"Garden Expo Park - Revelation"

>> Unveiling the Secrets

Almost Located in the Botanical Garden

After successfully bidding for the Sixth China International Horticultural Exposition, some people suggested placing the Expo Garden in Xiamen's Botanical Garden within the island, while others proposed it be set up on Gulangyu Island. However, Xiamen's municipal government considered that there was already a botanical garden within the island and decided that the Expo Garden should be located outside of the island.

So where would be an appropriate location? If built in Xiang'an, the area is currently undergoing large-scale development, which would require the government to requisition a large piece of land; if built in Tong'an, it would necessitate large-scale demolition. Neither of these options were suitable.

Later, Xiamen's municipal government turned its attention to Xinglin Bay. Since being separated by a sea dike, Xinglin Bay has frequently experienced flooding, with vast areas of tidal flats. This made it perfectly suited for land reclamation and creating gardens. Xinglin Pavilion was originally just a pavilion.

Many people know that there is a high point and landmark building within the Expo Garden - the Xinglin Pavilion. However, in the initial design, there was no plan for the Xinglin Pavilion, but rather just a pavilion constructed on a hill.

Initially, the designers planned to build a high point from which one could overlook the entire garden. The original plan was to construct a mountain in the Northern Garden and build a pavilion atop it. However, constructing such a mountain required significant excavation work, which was found to be quite difficult after conducting on-site inspections. Later, Fujian Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee member and Xiamen Party Secretary He Lifeng proposed replacing this with the construction of a tower.

Landscape experts agreed with this viewpoint, and thus the Xinglin Pavilion was planned and designed. The Moonlight Ring Plaza will feature the "Tune: Water Melody."

The Moonlight Ring is one of the major creative elements of the Expo Garden. Considering how water connects with the sky and how the Expo Garden can achieve harmony between heaven and earth, the designers came up with the idea of creating a moon. The Moonlight Ring is one of the iconic buildings of the Expo Garden, located at the end of the Expo Avenue, echoing the "Flower Gate" at the start of the avenue, symbolizing the "flower under the full moon" theme of this Expo and its successful conclusion.

The Moonlight Ring is one of the most important supporting landscapes of the Expo Garden. Its design concept originates from the waxing and waning of the moon, mainly realized through adjustable LED night lights inside, presenting this beautiful scenic change and showcasing the moving landscape of "a bright moon rising over the sea." Composed of 3000 tons of steel, more than 10,000 pieces of glass, and over 80,000 lights, it forms a unique bright moon on water in the world.

On the two stone walls in front of the Moonlight Ring, one side will feature Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," and the other side will have Su Dongpo's "Tune: Water Melody": "When did the bright moon appear? I raise my cup and ask the blue sky... May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon together."