Chapter 2
China and the World Expo

For a long time, China knew little about and was even bewildered by the World Expo. Records show that the first Chinese who experienced the Xuanqihui (World Expo) was Wang Tao, a famous scholar of the late Qing dynasty. The first expo that China participated in was the Vienna Expo in 1873. Robert Hart, who worked as Inspector General of Chinese Customs during the Qing dynasty, assigned an Englishman, Bowra, to participate in the expo on behalf of China. In 1876, a representative from the Chinese Customs, Li Gui, participated in the Philadelphia Expo and subsequently published the book New Records Around the World. This was often referred to as the beginning of China's participation in the World Expo.

However, the true history of China in the World Expo has recently come to light. In 2001, the Shanghai Library began to research and compile a history of China's participation in the World Expo in support of China's bid for World Expo in 2010. Historical records collected during the research process revealed that China had actually participated in the first World Expo of 1851 and received gold and silver awards during that event. In addition, almost all historical records of past World Expos hold reports of China's participation. In the early expos China exhibited mainly traditional handicrafts and agricultural products. These exhibits reflected China's economic structure, its distribution of various industries, as well as its industrial backwardness. At that time, many forward-thinking Chinese people learned about the rest of the world by participating in the World Expos, and realized their historical responsibility to revitalize China.

Only when we respect the history of the World Expo can we in turn take our place in this history. The six expos in which China participated are covered by The Historical Records of China and the World Expo: 1851–1940, compiled and published by the Shanghai Library. This newly uncovered history of China and the World Expo merits closer examination.

In early 2002, the World Expo Research Team of the Shanghai Library discovered that Chinese merchants as well as foreign merchants doing businesses in China were present at the first London Expo held in 1851. They brought traditional Chinese goods, such as silk, tea, and medicine to the expo. Many of these exhibits received awards.

Xu Deqiong (1822–1873) was one of the first businessmen to come to Shanghai to carve out a career after the city was opened to foreign business. Xu, also named Rui Heng and titled Rong Cun, was born in Xiangshan, Guangdong Province. Rong's Silk was exhibited at the 1851 London Expo, creating a sensation and snatching the gold and silver prizes. The Beiling Xu's Family Tree, published in 1884 (currently kept in the Shanghai Library), also has a record of this historical fact. In addition, there is also clear evidence in the Report of the First London World Expo Award Commission, published by the London Royal Association in 1884 (currently kept in the Shanghai Library), to substantiate this fact. This shows that China has in fact been active on the stage of the World Expo since its inception.

The 1876 Philadelphia World Expo was the first to which China sent its official delegates. The almost 3,000 square meters of exhibition space allocated to China was decorated with ornaments rich in traditional Chinese flavors, attracting crowds of visitors. A large wooden archway, built facing northward, was inscribed with three characters, Da Qing Chao (Grand Qing Dynasty). There was also a couplet, “A collection of great wonders of 18 provinces shows magnificent workmanship, and a celebration of centennial exposition displays great friendship.” The couplet was accompanied by a horizontal line which read “A Place of Treasure.” The Chinese exhibits totaled 720 cartons and 6,801 pieces, with a value of approximately 200,000 taels of silver. The first prize went to China's silk, tea, porcelain, silk products, carving wares, and cloisonné.

The Panama World Expo was held in San Francisco, U.S.A, in 1915 shortly after the founding of the Republic of China. The Chinese government attached great importance to the event. On the one hand, people were dispatched to build a China Hall; on the other, effort was put into the collection of exhibits. The China Hall consisted of many structures modeled on traditional Chinese government buildings. The China Hall was one of the most impressive during this expo. Chinese exhibits were displayed in the Handicraft Hall, Educational Hall, Foodstuff Hall, Fine Arts Hall, Literature and Arts Hall, Transportation Hall, and Mining Hall, obtaining a total of 1,211 prizes, including 57 medallions, 74 honorary prizes, 258 gold medals, 337 silver medals, 258 bronze medals, and 227 certificates of merit.

At the 1926 Philadelphia World Expo, apart from the host country, the United States, China and Japan were two major participants in terms of the numbers of exhibits displayed. The main Chinese exhibits included raw silk, tea, Zhejiang silks and satins, Jiangxi porcelain, Fujian lacquerware, handmade embroidery, and emeralds. All of them were rich in Chinese national characteristics. China also displayed its industrial and commercial products, such as printing techniques, cosmetics, leather products, electrical appliances, copper and steel products. At that time, China was mired deeply in internal strife. All it could do, therefore, was to “exhibit some old cultural relics as being representative of the country as a whole.”

