An Ancient Capital, a City of Natural Beauty.

Xi'an, a modern and ecological new city in China's central region, is rising up rapidly.

The International Horticultural Exposition will be held in Xi'an in 2011. It will be another grand international gathering hosted by China after the Beijing 2008 Olympics and Expo 2010 Shanghai, as well as an important opportunity to showcase green civilization and promote the nation's image.

Upon the approval of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and the State Council, the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an will be held in the Chan-Ba Ecological District, Xi'an from April 28 to October 22, 2011 and will last for 178 days. The International Horticultural Exposition is sponsored by The People's Government of Shaanxi Province, the State Forestry Administration, P.R.China, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the China Flower Association. It is also co-sponsored by the Xi'an Municipal People's Government. At present, 105 cities and organizations at home and abroad have confirmed their participation in the event, which is expected to attract 12 million visitors.

The site of the expo is Guangyun Lake. It is located at the bank of Chan-Ba known as "Bashang". Guangyun Lake was a major port in ancient China. During the Tianbao period (742-756 AD)of the Tang dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong held a large-scale water transport exposition and trade fair here to encourage commerce and trade and display region's capability in smooth water transport. This event in ancient times marked the beginning of the World expo.

The expo's theme is "Eternal peace & harmony between nature & mankind, nurturing the future earth---a city for nature, co-existing in peace". The emblem and mascot of the exposition have been designated as the “Chang'an Flower”, alluding to a famous Tang poem which reads: “Proudly I ride a galloping steed, feasting my eyes on Chang'an flowers at a fleeting speed.” Both the emblem and mascot were designed by Chen Shaohua, the designer of China's Olympic bid logo and New Year zodiac stamps. The concept of the expo is "Green Leads the Trend", advocating the concept of “Love of simplicity; Striving for a low carbon lifestyle; Returning to nature --- Making green our fashion pursuit.” The image spokesperson is Yanni, a famous star and Xi'an native.

The expo covers a total area of 418 hectares (6,270 mu), 188 hectares (2,820 mu) of which is water area. The expo is based on a pattern of “two circles, two axes, and five groups”. “Two circles” refers to the main circle, the core site containing the majority of the exhibition areas and sightseeing spots, and the sub-circle, the expanded site with support facilities such as the expo village and management center . “Two axes” refers to two landscaping axes, with north-south as the main axis and west-east as the sub-axis. “Five groups” includes Chang'an Park, Creativity Park, Five-Continent Park, Sci-tech Park and Experience Park. The main building includes Chang'an Tower, Greenhouse, Theme Pavilion and the Guangyun Entrance. The Five Major Horticultural Scenic Spots are the Chang'an Flower Valley, Colorful Plants from Qinling Mountains, Flowers along the Silk Road, Overseas Collections and Flower Rainbow over the Ba River. The Three Characteristic Zones refers to Romance by the Ba River, Southeast Asian Street and European Avenue.

We sincerely welcome visitors from all around the world to learn about, support and take part in this expo.

Together, let's look forward to 2011. We'll see you in Xi'an at the International Horticultural exposition!