Zhongshan Special

Zhongshan has long-term relationship with World Expos

By Zhan Lisheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-20 07:43

The former residence of Dr Sun Yat-sen, China's democratic forerunner. Photos Provided to China Daily

Zhongshan will open its door to visitors from May 22 to 27 at the Urban Best Practices Area (UBPA) during the Shanghai World Expo.

The Pearl River Delta city has three exhibition halls for displaying its recent development, its culture and history, as well as its unique multimedia charity parade.

The exhibition halls cover a total area of 1,500 sq m.

The city is the birthplace of Dr Sun Yat-sen or Sun Zhongshan (1886-1925), forerunner of China's democratic revolution, which overthrew the feudal Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in 1911. Zhongshan was named after this historical figure after he died in 1925.

"Dr Sun advocated 'fraternity' during his lifetime. As his hometown, Zhongshan has done a lot to carry forward that spirit," said Yin Zhaoju, vice-mayor of the city.

The theme for Zhongshan's Expo show will be "fraternity and harmony".

Charity parade

The charity parade, held on the day of the Chinese Lantern Festival, the 15th day after the Spring Festival, takes place every year in the city to raise funds for the elderly and needy.

At the Expo exhibition, the development of this annual parade over the past 23 years will be highlighted and displayed via multimedia.

"There will also be folk art performances outside, which are expected to help reproduce the jollity of the city's annual gala," said Jian Haiyan, deputy president of China Red Cross Society's Zhongshan branch and deputy director of the city's delegation to the Shanghai Expo.

The performances, which will take place from 15:30 to 16:10 everyday during the six days, include drunken dragon dance performed by an art troupe from the city's Changzhou West district, as well as a crane dance and lion dance by the troupe from its Shaxi township.

According to Jian, Zhongshan's exhibition halls will integrate cultural elements with economic ones, tradition with modernity and show off the city's great historical figures, celebrities, towns, businesses and brand names.

City's Expo history

"Believe it or not, we have reasonable evidence that the first Chinese who attended the World Expo was from Zhongshan and that the first Chinese who proposed that the World Expo should be held in Shanghai was also from our city," said Jian.

Historical records indicate that Xu Rongcun, a businessman from the city, was the first Chinese to attend the World Expo in London in 1851, while Zheng Guanying, a successful industrialist and eminent philosopher, became the first Chinese to propose in 1893 that Shanghai should host the World Expo.

The First World Expo in London in 1851 failed to attract any attention of the Chinese except Xu Rongcun, who was a successful businessman in Shanghai then. Xu handpicked 12 packs of "Yung Kee" silk for the Expo in London and the product won a golden prize.

In 1893, Zheng Guanying advised that Shanghai should host the World Expo to make the people rich and revitalize the businesses in his masterpiece "Words of Warning in Times of Prosperity", in which he elaborated upon the concept of commercial war.

Zheng wrote that the World Expo would bring numerous benefits to the people and the nation, and help improve techniques, products and businesses in China.

If you want more information on Zhongshan's participation to Shanghai World Expo 2010, please visit http://expo2010.zs.gov.cn/main/english/index.action

(China Daily 05/20/2010 page3)