World Showcase At Night...China

One of the most beautiful pavilions in World Showcase at night is the China Pavilion. If you have the chance to travel around the pavilions in Epcot at night, especially during Extra Magic Hours, you should. I really feel it shows each country in a whole new light.

Today, let's have a look at China, and see what the Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot has to say about this mysterious land.

The dominant element in the skyline of our China is the Hall Prayer for Good Harvest. This striking tower is an imperial prayer temple, where the emperor would go to pray for a good harvest or give thanks for one that had already passed.

This agricultural theme prevades the detailing of the hall's interior. Note the four columns in the center, each representing one of the seasons of the year. The twelve exterior columns are indicative of the twelve months of the year and of the twelve year cycle that the Chinese live by. In Chinese design, circles define the heaves and squares stand in for the earth - used together they form the universe. This motif repeats itself throughout the building. The red and yellow that are found all around represent happiness and the emperor, respectively. The original hall was built solely with interlocking pieces of wood - no nails or fasteners.

Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot [p86]