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| The unveiling ceremony of the sculpture of Prosperity and Harmony. |
It was the perfect day for a celebration. The sky was clear, the sun was warm, and the location was beautiful. Hundreds gathered in the large and spacious Chao Yang Park on the morning of September 22, 2009 to witness the dedication and unveiling of the sculpture of Prosperity and Harmony.
The sculpture was designed by the famous artist Zheng Niu Hong and was donated by Dr. Francis Pang, Chairman of the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) and the Beijing Concord College of Sino Canada (BCCSC). The stone sculpture weighs approximately 26 tons, and is 3.9 meters tall. The sculpture was designed in the form of a large stamp, signifying the seal of approval for the people of China.
The dedication opened with live drumming as the ceremony officials came onto the stage. Along with school officials from both BCCSC and CISB, several prominent members of the community also attended.
There was a large media presence at the unveiling, as well as several hundred grade ten students from BCCSC.
Each official made a brief speech including Dr. Pang.
“We are very fortunate to have this very special treasure,” said Dr. Pang. “The young people of China and around the world are looking forward to global harmony.”
The project began about three years ago when Dr. Pang went in search of an appropriate donation for this event. The gift was to represent the young people of Canada to be given to the young people of China in celebration of the country’s 60th anniversary. He gathered thoughts and idea from many of his colleagues before stumbling upon Zheng Niu Hong’s designs.
“He happened to start to design a Sculpture of Harmony three years ago,” said Dr. Pang, in an interview. “He sent me the conceptual design. When I looked at the sketch of the “Harmony Seal” I realized that it would be a perfect gift to present to the Chinese young people.”
Together the terms prosperity and harmony mean that the people have approved and confirmed the work done by the Chinese government. In the past 60 years, the government has worked towards creating a more prosperous and harmonious relationship among its own people and the rest of the world. China has exceeded many people’s expectations, especially with its open door policy, says Dr. Pang.
In terms of the celebration of the People’s Republic of China’s (P.R China) 60th anniversary, Dr. Pang is quite proud to see how far the country has come.
"The establishment of the P. R China 60 years ago allowed for significant changes in this country,” he said. “There has been unbelievable growth in all areas. China has become a much better country in which to live and work. "
