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SHANGHAI: Singapore President S R Nathan, who is in Shanghai as part of his official visit to China, got a sense of how the country is trying to preserve its culture amid modernity.
At the China pavilion at Shanghai's World Expo, Mr Nathan also saw how China is giving visitors a peek into its rich history.
President Nathan was treated to one of China's oldest form of entertainment - Kunqu opera at ZhuJiaJiao Watertown.
He watched a performance of one of the most famous works, "The Peony Pavilion" which tells of a love story between the daughter of a high-ranking official and a poor scholar.
Kunqu opera is a traditional form of Chinese theatre which flourished for hundreds of years near Shanghai. In 2001 UNESCO called it "a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity".
President Nathan was also given an exclusive panoramic view of Shanghai from the top of the China pavilion.
At a reception room, where he was the first head of state to be entertained there, Mr Nathan commented that the Chinese took the trouble to include messages of morality and Confucianism in the decor of the room.
President Nathan said he was impressed with the China pavilion. He wrote that the exhibits give visitors an introduction to China's cultural heritage and a peek into days gone by.
President Nathan also visited the Saudi Arabian pavilion. The Saudi Ambassador to Singapore, Jamil Merdad, flew to Shanghai to personally receive Mr Nathan at the Expo.
The Saudi pavilion is the second largest after the China pavilion.
Built at a cost of US$50 million, it is the second most popular after the Oriental Crown. Mr Nathan was treated to a 12-minute visual display of the various regions of the kingdom.
A 1,600-square-metre inverted screen at the Saudi pavilion is one of the most popular attractions at the Expo, with visitors usually waiting up to four hours to get in.
Over at the Japanese pavilion, Mr Nathan saw the latest technology on display.
- CNA/ir
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