glenda Chong | Posted: 18 August 2010 0002 hrs

SHANGHAI : Summer holidays are here.

But instead of enrichment classes at summer school, a number of children in Shanghai are picking up another skill.

Rather than wield electronic games, they are now throwing real punches.

And kungfu classes have seen an increase in enrolment this year.

"Lately parents have been sending their children to learn martial arts because they want their kids to grow stronger and have more confidence. The kindergarten stabbing cases is another reason. Teaching kids kungfu can increase their awareness of self-defence," said head coach Liang Sheng Wen.

A series of attacks on schoolchildren left more than 20 dead earlier this year.

Concerned parents want to make sure their children know what to do.

So the focus of the kungfu classes is to teach kids how react to threats and evade potential attackers.

"There are several reasons for getting him to learn martial arts. First of all, it can strengthen his body and increase his awareness of self-defence," said one grandparent.

But for the little ones, it's just another fun activity.

"Firstly, after learning Taekwondo I can protect myself. Secondly, it can also strengthen my will power. Thirdly, I can make more friends," said a young Chinese girl who is enrolled in a kungfu class.

The kungfu lessons cost about US$300 for 50 sessions.

Parents said this is a small price to pay for peace of mind. And for the kids, the training will help them stay safe. - CNA /ls

[GeneChing]

This is connected to a post I just made on the Bruce Lee Museums thread.

Kung Fu Pavilion shows its chops
* Source: Global Times
* [17:16 August 18 2010]
By Duan Wuning

Foshan marked the opening of its China Kung Fu Pavilion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai yesterday, featuring kung fu elements and ceramic displays.

Situated in the Pavilion of Future in the Urban Best Practices Area, the pavilion will be open until August 23. It covers an area of 1,200 square meters and features 50 ceramic statues of Bruce Lee.

The Guangdong city of Foshan is known to the world as the hometown of the late martial artists Bruce Lee and Ip Man, as well as for its major industry of ceramics.

"We want to make use of international platforms such as the Expo and the Asian Games to promote martial arts to the world, which we hope can one day be an Olympic event," said Qiu Dailun, president of pavilion co-organizer 1506 Creative City.

Organizers of the pavilion will select a kung fu advocate through a talent competition, in which they will invite 1,506 visitors to the pavilion to strike a pose that they think best encapsulates kung fu. Pictures of the entrants will be posted on the China Kung Fu Wall inside the pavilion. Awards of up to 4,518 yuan ($664) will be given for the best poses.

They added that they are considering submitting the wall for a Guinness World Record which, at 20 meters long, four meters tall and carrying 1,506 pictures, they claim will be the largest kung fu display in the world.

Also on show are examples of the global use of Foshan ceramics.

[GeneChing]

China seeks ultimate image representative of Chinese Kung Fu
13:25, August 19, 2010

Flocks of tourists gathered around 110 red Chinese Kung Fu sculptures of Bruce Lee on display at the World Expo on Aug. 17. On the same day, the week-long Foshan Case Pavilion opened, seeking the ultimate image representative of Chinese Kung Fu all over the world.

The Foshan Case Pavilion, the theme of which was "Chinese Kung Fu," swept the Expo Park with a red whirlwind and fascinated tourists. Each of the 50 sculptures in the pavilion has a different item placed on one foot. The Bruce Lee sculpture with a TV screen on one foot is as high as 5 meters and attracted most of the attention.

The organizer of the Foshan Case Pavilion said that 50 of the 110 statues that have been moved all the way to the Expo are on display at the Foshan Case Pavilion, and the rest are in the City Square, the Expo Center and other areas.

It was disclosed that the Foshan Case Pavilion will give one statue to Shanghai as a gift after the Expo ends, and the organizer hopes that the statue can be put in front of the China Pavilion or on the Expo Meteorological Tower at the Pavilion of the Future.

In addition, the Foshan Case Pavilion has designated a special area for taking Kung Fu photos and started looking worldwide for image representatives for Chinese Kung Fu. The organizer will invite 1,500 domestic and foreign Expo visitors from Aug. 17 to Aug. 23 to pose for photographs.

After the tourists sign an agreement that grants the organizer rights to display their portraits, they can stand in poses that they think can best represent Chinese Kung Fu before the statues. Their photos will be pasted on the Chinese Kung Fu Display Wall after being developed and printed.

In addition to immediately seeing their photos, visitors taking photos with the sculptures will also receive a commemorative stamp with the engraving "Chinese Kung Fu" and a commemorative T-shirt.

