Striking New Display Incorporates
Ancient Art of Feng Shui to Welcome Year of the
Rat
LAS VEGAS – Beginning January 14,
Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens will celebrate the
2008 Chinese New Year, the Year of the Rat, with a unique display filled with
hidden meaning. The Conservatory’s
design will be guided by the ancient practice of Feng Shui – the art of using
surroundings to attract harmony, balance and positive life energy.
The dramatic centerpiece of this exhibit will be found perched atop an
oversized, flowering branch. Here, a
botanical, 5-foot-tall rodent will watch guests with an inquisitive eye. The auspicious rat’s lush coat will be made of red Alternanthera, a low-growing herb,
with a touch of pink Hypoestes, a tropical plant. His long curling tail and delicate whiskers
will be made of metal.
Legend has it that Buddha asked all the
animals to meet him on Chinese New Year.
Twelve came. The rat is revered
for its place as first in the Asian zodiac and is a symbol of renewal. Those born in the Year of the Rat tend to be
intelligent, charming and practical.
Just steps away from Bellagio’s delightful
rodent ambassador, an 18-foot-tall Chinese God of Wealth and Fortune will be
found amidst gleaming I-Ching coins, a traditional Chinese money symbol. Widely recognized as the strongest symbol of
good fortune in China, the God of Wealth and Fortune
will be flanked by two Ming Dynasty-styled dings, ancestral vessels that protect
against bad luck.
Nearby, visitors will find a zigzag bridge
leading to a beautiful, wing-tipped gazebo painted a deep red lacquer with
shimmering gold trim and green-tiled roofs.
The color red signifies happiness while the upturned roofline will ward
off evil spirits and the sharp pattern of the bridge will protect against
negative energy and bad spirits.A majestic mountain, seen as a pillar between heaven and
earth, will serve as a dramatic backdrop.
The teachings of Feng Shui also will be used to
purposely position the flow of water into Bellagio’s Conservatory, and not away,
ensuring the flow of positive energy. From a tranquil Koi pond to a shimmering
waterfall, water will denote the larger world we live in while carp will signify
good luck and everlasting good fortune.
Visitors are invited to celebrate Chinese New Year in Bellagio’s
Conservatory & Botanical Gardens January 14 through March
15.
Chinese New Year Facts:
· The Year of the Rat is February 7, 2008 through
January 25, 2009
· People born in the Year of the Rat tend to
be intelligent, charming and practical
Chinese New Year Conservatory
Facts:
- 5-foot-tall rat comprised of red Alternanthera and pink
Hypoestes
- 18-foot-tall God of Wealth and Fortune
- I-Ching coins are traditional money symbol
- Zigzag bridges, color red, water and Koi protect
against evil, ensure positivity
