Top: Eric Domb and some of the craftsmen who have helped build the garden. Above: A heavy bell clock in the Chinese park provides children with light relief. Fu Jing / China Daily

A man with a life-long fascination for the middle kingdom pays it homage

A forty-minute drive south of Brussels, set among farmland, forest and zigzagging country roads, is Pairi Daiza zoo park. Its head Eric Domb sees it as a combination showcase that on one side exhibits animals, plants and people, and on the other side civilization, which consists of eight "worlds" set in several hectares of what he calls paradise.

His favorite among these worlds is the China park. Domb, who celebrated his 52nd birthday as he was flying to Beijing recently, calls this section of the park "the city of immortals".

"My fascination with Chinese civilization started from my mother's milk and I am now trying to present the symbols of its beauty in my zoo," Domb says.

His aim is to make visitors feel peaceful as they walk through five hectares of Chinese temples, pavilions and winding pathways spotting red pandas, birds and alligators in the largest Chinese garden outside China.

The park also includes a Chinese restaurant over two floors, called Temple of Delights, and a teahouse.

More than 8 million euros ($10.2 million) has been invested in the China park and Chinese craftsmen worked on its construction. Pairi Daiza is listed on the stock exchange, and the heavy investment has paid off, with close to a million visitors each year.

Domb's fascination with China began when his mother read Chinese fairytales to him. His parents also liked Chinese tea and collected Chinese arts and crafts, including poetry, ceramics and paintings.

He thus developed an interest in Chinese culture and philosophy, which persists to this day.

In Chinese philosophy people think about "and" instead of "either", he says. "It is not about black or white. It is about black and white. This makes a huge difference.

"We Westerners are always debating about left and right. Your vision of finding ways that work is very smart."

In 1992, when Deng Xiaoping urged China to become more aggressive in its opening-up process during his south China tour, Domb had already found the land where his zoo would be built.

He spent two years seeking finance to build a bird park, which was the first part of Pairi Daiza - the Persian name means closed garden - and opened it in 1994.

It was during a trip to the Montreal Botanical Garden that Domb decided to build the China park, after being stunned by the beauty of Chinese gardens there.

"I saw these Chinese gardens and thought, 'Wow, this is beautiful.'"

It took him a further five years of planning before he was able to embark on a trip to China to speak to Shanghai Landscape, the company that built the Montreal Botanical Garden's Chinese garden, about building something similar at Pairi Daiza.

"I was there not to ask for money and support to showcase Chinese culture, but to invite capable craftsmen to Belgium to build the garden."

It was a bold move, as Domb had no connections in China and Shanghai Landscape had only once cooperated with a company outside China. Work on the Canadian project had come about because of strong relations between the mayors of Shanghai and Montreal.

With a recommendation from the director of the Montreal gardens Domb persuaded Shanghai Landscape to help with the project, and over the following two years he flew back to China several times to discuss details.

Work finally began on the China park at Pairi Daiza on Aug 1, 2005.

"During these two years, I learned a lot," Domb says.

"I was too direct and impatient and they told me how to establish long and friendly relations. Now I have become good friends with many workers and bosses from Shanghai Landscape."

Dozens of Chinese staff worked on the park before it was ready to open in 2006. Domb hopes it helps people appreciate Chinese culture.

"China is not only about economy and commerce. It has a very refined culture, philosophy and thoughts."

Domb hopes to add new aspects to the park to broaden its value as a teaching tool.

"For me, the garden is a good way to teach about the beauty of one civilization, and it is a decoding tool to communicate the DNA of Chinese culture and civilization."

One aspect that could feature more heavily in the park is tea, which Domb has developed a growing interest in over recent years, even flying to Shanghai to learn about the different types from an expert.

"The more you learn, the more you enjoy Chinese culture," he says.

In the long term Domb wants to develop a classic Chinese village where a range of traditional crafts, including calligraphy, carving and music can be demonstrated.

"When you enter into the garden, you say this is China. It is not about skyscrapers; it is true China, the DNA of China."

He also plans to build a hotel in the China village in the next five to 10 years to complete the experience. Guests would then be able to eat, drink and sleep China.

"I would like guests to feel the ancient beauty of China."

But Domb's vision is not just about his guests. He wants a place where he can be at home in Europe, but still feel a connection to China.

"I am 52, and some years later, I will not be able to travel any more.

"Then I want to live in the Chinese garden and stay in the Chinese hotel. I want to feel I am in China."

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/16/2012 page28)