According to sources, this activity will also be held in many cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou as well as overseas cities. Ten types of Chinese Kung Fu images, including the most powerful image, the most creative image, the most professional image, the most intelligent image, the most adorable image, the most intelligent image, the most beautiful image, the gentlest image, the most confident image, the most heroic image and the most martial image, will be selected and be rebuilt and integrated into one ultimate image that is able to represent Chinese Kung Fu the most.

The ultimate figure will be built as a 35-meter-high ceramic sculpture baked in the Foshan Nanfeng Ancient Kiln and titled "Kung Fu God of China."

In addition, sponsors will create a dedicated Web site for Chinese Kung Fu after collecting 1,500 Chinese Kung Fu photos and allow netizens around the world to select the most representative photo of Chinese Kung Fu through the Internet. The winners will be rewarded a total of 150,600 yuan and the photo of the grand prize winner may also become the prototype of the "Kung Fu God of China."

Kung Fu God of the whole world is more like it. I've always felt Bruce was more San Franciscan than Chinese.

[r.(shaolin)]

Kung Fu God of the whole world is more like it. I've always felt Bruce was more San Franciscan than Chinese.

Good point. Bruce's fame and even a good part of his art are "Made in the USA"
The PRC/CCP red seem rather . . . inappropriate.

r.

[Northwind]

ACK!!!!
Yah...I think 李小龍 is not the best choice

[GeneChing]

I know several people who have been to the Expo already, but
I have yet to hear from anyone who has actually seen these shows.

Chinese martial arts showcased at Expo
China Daily, Xinhua, August 23, 2010

A monk from the Shaolin Temple performs Shaolin Kungfu at the Entertainment Hall of the World Expo Park in Shanghai, August 19, 2010. Monks from the Shaolin Temple and members of the kungfu team under the Wudang Taoist Association showcased two distinctive styles of Chinese martial arts, Shaolin Kungfu and Taichi at Shanghai Expo on Thursday. [Xinhua]

[GeneChing]

We need more photos from this exhibit.

Bruce Lee kicks back at the Expo
English.news.cn 2010-08-26 10:27:01

BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Kung fu icon Bruce Lee - a powerful figure in shining red ceramic - stands on one leg and kicks the other explosively, almost vertically into the air, balancing the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

Forty-nine other bright-red Bruce Lees in identical poses balance landmarks from around the world, such as the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium in Beijing, the Arc de Triomph in Paris, the Sydney Opera House, the post-911 World Trade Center site, the Guggenheim Art Gallery, the British Museum and the Burj Dubai hotel.

The idea is that superhero Lee can lift mighty monuments.

The spectacular kick is called the "Foshan shadowless foot" (Foshan wuyingjiao) because the motion is so fast that it is said to have no shadow. Foshan City in Guangdong Province nurtured Lee and other kung fu masters.

The 50 figures, each around two meters high, are a big draw at the world Expo where they are clustered outside the Pavilion of Future in the Urban Best Practices Area. Visitors can stand next to the master and assume their own poses for photographers.

The statues comprise an art installation, "China Kung Fu," by Shu Yong, the winner of the 2007 Florence Biennale Career Award. It combines sculpture with video and performance art.

All sculptures, and the mini monuments, are made of famous ceramic from Foshan, one of the cradles of Chinese ceramics.

Foshan is also significant because of its kung fu history involving Bruce Lee, Wong Fei-hung and Yip Wen.

The installation was sponsored by 1506 Creative City in Foshan; 1506 refers to the date of the early Foshan kilns.

"Some people challenged me saying that this piece is too aggressive," says Shu. "Those who say that don't have a deep knowledge of Chinese kung fu. Chinese martial arts activate one's inner power through body techniques that harmonize with the outside world.

"The highest level of Chinese kung fu is restrained, self-cultivated and profound rather than arbitrary and aggressive."

The director of 1506 Creative City, Qiu Dalin, says that if visitors don't know the history and background of Foshan, then they cannot truly interpret the sculptures.

"The city is one of the birthplaces of China's ceramics and is also the largest ceramic production area in the world," he said.

Porcelain from Foshan can be seen virtually everywhere in the world.

"But many people don't realize the significance of Foshan. I'm glad this is the first time Foshan ceramics and culture are presented in the spotlight of the World Expo."

Artist Shu Yong says he is connected to Foshan because one of his ceramic works "Flower of Life" was made in Foshan.

"At that time, I searched almost all the kilns in the country but still could not make it. By accident, and with help of Qiu Dalin, I completed the work in Nanfeng Ancient Kiln in Foshan."

He said he began to understand Foshan that once represented a quarter of the world's ceramic production, and he learned its many stories.

