CHAU TRAN, born 1949 in southern Vietnam as a son of south-chinese parents from the province Canton, China.
chinese name Chen Ying Yi 陳英義, pseudonym QING LIAN 青濂.

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"A journey of a thousand li begins from beneath your feet" (Laotse)

China - Journey 2010

In 1996 I went on a great journey to China with my friend for the first time. On this journey we also witnessed a great Yangtse cruise. At that time, the great Yangtze River in China caused annual floods and inundations in populated areas. It was decided by the Chinese government to build a large dam. In this construction project, the Chinese government could foresee that some cultural assets could not be relocated and rescued and would remain below water level forever. The construction was also very controversial in the international media. Particularly because of the resettlement of people from the flooded areas, the international media interfered in China's internal affairs and criticized the Chinese government. After it became known that an international consortium of companies was involved in the construction, (from Brazil, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain and the USA) the media criticism was suddenly silenced. When the "Three Gorges Large Dam" (三峡大坝) was completed in May 2006, we wanted to see it for ourselves on site. In 2010 we set out on our journey, at the same time we were able to visit the World Expo in Shanghai.

Shanghai - Expo Shanghai - Yangtse-Cruise - Huangshan-Mountains - Chongqing - Hongkong

14.9. + 16.9.2010, World Expo Shanghai:

Under the motto "Better City, Better Life", the World Expo 2010 Shanghai conveys a common human desire for a better future and a better city life. According to information, World Expo 2010 Shanghai will be the biggest event in its history. With the participation of 192 nations and 50 international organisations. In addition to the China Pavilion, the provinces of China also participated with their own pavilions. 70 million visitors from inside and outside are expected. More than 20,000 cultural shows will take place during the World Expo.
At the time we are taking a Yangtze cruise from Shanghai to Chongqing there is World Exposition, World Expo 2010, in Shanghai. We had planned to visit the World Expo for five days, but after two long days I am a little exhausted. Mainly because of the long waiting time in front of the pavilions, for example at our favourite pavilion of China: at least six hours waiting time, even if you arrive early enough at the World Expo. Restaurant visits on the Expo grounds are also a test of patience for us. Actually, I'm generally not very interested in Expo. Therefore, two long days are enough for us to visit.

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - With simple material: empty paint tubes and brushes. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - In the Japanese pavilion, geishas only made of cardboard, but the visitors are so . . . . . . . . . "e n t h u s i a s t i c". - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - There are quiet places where visitors can take a short break, like here or in a small hall with deckchairs. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Centre for Information, Management and Technology. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai – Centre for Information, Management and Technology. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Centre for Information, Management and Technology, Thomas with the spring green. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - In front of the Centre for Information, Management and Technology. With me the colour is changing to . . . . . . . . . - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Centre for Information, Management and Technology. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Queue in front of one of the international organisations. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - This queue is far from the entrance area, but it moves. A joy for those waiting. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - One of my most popular pavilions: Chile, interior design with wood, corrugated iron and steel. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Interior design simply with wood, corrugated iron and steel, for me: impressive! - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - For the pavilion of the Central and South American Union it is expected to be at least five to six hours waiting time! - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - For a quick connection to the other side of the Expo site: A bridge. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - On foot or by the only means of transport: Small electric cart, left, small in the picture. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Small electric car as a means of transport on the Expo site. With driver, of course. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - A huge storey bridge with huge objects and huge tent roofs. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - View of the Chinese Pavilion from the bridge. It only looks so close, in reality the pavilion is far away from the bridge. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - The most visited pavilion at the Expo, the Chinese pavilion. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Miles of queues around the outside of the China Pavilion. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Bamboo is for almost all people of the East Asian countries an important part of their everyday life, for example: as food, household appliance, furniture, decoration object, in architecture, etc. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Some pavilions have no waiting time, for example this one: the Vietnamese pavilion. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - The interior of the pavilion is decorated with bamboo. Bamboo is also the only food for the pandas. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Under the long waiting tents with fans and benches. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Those who come now will not be able to visit the pavilion before it closes. The entrance to the waiting tents is closed. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - For fruit and vitamin juice we need more than an hour's waiting time today. When the food is served at the table, we then know why we got a table in this restaurant in a short time: It is not a restaurant, but a snack bar restaurant. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - The outer wall of the China Pavilion site is gigantic. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Students as information staff are available to help Expo visitors everywhere. In particular, they provide information on how to visit which pavilion and how much waiting time is needed. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Ceiling decoration in the hall entrance area of the "Provinces and Cities Pavilions China". - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Traditional Chinese arts and crafts. Woodblock print with marble slab in natural landscape structure, often used to create a partition wall ^with a door into a large room. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Traditional Chinese arts and crafts. Artfully wood-carved door with symbolic motifs for contentment, happiness, health and prosperity. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Traditional Chinese arts and crafts. Under the roof, flowers and landscape motifs sculptured. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Traditional Chinese arts and crafts. Painted crossbars and sculptural murals. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Headdress of a tribe from China presented in huge format. In the original it is made of silver. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Traditional Chinese architecture. The construction does not require the use of nails. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Background, the China Pavilion. You can imagine how big and far away the pavilion is when you compare the people in the foreground with those on the pavilion's base, they are just small dots. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Behind me the China Pavilion. The pavilion is in fact still far away from where I am standing. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - From the bridge you can see the bottom of the objects. There are recliners to relax. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - From the bridge you can see many pavilions. In the picture is one of them. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - This area is a water/light/fountain play with a fixed schedule. We do not come at the right time. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - . . . . . . . . . . it is time for the lights of the huge objects to be turned on. China‘s modern green ambitions. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - The colour of the light changes, also with movement motifs and texts. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - Chinese arts and crafts. Fine children figurines made of ceramic. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

© CHAU TRAN (QING LIAN)
2010, World Expo Shanghai - It is already late in the evening, but we still want to visit further, so we visit this restaurant in the Expo. It takes almost an hour until the food is served at the table. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)