Secret utopia seeks 'return to nature'

The hidden utopia described by famous poet Tao Yuanming from the Jin Dynasty (317-420) will surface in the form of a 600-sq-m pavilion to represent central China's Hunan province at next year's expo.

In his work, Tao described a fisherman in Hunan's northwestern town of Wuling who discovered a mysterious valley called Taohuayuan, or Land of Peach Blossoms. Situated among scores of peach trees, the people there were said to be living happily in peace, unaware of the warfare and power struggles occurring elsewhere in China.

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"This ideal living place has been inspiring Chinese people for thousands of years," said Li Pei, the deputy director of Hunan's expo organizing committee. "By creating a carefree paradise at the expo, we aim to bring to life the simple yet important Chinese philosophy of 'returning to nature'."

Visitors will also be able to experience being at one with nature through a reproduction of the scenes mentioned in Tao's works. With the help of 3D animation, digital images of peach tree blossoms and fish swimming in water will follow visitors as they make their way through the pavilion.

In the shape of a Mobius strip, the pavilion's main highlight resembles an infinite pattern which is meant to speak of the province's potential. It will be constructed from indigenous Xiang bamboo and paper, one of China's four great inventions that originated in Hunan.

On the strip, animation clips, slide shows and films detailing different aspects of the province's culture will be shown. Amid trees and grass below, visitors will be able to watch and relax in comfort either by standing, sitting or lying down.

"The whole pavilion will be dominated by greenery so visitors can enjoy a breath of fresh air when they enter," said Li.

The pavilion is divided into three major sections, meaning that visitors will be able to explore Hunan's rich culture and history, trace its recent development, and study the province's model for future cities.

The area focused on future cities will make use of multimedia technology to relay the province's vision on the subject through a series of electronic paintings.

"By painting our future, we encourage visitors to think about what we can do now," said Li. "Life can be more elegant and poetic if all of us cherish and love everything around us."

So as to not harm the environment, the multimedia displays will be strategically placed to avoid excessive use of artificial lighting. Meanwhile, the pavilion will be constructed with reusable materials while its strip can be reduced to mud after the expo concludes next October.