How to make an Expo as Chinese style

When Shanghai got the opportunity to host the EXPO, things have been assumed to change into Chinese style, which means there will be full of Chinese philosophies on nature and human.

In the beginning, the government announced to hold a best and most impressive EXPO, which was mostly interpreted to "biggest" as usual. In order to get a big enough area for building the pavilions, EXPO organizer renovated the old dock and ship manufacturing factory aside of the Yangtze River, and built a tunnel to connect the two parts, even if there is already a ferry between them.

'If you don’t go to EXPO, you’ll feel sorry; but if you really go, you’ll feel even more sorry'

EXPO organizers were never worried about the profit, because it is a state-owned project, and China has a tremendous population number, 70 million expected visitors are not more than 1/10. The result is still uncertain, the students' summer vacation is bringing a lot of students. Which is becoming even underestimated, the daily tickets are getting sold out quicker, finally accumulated to be a saying, if you don’t go to EXPO, you’ll feel sorry; but if you really go, you’ll feel even more sorry.

During the EXPO, critical comments are taboos for Chinese media, which made the event a big success from the journalism field. Then voices from folks are more various and funny, while web2.0 programs users are explosively rising. But as what was assumed, Expo is not an everlasting topic for people, by now, Expo is a famous travelling destination. The verbal communication among people is stuck, which means people do not talk around about the sight and content.

Is EXPO just like a museum?

'The more exceptions you have, the higher identity you stand'

Another important point is the exceptional treats. Chinese system is a mixture of regulations and exceptions, because in some degree, the more exceptions you have, the higher identity you stand. That is why people here are so infatuated with exceptional treats, so called back-door, such as no queuing, off-day visiting etc. Due to the crowd, having a special offer means you have a priority that can escape the flooding visitors. Therefore, many pavilions start to offer special coupons, such as German pavilion gives priority to visitor who has visited around German “Best Practice City Pavilion”. Chinese pavilion would be the typical case, before the opening, they have already sent out VIP invitations, with what you don’t have to go to the Red Crown very early in the morning for getting a reservation.

What can we do for changing our real life?

In fact, it does not matter Chinese style or not, but what does it bring us during the opening and afterwards. If an EXPO is a civilization summit, do we have to judge if it’s good or not now, or we just have to feel the atmosphere and immerse into the constructed splendid luxuriousness? Beside of the growing self-esteem, what can we do for changing our real life?

Related blogs:

• How to make an Expo as Chinese style
• Secondary pavilions have big fun
• Chinese media Icon meets Grimm´s Fairy Tale in Bremen
  
• Expo pavilions give birth to green
  

Channel: 

• Expo 2010 – Shanghai