National treasures gather in Shanghai

Since early April, many national treasures have left their homes for China to attend the World Expo. And now they’ve become shining stars at the site, attracting a huge number of visitors waiting in lines to have a close look and to take photos.

With a lattice-structured exterior, a roof garden and a large pond built underneath, the France pavilion offers a rare feast for international and Chinese art enthusiasts alike.

Stepping onto the 3rd floor, you’ll be welcomed by The Age of Bronze by Rodin. According to photographs preserved by the artist of the human model on which the sculpture is based, his right hand was clenched on his head and his left hand was grasping a pole.

But Rodin stripped the figure of the spear originally carried in his hand, relying on the expressiveness of the figure itself to convey his meaning. And this aroused dramatic dismay among critics of the period.

The other six masterpieces on display in the France pavilion are: The Dance Hall in Arles by Van Gogh, The Balcony by Edouard Manet, Woman with Coffee Pot by Paul Cezanne, The Bananas by Paul Gauguin, The Theatre Box by Pierre Bonnard and The Angelus by Jean-Francois Millet.

The tale of the Little Mermaid is imprinted on almost everyone’s childhood, and now she sits peacefully at the center of a custom-made pool in the Denmark pavilion. It is the first time the statue was removed from Copenhagen harbor and sent out of the country since it was sculpted more than 90 years ago.

In the Czech pavilion, which stands just east of Denmark, a piece of bronze relief with the statue of St. John of Nepomuk is receiving warm touches from Expo visitors. Legend has it that touching the relief will bring you good luck, and it’s already been polished into a golden shine. But please remember only the piece on the bottom left is an original from the statue on the Charles Bridge. Other parts are just replicas.

Apart from diamonds presented at the Belgium pavilion, the most dazzling exhibit at the Expo site may be the gilded statue of a young lady set at the gate of the Luxembourg pavilion - The Monument of Remembrance, nicknamed Golden Lady. It is a war memorial in Luxembourg City, dedicated to the thousands who volunteered for service in the armed forces of the Allied Powers during World War I.

All of these don’t count as ancient relics compared with the treasure from Mexico. Hidden beneath a colorful forest of kites, the 5-meter-tall Maya Pillar sparks the wisdom of a civilization thousands of years old. Visitors can learn about the country's past shown on three giant screens surrounding it.

Video: Christie Lee & Huang Lan