Through participation in the World Expo, the Chinese realized how backward their country was and how urgent it was to develop the trade and economy of the country. In 1929, China held its own expo in Hangzhou, Zhejiang—the West Lake Expo.

The 1904 St. Louis World Expo witnessed the first group of government-organized Chinese merchants. The Qing Government took the expo seriously and spent lavishly, building the Chinese Village and the Chinese exhibition hall, both rich in Chinese traditional characteristics and style. An official government delegation headed by Bo Lun and Huang Kaijia attended the opening ceremony. Altogether, the Chinese government spent 1.7 million longyuan or dragon dollars on this expo. This is considered the Chinese government's first official participation in the World Expo.

In 1905, during the last year of the reign of Emperor Guang Xu, the World Expo was held in Liege, Belgium. The Qing Government participated in the expo. The China Hall was completed in February 1905. It was a typical Chinese mansion comprising a Chinese pavilion, two guild houses, and 14 ordinary residences. In addition, two Chinese museums, ten ordinary residences, and a pagoda were built in the Bovary Garden. China was awarded 100 prizes, including a supreme honor award, gold, and silver prizes. In terms of the numbers of prizes received, China was comparable to countries such as the U.K., the U.S.A., Austria, and Italy.

The World Expo is a grand, international exposition to showcase the societal, economic, cultural, scientific, and technological achievements of humankind. It has been more than 150 years since the first World Expo was held in 1851. Since 1982, New China has participated in the World Expo a total of 12 times. In 1999, it also organized the World Horti-Expo in Kunming.

In 1982, the World Expo with the theme Energy Turns the World was held in Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.A. Exhibits in the China Hall included a solar water heater, a solar cooker, a solar navigation light, a solar electric fence, a methane-applying device, and various works of art with rich Chinese characteristics.

In 1984, the World Expo with the theme World Rivers and Fresh Water—Source of Life was held in New Oregon, Louisiana, U.S.A. During the expo, the China Hall exhibited photographs, reproductions and models of ancient and modern water conservancy projects, as well as light industrial products, textile products, handicrafts, and cultural relics, including bell chimes and steles of the Qin dynasty.

China participated in the 1985 World Expo held in Tsukuba, Japan with the theme of Dwellings and Surroundings—Home Science and Technology for Mankind.

In 1986, the World Expo was held in Vancouver, Canada.

On April 30, 1988, the World Expo, with the theme Leisure in the Age of Technology, opened in Brisbane, Australia. A Cinerama film titled A Brief Introduction to China was screened in the China Hall amid great success. The China Hall was awarded the Five-Star Exposition Hall and the Best Exposition Hall. This was the top honor ever awarded to China since its participation in the World Expo.

In 1990, the World Horti-Expo was held in Osaka, Japan.

In 1992, China attended the World Expo held in Genoa, Italy, with the theme Christopher Columbus—The Ship and the Sea.

In 1992, the World Expo with the theme The Age of Discovery was held in Seville, Spain. Exhibited in the China Hall were the four great inventions of ancient China, modern high-tech achievements, garden building art, and handicrafts. With its exotic and rich content and unique design, the Chinese Hall was once again rated a Five-Star Exposition Hall.

In 1993, the World Expo with the theme The Challenge of a New Road to Development was held in Taejon, Korea. On display in the China Hall were ancient and modern Chinese aerospace science and technology, the Three Gorges Water Conservancy Project, traditional cultural and national handiworks, and others. The hall was ranked amongst the top five exposition halls.

In 1997, the World Horti-Expo was held in Quebec, Canada.

In 1998, the World Expo with the theme Oceans—A Heritage for the Future was held in Lisbon, Portugal. The China Hall was divided into four major sections devoted respectively to the development and utilization of oceans, the Silk Road on the sea, a simulation of rocket launching satellite, and Cinerama films.

In 2000, the World Expo with the theme Humankind, Nature and Technology was held in Hanover, Germany. With its unique outer decoration and rich exhibition variety, the China Hall attracted a huge number of visitors from all over the world, with a daily visitorship of 30,000 or about a quarter of the expo's total.

From March to September 2005, the World Expo with the theme Nature's Wisdom was held in Aichi, Japan. With a land area of 1,620 square meters, the China Hall was decorated with the Chinese favorite color red and various surnames, exuding rich national flavors. Apart from abundant and unique exhibits, the hall also conducted all kinds of interesting activities, attracting more than five million visitors. On the eve of the conclusion of the expo, the Shanghai Week was launched to publicize the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.