So when he thought of a work about Foshan, he thought of Bruce Lee to convey the message.

The task was difficult, involving more than 200 people working for half a year, getting up at 8am and working until 2 or 3am, or even around the clock, said Shu.

"Sometimes I felt like an abusive contractor, but actually I am an artist. Sometimes I felt very confused because I didn't want to be that harsh, but I had to get the work done."

Shu is proud that the statues attract so much attention at the Expo.

"They resonate with the viewers," he said.

"We aim to make exactly 1,506 Bruce Lee sculptures because Nanfang Ancient Kiln in Foshan was built in 1506."

He likes to imagine a touring exhibition of Bruce Lees made in Foshan.

"It would be fascinating to see a cluster of Bruce Lees in front of the White House or the British Museum - both housing Foshan ceramics, a hidden link between these iconic buildings," he said.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)

[GeneChing]

....and not one member of our forum here.

Shanghai World Expo ends; drew 72 million visitors
By ELAINE KURTENBACH, Associated Press
Associated Press October 31, 2010 06:36 AM
(10-31) 06:36 PDT SHANGHAI, (AP) --

China wrapped up its record-breaking World Expo on Sunday with a lavish display of national pride, as organizers of the mammoth event pledged to continue pursuing more sustainable, balanced growth.

More than 72 million visitors have been treated to a smorgasbord of cultures and technologies focused on the theme "Better City, Better Life" in the biggest, most expensive expo since such events began with the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, which marked the coming of the Industrial Revolution.

The event showcased China's rise as a modern industrial power, and drew accolades from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said it "offers hope for tackling global challenges."

"The Shanghai Expo will close soon but it will not be forgotten," Ban told dignitaries gathered Sunday for closing festivities. "Let us keep the Shanghai vision alive in our discussions and our lifestyles."

The expo's theme of urban sustainability dovetails with Beijing's own agenda of shifting to a more sustainable pace of growth after decades of untrammeled industrialization that have brought unprecedented affluence, but also huge gaps between wealthy and poor and massive environmental degradation.

Building better cities is an urgent priority, not "just something that would be nice to have," said Sha Zukang, U.N. under secretary-general.

"We must make it possible and make it happen," he said.

China spent 28.6 billion yuan ($4.3 billion) on the event and many billions more on improving subways, airports and other public facilities in Shanghai, a metropolis of more than 20 million people. The entire city got fresh paint, new landscaping and flowers and a kaleidoscope of decorative lighting.

In an effort to make the event "green," Shanghai deployed electric buses and carts and installed energy-saving air conditioning and water filters meant to reduce use of bottled water. It also recycled rain water and made use of solar power.

But lavish opening and closing ceremonies — Sunday's extravaganza included ladies in pink gowns wearing headpieces shaped to represent the myriad national pavilions — showed the country's obsession with exhibiting its newfound wealth and power.

The majority of visitors were from the Shanghai region and elsewhere in China — ordinary folk who flooded into the city, enduring waits of up to 10 hours, sweltering summer temperatures and other inconveniences for what might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience of foreign places and people.

The 72 million who managed to get to the event surpassed the previous record of 64.21 million visitors who attended the 1970 fair in Osaka, Japan. The two square mile (5.2 square kilometer) expo zone handled an average of 370,000 visitors each day, and a record 1.03 million on Oct. 16.

"The pavilions look great from the outside, better than I expected, but I'm not convinced it's worth waiting for hours in lines to get in," said Liu Xiaoyin, who drove her 13-year-old daughter to Shanghai from a nearby city.

For those patient enough to wait, highlights included Denmark's famed "Little Mermaid" sculpture, a rooftop cable car ride above a replica alpine meadow at the Swiss pavilion, famous impressionist paintings from the Louvre at the French pavilion, and entertainment by Cirque du Soleil courtesy of Canada.

"Thanks to the expo, people like me who never would have a chance to go abroad can experience the whole world," said Zou Aiguo, a retiree from central China's Jiangxi province whose son gave him an expo tour as a present.

Though the event did provoke some complaints, especially from those unhappy to be forced out of old housing to make way for the expo zone, the authorities stifled any public protests or dissent.

All but a handful of the more than 200 structures built for the expo along the banks of the Huangpu river — former shipyards and steel works likely destined to become prime real estate — are to dismantled and recycled or otherwise disposed of.

The next expo, in 2012, will be in the South Korean port city of Yeosu, with a similar theme of "Green Growth, Blue Economy," or marine-based sustainability. After that the expo will move to the Italian city of Milan in 2015, with a focus on food safety and security.