Before Chongming Flower Expo Cultural Park Closes, Let Me See You One More Time: Touring ‘China’ in a Day

The 43-day 10th China Flower Expo was held from May 21 to July 2, 2021, in the Dongping National Forest Park area, Chongming District, Shanghai. After closing on July 2, to meet the needs of families traveling with children and leisure vacations during the summer, it continued to open to the public as the Flower Expo Cultural Park after some partial adjustments, and closed smoothly on August 31. We rushed here on August 23, just before the closing. We originally hadn't planned to visit the Flower Expo Cultural Park, but a good friend sent a link. The content was roughly: In order to let more citizens enjoy the beautiful ecological scenery of the flower expo, Chongming District decided to offer free admission to the Flower Expo Cultural Park for tourists staying in hotels, B&Bs, or farm stays in Chongming. So, our group of 22 friends organized a three-day, two-night farm stay trip to Chongming Island, and one of the activities was to visit the Flower Expo Cultural Park for free.

On the 24th, it was overcast. After breakfast in the morning, we drove from our farm stay to the Flower Expo Cultural Park. All the parking lots were closed, and only P1 at the North Garden was open. Entering the North Garden through the parking lot, the first thing that caught our eye was the main entrance building, which resembled two leafy trees but also two blooming white magnolias. The gate of the building is 19.21 meters tall and 100 meters wide, symbolizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.

Since many venues were closed, we chose the following tour route: First stop: Century Pavilion. Second stop: Fuxing Pavilion. Third stop: Domestic Exhibition Area, including Shanghai Garden, Beijing Garden, Zhejiang Garden, Jiangsu Garden, Anhui Garden, Jilin Garden, Yunnan Garden, Henan Garden, Sichuan Garden, Tibet Garden, Hong Kong Garden, Taiwan Garden, etc.

The Butterfly Century Pavilion was certainly not to be missed. With its unique colorful butterfly shape, it became the most popular photo spot in the flower expo park. Inside, the Century Pavilion is divided into an East Hall and a West Hall. The West Hall serves as a plant-themed pavilion, divided into two main parts: an indoor exhibition hall and an outdoor open-air exhibition hall. The Century Pavilion is covered with 680,000 fresh flowers, making it the largest rooftop garden in China. The rooftop garden was already closed, and visitors were no longer allowed on the butterfly wings.

The magnificent Fuxing Pavilion, structured with classical Chinese sloping roofs and colonnades, features layered, surging roof surfaces that symbolize the magnificent journey of the path to rejuvenation.

Fuxing Pavilion is the indoor exhibition area for various provinces, regions, cities, and branches of the China Flower Association. Areas A1 and B1 were still open. We chose to browse the B1 exhibition area, since it contains the popular indoor venues of Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. As Shanghai tourists, we definitely wanted to see the Shanghai Pavilion.

The Shanghai Pavilion, themed 'Sea of Flowers, City of Shanghai,' created an urban garden beneath magnolia blossoms through three large landscapes featuring the city flower, the white magnolia.

'Colorful' magnolia-themed ribbon arches, magnolia carvings, and magnolia petal decorative structures.

Inside the Shanghai Pavilion, seven exhibition areas, including a potted flower display area and a cut flower display area, are arranged in an orderly fashion, with over 600 exhibits on display — the largest number of exhibits ever for the indoor Shanghai garden at any flower expo.

In the potted flower display area, hundreds of exquisite potted flowers are beautifully arranged on high and low display stands against a dark gray background, creating a strong sense of layering.

Next door was the Jiangsu Pavilion. The main entrance was spacious and grand, with the bright, large characters 'Jiangsu' and the theme phrase 'Jasmine Blooms, Chinese Dream' looking bold and weighty, especially eye-catching.

Inside, the layout strongly reflected the style of the times and the ecological characteristics of Jiangnan.

With a lively atmosphere of auspicious clouds, interspersed layouts of flower arrangements, potted plants, and penjing, and the emphasis on jasmine, Jiangsu's famous flower, it vividly presented Jiangsu's contemporary charm.

The Zhejiang Pavilion landscape was themed 'Red Boat Centenary, Flowers Bloom in Zhejiang,' taking the century-long struggle of the Party as the main thread, and perfectly blending design elements such as the red boat, green bamboo, and ecological residences with floral and horticultural exhibits.

Through four chapters — 'Dreaming Back to South Lake,' 'Green Waters and Mountains,' 'Beautiful Homeland,' and 'Happy Life' — it showcased the achievements of Zhejiang's new floral and horticultural products and technologies.

