Bhutan Pavilion wins award in Taiwan

The Bhutan Pavillion won the award for excellence at the Taipei International Flora Expo. According to Grace Huang who accepted the award on Bhutan’s behalf “ In addition to the over 150 varieties of Medicinal plants and flowers on display it was the Majesty of the traditional Bhutanese architecture and the mystical aura of the pavilion was the main attraction. There were over 8 million visitors to the 6 month long expo.

A medicinal Buddha (SangayMenlha), proposed by LyonchhoenJigmi Y Thinley, stood amid the garden, a cantilever bridge was assembled over a pond, four boards gave a pictorial insight into the four pillars of Gross National Happiness, and prayer wheels lined two sides of the traditional Bhutanese gate.

“Crossing the bridge symbolised one’s entry into a sacred land,” said Grace Huang. “Over eight million people visited the exhibition and anyone passing the Bhutan pavilion entered it.”
The Bhutan Pavilion was more than a floral experience but rather a spiritual one. According to aexbhition representative the visitors paid homage to the Buddha there.

The 300,000 USD pavilion was funded by SUNYA an international cultural heritage association. The expo was organized by The Taipei City Government together with Taiwan Floriculture Development Association under the guidance of The International Association of Horticultural Producers. This was the 7th expo of its kind in Asia and the first in Taiwan.