Xi'an World Expo Park
Xi'an World Expo Park is situated in Guangyun Lake, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, with a total area of 6,270 mu. Its main structures are Chang'an Tower, Creative Hall, and Natural Hall. Admission: free.
The site of the Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition, Guangyun Lake, lies on the bank of the Chanba River, historically known as 'Bashang,' one of ancient China's major ports. During the Tianbao period of the flourishing Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong held large-scale water transport expositions and trade fairs here, showcasing the advanced commerce and smooth water transportation of the Tang era, marking the beginnings of world expositions. The Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition was themed 'Eternal Peace & Harmony between Nature & Mankind, Creative Nature—City and Nature in Harmonious Coexistence.' Both the emblem and mascot were named 'Chang'an Flower,' inspired by the verse 'With vernal breeze my horse quickens its pace, in one day I've seen all of Chang'an's flowers.' They were designed by Chen Shaohua, a renowned graphic designer from Xi'an who also created China's Olympic bid emblem and zodiac stamps. The promotional slogan was 'Green Leads Fashion,' advocating a philosophy of 'simple yet not extravagant, low-carbon instead of high consumption, returning to nature without artificial embellishment, making green living a coveted fashion.' Actress Yan Ni, a Xi'an native, served as the image ambassador. The expo park covers a total area of 418 hectares (6,270 mu), including 188 hectares (2,820 mu) of water area, with an overall layout of 'Two Rings, Two Axes, and Five Clusters.' The 'Two Rings' include a main ring and a secondary ring. The main ring is the core exhibition area, home to outdoor gardens and horticultural displays; the secondary ring is the extended area, featuring service facilities like the Expo Village and management center. The 'Two Axes' refer to two landscape axes in the park: north-south as the main axis and east-west as the secondary axis. The 'Five Clusters' are Chang'an Garden, Creative Garden, Five Continents Garden, Science & Technology Garden, and Experience Garden. The main buildings are Chang'an Tower, Creative Hall, Natural Hall, and Guangyun Gate; five themed horticultural spectacles are Chang'an Flower Valley, Colorful Zhongnan, Silk Road Flower Rain, Overseas Grand Views, and Bashang Rainbow; and three distinctive service zones are Bashang Family, Coconut Breeze Waterfront, and European Flair.
The image of Chang'an Flower is derived from the city flower of Xi'an—the pomegranate blossom. Chang'an is the hometown of Zhong Kui, the god of pomegranate flowers, and the area abounds with pomegranate blossoms. The mascot's body shape and colors are creatively centered on the pomegranate. Its catchy name not only reflects Xi'an's ethnic character but also echoes the design concept of the expo emblem. Named Chang'an Flower, it shares the emblem's meaning.
The emblem of the Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition, named 'Chang'an Flower,' takes its meaning from 'With vernal breeze my horse quickens its pace, in one day I've seen all of Chang'an's flowers.' Its concept originates from Tao Te Ching: "The Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, three begets all things." It is a 'Hundred Flowers Auspicious Seal' formed by natural petal shapes of triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, and hexagons, designed by Chen Shaohua. The interpretation: three begets all things, flowers bloom auspiciously; four sides form the earth, heaven round and earth square; five leaves give birth to wood, forests shade and nurture; six streams become water, nourishing all beings. Specifically, the triangular shape resembles the Chinese character '人' (person), centered in the pattern, embodying people-oriented philosophy and representing culture, responsibility, and rationality; the quadrilateral resembles the ancient city wall of Xi'an, metaphorically 'Chang'an City,' symbolizing harmonious dwelling and Xi'an's identity; the pentagon, like a five-petaled flower—the most common bloom in nature—stands for the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) and symbolizes all natural things; the hexagon, reminiscent of a snowflake or flowing water, signifies the six directions (up, down, east, west, south, north), representing an all-encompassing universe. The natural progression from three to six reflects the harmonious coexistence of humanity, cities, nature, and the cosmos, aligning with the expo's theme of 'Eternal Peace & Harmony between Nature & Mankind, Creative Nature.' I. Design Philosophy: To showcase a new image of Xi'an that is green, modern, fashionable, and vibrant to the world. II. Design Concept: Inspired by Tao Te Ching: 'The Tao begets one, one begets two, two begets three, three begets all things.' The design uses natural petal shapes—triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, and hexagons—layered to form an 'Auspicious Hundred Flowers Seal' rich in Eastern charm: three begets all things, flowers bloom auspiciously; four sides form the earth, heaven round and earth square; five leaves give birth to wood, forests shade and nurture; six streams become water, benefiting all people. III. Symbolism: The triangular shape, like the Chinese character '人', placed at the center, embodies people-orientation; the quadrilateral shape, like the ancient city of Xi'an, symbolizes harmonious living; the pentagonal shape, resembling a five-pointed star, reflects Chinese characteristics; the hexagonal shape represents the all-embracing natural environment. The natural progression from three to six reflects the harmonious coexistence of people, city, and nature.
