Changchun World Sculpture Park — a legacy for the future

Changchun World Sculpture Park

Changchun World Sculpture Park, located in southern Changchun and on the north side of the entrance to urban Changchun on the Beijing-Harbin Express Way, is a park in northern China that covers an area of nearly 100 hectares. In this beautiful and picturesque park stand 452 sculptures created by 402 sculptors from 216 countries and regions, making the park a grand venue of world sculpture.

These sculptures of extremely diverse styles and different shapes tell the common aspiration of all human beings, who value friendship, long for peace and always keep spring in the world. As Dutch sculptor Marianne Van Den Heuvel said, "People from around the world will appreciate hundreds of sculptures here which represent the hope for peace, friendship and bright spring." Her work is a huge stone gate, the inspiration for which came from the yangko dance popular among Changchun citizens. She gave her gate a warm name—Changchun Gate of Peace.

Changchun Gate of Peace

Marianne attended the third and fourth "Changchun International Sculpture Invitation Exhibitions," in 1999 and 2000, respectively. At the exhibitions held in 1997 and 1998, dozens of Chinese and foreign sculptors displayed 68 pieces of art for Changchun. Sculpture Sunbird stands on the Cultural Square in urban Changchun. It rises into the sky, and soon became one of the landmark architectural pieces of Changchun. It's funny that under the Sunbird stands a "naked man." In those years, someone secretly dressed him with a pair of tailored shorts to "hide his nakedness." Since then sculptures have become an indispensible part of the lives of the people of Changchun, and have been affecting the spiritual life of the Changchun people.

Sculpture Sunbird stands on the Cultural Square in urban Changchun.

In the summer of 1999, Marianne completed two sculptures, namely Peace and Friendship, in Changchun. "I am very glad that Changchun gave me this opportunity to complete two sculpture works in a summer. This grand event held by Changchun allows me to express my inner feeling for peace and friendship."

In the summer of 2000, she came to Changchun again, and created the famous Changchun Gate of Peace. "One day, I saw people dancing yangko in the park and was inspired to create this work. It is especially made for Changchun, the hometown of yangko dance. It should belong to Changchun. The completion of such a big work makes me know that I can turn my dreams into reality here," Marianne said.

It was in the same year that the construction of Changchun World Sculpture Park was initiated.

Three years later, in September 2003, Marianne came to Changchun for the third time for the opening ceremony of the park and was invited to deliver a speech at the international sculpture conference.

"It is a beautiful dream to build a sculpture park. People need more courage to turn a dream into reality, which has to be completed together by a far-sighted government and urban citizens who expect to leave a legacy to their offspring. In Changchun, this dream has come true. Sculptors come here to donate their works, and as one of them, I feel proud of it," Marianne said passionately at the conference.

Changchun World Sculpture Park adopts both Chinese and foreign gardening skills. It teems with sculptures. The lake surface is the center and takes mountains and waters as its framework, green areas as the background and roads as ties to reach the harmonious unity of the natural environment and cultural landscapes, displaying the significant meaning of the unity of man and the heavens.

"In Changchun, a city in northeastern China, there is the world's biggest sculpture park. Changchun will be famous in the world for that," Marianne said.

Changchun World Sculpture Park allows the cultures of people from different countries and races, with different beliefs and skin colors who speak different languages to get along harmoniously in this pretty park. It shows the confidence, generousness, broadmindedness and tolerance of the city and its people.

This is a legacy Changchun people leave to their offspring. With the seed of peace and friendship sown here, the sculpture park will blossom and bear fruit worldwide in the future.