After leaving Fuxing Pavilion, we arrived at the Domestic Exhibition Area, an open-air zone with pavilions from various provinces and cities lining the roads.

The first one we saw was the Shanghai Garden. Named 'Dream Source Garden,' it implies that Shanghai is the birthplace of the Communist Party of China, the source of the original aspiration, and one of the places where the Chinese Dream is realized, profoundly interpreting the theme of the flower expo.

Red elements of Shikumen (stone-framed gate) came into view. 'Dream Source Garden' has four major features: the interweaving of tradition and modernity, a rich variety of new and superior plant species, exquisite construction techniques, and meticulous horticultural maintenance.

Following the sequence of covered corridors, pathways, and zigzag bridges, passing through a water plant exhibition area with diverse forms, and a colorful, natural undergrowth flower belt area, it created an exhibition garden that balances rich, varied landscapes with a spiritual experience.

At the entrance of Beijing Garden stood a wooden archway inscribed with 'Beijing Garden.' The red walls inside were very striking, easily reminding people of Beijing's classical landscape architecture.

Inside, the flowers were mainly traditional varieties such as roses, chrysanthemums, peonies, and lotuses as the focal points, based on the landscape pattern and old city framework. The ancient architectural style with Forbidden City red walls is strongly characteristic of Beijing, making it a great photo spot.

Tianjin Garden was themed 'Flowers Bloom at Tianjin's Gateway.' Through interactive technological floral installations, sculptures of Yangliuqing dolls, and a variety of flower plantings, it fully expressed the profound cultural heritage reflected in a century of Tianjin's history.

Jiangsu Garden's theme was 'Six Delights of Planting Flowers.' It mainly showcased the beauty of classical gardens, with small bridges over flowing water, pavilions, and exquisite greenery arrangements.

Jiangsu Garden was the only one enclosed on all four sides with pink bricks and black tiles, reflecting the enclosed, tranquil characteristics of Jiangnan classical gardens.

Hebei Garden was themed 'Yanzhao's Fragrant Beauty.' Using academy culture as the design concept, it applied traditional Chinese garden landscaping techniques to blend Hebei's representative historical and cultural features with floral landscapes, presenting a 'Flowers Blooming, Chinese Dream' with Hebei characteristics.

Zhejiang Garden's theme was 'Chasing Dreams in Zhejiang.' Employing Zhejiang-style garden landscaping, it transformed the garden into a 'leading sail' ship.

Shanxi Garden was themed 'A Shanxi Dream in the Flower Garden.' Its featured sights included the Guanque Tower (Stork Pavilion), Tang-style Jin charm, a sculpture of Liu Zongyuan, and the Kaiyuan Iron Ox.

Shanxi Garden made a grand gesture by bringing Guanque Tower to the flower expo, showcasing Tang Dynasty Jin-style charm. Walking among Shanxi's native plants like pomegranates, jujubes, persimmons, roses, and hibiscus, with the tinkling bells from the tower above, it was very refreshing.

Anhui Garden, themed 'The Beauty of Anhui Style, New Ink-Wash Charm,' organically combined specialty plants, garden architecture, and landscape ornaments to create an ecological and harmonious spatial atmosphere, allowing visitors to fully experience Anhui's economic, social, and cultural features.

To experience prairie scenery, don't miss Inner Mongolia Garden. Here, blooming grasslands were imitated, with yurts faintly visible and Mongolian folk songs in the air — truly transporting you to the vast prairie in an instant.

Liaoning Garden, themed 'Revitalization Dream Song,' displayed elements such as the 5,000-year-old Hongshan culture, the Liao River — hailed as the 'Mother River' by the people of Liaoning — and the profound heritage of the old industrial base.

Jilin Garden was themed 'Spring Dawn on Buxian Mountain.' It distilled iconic elements of Jilin Province's natural scenery, cultural heritage, and industrial achievements, using a design technique combining reality and illusion to outline a spring scene of blooming flowers on a early morning after rain on Changbai Mountain. With a miniature Fuxing bullet train as a carrier, through Changbai Mountain scenery, ginseng culture, Zen imagery, and various flower borders, it guided visitors to recall Jilin's history, enjoy its scenery, and feel the Chinese Dream in the era of rejuvenation.

Heilongjiang Garden at the Flower Expo Cultural Park

The flowers and plants inside weren't extremely vibrant, and there were white objects on the grass simulating ice and snow.

Guangdong Garden, also called 'Yuefang Garden,' was themed 'Flowers Blooming, Chinese Dream; Green Beauty, Lingnan Affection.'

