For many, the biggest attraction at the Taiwan Pavilion is its superstar ambassador Lin Chi-ling, but the island is not relying on the Taiwanese actress to entertain the influx of daily visitors.
 Floating lanterns inside the Taiwan Pavilion. gao erqiang / china daily |
Centered on the theme: "Mountain, Water, Heart and Lantern", the Taiwan Pavilion uses multimedia performances and features a flying giant lantern.
"The exterior of the Taiwan Pavilion is built in the shape of a sky lantern to convey our wish for harmony and peace," said Wang Chi-kang, chairman of the Taipei World Trade Center, one of the organizers of the pavilion.
"The interior design incorporates our own state-of-art technology to showcase Taiwan's natural beauty. The mixture and harmony of our diverse culture is the highlight of our exhibition," he said.
"Taiwan's involvement in this grand event is especially meaningful to its people," he said.
As soon as visitors arrive at the Taiwan Pavilion, they can learn about Taiwan through the exhibit, Window of Taiwan. Using videos as "windows", Lin Chi-ling and other spokespersons, including popular TV host Momoco Tao and fashion guru Ivan Huon, greet visitors and present various aspects of Taiwan.
The outlines of Taiwan's famous mountains sculpted on the exterior of the pavilion also extend to the interior designs.
The lines on the wall represent a blend of Taiwan's natural scenery and its modern cities. The small screens mounted on the wall are like windows, and through each window, visitors see the diversity and harmony of Taiwanese culture.
Before entering one of the pavilion's main attractions, the sphere theater, visitors watch The Natural City, a film that introduces Taiwan's natural environment and many of its native animals and plants. The film brings visitors deep into Taiwan's natural beauty and introduces the island's unique wildlife.
After the film, visitors enter the sphere theater, where they are surrounded by imagery and sounds and feel as if they are a part of a movie scene.
The theater features a sphere display 12 meters in diameter. Combined with proprietary 4D effects, this technology demonstrates Taiwan's technological advancements and showcases the island's natural beauty. Visitors can actually feel mist around them, the breeze on their face and even the smell of flowers.
At the Lantern Lighting Water Terrace, visitors can experience a virtual sky lantern flying ceremony, using a combination of technology and tradition.
The five elements that are an important part of Chinese culture are imbedded in the design of the water terrace. The steel structure of the sky lantern represents metal. The wooden platform represents wood. The pond represents water (the water here was drawn from Sun Moon Lake and the Pacific Ocean). The shining LED sky lantern represents fire, and a large rose stone sitting in the center, along with four tiles made from Taiwan clay, represent earth.
In traditional Taiwanese culture, the lighting and flying of a sky lantern is a ritual to pray for blessings and make wishes.
Surrounding the pond, visitors are given the chance to fly their own virtual sky lantern, fill them with wishes and send them to all their loved ones as the lanterns fly towards the sky.
The 12 blessings visitors can select include: "May peace bless your entire family", "career advancement" and "good fortune forever".
Finally, visitors head to the City Square, where the focus is once again on Taiwanese culture. In olden times, Taiwan people gathered at the square, rested under the shade of giant trees, traded goods, sang local songs and performed traditional arts. Visitors can enjoy this reflection of old days, and the serving of fine tea and live performances are tokens of hospitality.
