As uneventful as the activities are in China, the atmosphere is top notch, and I've always fancied this pavilion as one of the most beautiful. Digging a little deeper does help us appreciate the architectural details.
detail of the Temple of Heaven
The temple acts as a proverbial carrot, drawing us into the pavilion. No doubt some sort of forced perspective is used making the building seem more grandiose than it actually is. The wonderful thing here is that there is a payoff in the end. Not only is the under rated Reflections of China film found here, but also a small museum housing gorgeous Chinese artifacts.
If the Temple of Heaven is the detailed piece of art, then I suppose the frame of the pavilion is the traditional Chinese style triumphal arch, or paifang gate...located at the entrance. Originally paifang gates were used as official markers between districts in large cities and towns, making well defined borders.
The paifang remain prominent in China, and are found in Chinatowns throughout the world, again, setting the boundary for that neighborhood.
Super cool, huh? There are several other buildings and details in the China pavilion and I'm excited to grab photos on our next Disney World trip! I cant wait to find the origins of those! :)
How do you feel about the China pavilion? What about those lousy restaurants? Let us know on Twitter! @disneyhipsters
I was just reading something about standing in the center of the round room, and speaking toward the ceiling- it's one of those reverberating amplification spots. Can't wait to try it next visit. One of my favorite things about this pavilion used to be getting that jade monkey to rise out of the water!
ReplyDelete