Jiangxi Garden's theme was 'Azaleas Bloom Ever Brighter.' The garden unfolded around three clues: a red ribbon, green mountains and waters, and colorful technology.

Fujian Garden was themed 'Splendid Rivers and Mountains, Chinese Dream; Floral Fragrance Flowing, Fujian Sentiment.' It was divided into the 'Fujian Family' main entrance area, the 'Sun and Moon Shining Together' waterfront landscape area, and the 'Happy Events in the Flower Field' themed plant area, drawing on Fujian cultural imprints like ancient houses, flying eaves, red walls, and tulou, using representative plants such as plantains, loquats, and bamboo, as well as signature flowers like bougainvillea and cockscomb, to create a characteristic romantic garden that condenses Fujian culture.

Guangxi Garden, themed 'Blooms in the South, Beauty Crowns the World,' integrated Guangxi's distinctive landscape elements, ethnic elements, and special flowers into the scenery, fully showcasing Guangxi's culture and the achievements of its flower industry.

Hainan Garden, themed 'Flowers Bloom in Hainan, Shared by All,' fully demonstrated Hainan's regional features and Li ethnic traditional culture through a boat-shaped entrance gate, the Luhuitou statue, blue waters, sandy beaches, and islands.

Shandong Garden, themed 'Blooming in a Prosperous Age, Fragrance Drifts Across Qilu,' uniquely featured Shandong characteristics, presenting a beautiful picture of blooming flowers and dancing fragrances.

Shenzhen Garden, themed 'Mountains and Seas, Deep City; Flourishing in Style and Grace,' used the city flower of Shenzhen, bougainvillea, as the theme flower, fully displaying the beauty of the city flower, the garden, and the city's culture.

Shaanxi Garden, themed 'Inheriting Red Spirit, Blooming Across Shaanxi,' transformed Yan'an's Baota Mountain into a landscape highlight using paper-cut art combined with rusted plates.

Chongqing Garden, themed 'Surrounded by Mountains and Rivers, Chongqing in Bloom,' was primarily created with plants, using flowers, trees and shrubs, and constructed wetlands as carriers to showcase Chongqing's urban pattern of 'a city among mountains and waters, mountains and waters within the city.'

Gansu Garden, themed 'Blooming Like Wishes, Realizing Dreams in Gansu,' outlined a magnificent scroll of Silk Road splendors, charming Longyuan, and a profusion of flowers — a beautiful picture of Gansu.

Qinghai Garden, themed 'Flowers of Three Rivers, Magnificent Qinghai,' connected five landscape zones with a circular walkway.

Ningxia Garden, themed 'Frontier Flowers, Wolfberry Fragrant Households,' displayed Ningxia's magical and beautiful natural landscapes through four scenic spots: Flowers and Fruits at Helan, Red and Green Liupan, Nine-Bend Flower River, and Wolfberry Fragrant Households.

Xinjiang Garden, themed 'Flowers and Fruits Fragrance, Unity and Progress,' used the pomegranate spirit of 'all ethnic groups embracing each other tightly like pomegranate seeds' to symbolize a colorful belt of the Belt and Road, weaving through the whole garden, with a landscape layout encompassing 'one belt and four gardens.'

Tibet Garden, themed 'Ecological Tibet,' comprehensively demonstrated the achievements of urban and rural ecological environment construction in Tibet.

Since we were aiming to 'tour all of China in a day,' we couldn't miss the Roof of the World — Tibet. The Tibet Garden was rich in Tibetan style, with all the characteristic elements present: white pagodas, Bema walls, and prayer flags.

Hong Kong Garden was themed 'Fragrance Garden.' The structure imitated the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower, with blooming bauhinia, native Hong Kong rhododendrons, osmanthus, and kapok trees planted on both sides.

Taiwan Garden's theme was 'Blooms Across Both Shores, United Hearts Dream Together.' The northern area connected multiple landscapes (such as Dancing Butterflies, Viewing Pavilion, 101 Flower Tower, etc.) with a circular path.

Macau Garden was themed 'Dream Back to the Inner Harbor.' The exhibition garden interpreted the form of a dream through a 'green scroll,' using greenery as the foundation to showcase Macau's unique urban floral landscape that blends Chinese and Western cultures. Macau Garden is just perfect for photos. Around a circular fountain are several rings of buildings in different styles and colors, fully showing Macau's city style of cultural fusion between China and the West. Moreover, these structures feature flower walls, flower windows, and flower corridors — let's take an 'overseas trip' here!