Hebei Pavilion combines art and history

SHANGHAI - History, art and great design are featured in the Hebei Pavilion, which has become an eye-catching stop for visitors entering China's Joint Provincial Pavilion in the Expo Garden.

The 600-square-meter pavilion features five interconnected geometric structures surrounded by a huge glass wall. The design is inspired by the province's traditional art of interior painting, which entails painting inside semitransparent glass or crystal objects so that people can see the picture from the outside. The building material, a green and eco-friendly glass called "Jingniuyu", is made and invented by one of Hebei's enterprises.

"This is a combination of modern technology and traditional ideas," said Zhao Fenglou, director of the Expo office of the Hebei provincial government and chairman of Hebei's Council for the Promotion of International Trade.