HUGE PAPER CUT-OUTS: Poland Pavilion (YU XIANGJUN)

Poland Pavilion: A Symphony of Paper-Cuts and Piano

The Poland Pavilion bears the theme of "Humanity, Creativity and the City." It has an exterior featuring paper-cut patterns to reflect this Polish folk art. The pavilion is built of wooden planks with patterned hollow areas in the shape of paper-cuts, through which sunlight can filter into the building.

Poland and China both have legendary stories about dragons and dragon dances. During the World Expo, dragon dancers from China and Poland perform in front of the Poland Pavilion each morning. In the evening, visitors are invited to dance, sing and have fun at the pavilion.

The year 2010 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frederic Chopin. To commemorate this great musician, a concert will be held at the Poland Pavilion. During the concert, 100 musicians will play Chopin's works on 100 pianos at the same time, to create a new Guinness World Record.

A piano concert is held at the pavilion each day, where visitors can listen to Chopin's works played in modern and popular styles. Rock-and-roll adaptations of Chopin's works are expected to draw young people to the concerts.

LEGENDS FROM THE PACIFIC: New Zealand Pavilion (GUO CHANGYAO)

New Zealand Pavilion: An Oceanic Legend

The New Zealand Pavilion has the theme of "Cities of Nature: Living Between the Land and Sky." Today, 86 percent of New Zealanders live in cities.

The pavilion looks like a wedge between a plaza at the ground level and a white canopy. The plaza represents the earth, and the white canopy stands for the sky. The white poles supporting the canopy symbolize forests.

The pavilion's design is inspired by a Maori myth about the origin of the world. The legend says that at the world's inception, Rangi, the sky father, and Papa, the earth mother, embraced each other so tightly that no light could shine into the world. Their children, the gods, tried to separate their parents so that they could let light through. Only Tane, the God of Forests and All Living Creatures succeeded. He laid on his back and pushed his parents apart with his strong legs. Tane brought light into the world that we live in today. Tane's statue is at the pavilion's entrance, and visitors walk between Tane's arms to enter the pavilion.

Inside the pavilion, visitors can experience a day in the life of a New Zealand family, presented with modern film technology. The day starts with a girl's dream of Rangi and Papa at her home in Auckland. The girl then goes to school and draws her dream on paper, and then returns home to show the drawing to her parents and grandparents.

The special effects team for the film The Lord of the Rings shows the vibrant life of New Zealand to visitors in the pavilion.

THE GIANT'S KETTLE: Finland Pavilion (GUO CHANGYAO)

Finland Pavilion: Inspiration From the Ice Age

The Finland Pavilion is called "Kirnu," or "the Giant's Kettle." It draws inspiration from cavities naturally formed in bedrock during the Ice Age as a result of the heavy ice drilling stones through the bedrock.

The pavilion has three spiraling floors. The first floor houses restaurants and souvenir shops, where visitors can enjoy Finnish treats. All foods are pre-made.