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How Gu's spirited efforts won French praise in 1937
By Hu Baofang and Wang Jie |
April 26, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
GU Weijun, the renowned modern diplomat was born in Jiading. His memorial hall, sited in a two-story traditional building in his hometown, memorializes Gu's great contributions to China's modern diplomatic history.
In 1998, the district government also put a small building inside the courtyard of Fa Hua Tower to explain Gu's legendary stories to the public. The World Expo 1937 Paris medal which was awarded to Gu by the French Government for his contributions is also showcased in the hall.
But few would relate this medal with World Expo, because the words carved on it are different from what might be imagined. Because the World Expo 1937 Paris was called the International Art and Technology Expo 1937 Paris and this is what the medal is for.
The medal is made of yellow copper with a diameter of 13 centimeters and a thickness of 0.5 centimeters. There are three legendary figures carved in the centre with two trees in between. On the left is the French word "republic" while on the right is the word "France." At the bottom, also in French, is "Gu Weijun, Ambassador of China to France."
In 1935, the French government invited the Chinese government to participate in the World Expo 1938 Paris, but the invitation was refused.
However the World Culture Cooperation Association French branch and celebrities both in China and France, including the Chinese immigrants in France, all believed that China should not be absent from such a big-scaled event.
With their support, the World Culture Cooperation China branch decided to establish an association and opened its office in Shanghai.
After the office's opening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic China appointed the Chinese ambassador to France, Gu Weijun, to a co-ordination role, and Gu immediately started to approach the French Government. He shuttled among the four departments of the different ministries of France in two months, and finally persuaded the French government to provide two free exhibition areas for China.
In March 1937, Gu reported the result to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and pressed the importance of China's participation. Gu believed that the World Expo would help China to absorb the advanced technology of other countries and promote development of his motherland.
With support and help from the public, exhibition objects arrived in Shanghai at the end of March and the beginning of April. The association also appointed its staff to inspect the exhibition objects in the middle of April. Everything seemed to go smoothly. The newspapers even published relevant stories. But the situation changed dramatically in May as money promised by the government couldn't be paid. Gu Weijun was told the association should give up.
Gu was so anxious when hearing this. He replied that all details had been settled with the French government which had promised to give China special treatment. The exhibition place was under construction.
So he kept talking to the association but the political situation in China worsened at the beginning of June, and the association had to abandon its plan to join World Expo in Paris.
To this day, all the historical materials and various publications indicates that China didn't attend the 1937 World Expo. But the medal tells another story. Gu, together with other Chinese immigrants and students in France, attended the event, something that had previously been done by people from other countries.
Today it doesn't matter whether China attended the World Expo Paris 1937 or not, but Gu's spirit in promoting the World Expo in China is unforgettable.
In 1998, the district government also put a small building inside the courtyard of Fa Hua Tower to explain Gu's legendary stories to the public. The World Expo 1937 Paris medal which was awarded to Gu by the French Government for his contributions is also showcased in the hall.
But few would relate this medal with World Expo, because the words carved on it are different from what might be imagined. Because the World Expo 1937 Paris was called the International Art and Technology Expo 1937 Paris and this is what the medal is for.
The medal is made of yellow copper with a diameter of 13 centimeters and a thickness of 0.5 centimeters. There are three legendary figures carved in the centre with two trees in between. On the left is the French word "republic" while on the right is the word "France." At the bottom, also in French, is "Gu Weijun, Ambassador of China to France."
In 1935, the French government invited the Chinese government to participate in the World Expo 1938 Paris, but the invitation was refused.
However the World Culture Cooperation Association French branch and celebrities both in China and France, including the Chinese immigrants in France, all believed that China should not be absent from such a big-scaled event.
With their support, the World Culture Cooperation China branch decided to establish an association and opened its office in Shanghai.
After the office's opening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic China appointed the Chinese ambassador to France, Gu Weijun, to a co-ordination role, and Gu immediately started to approach the French Government. He shuttled among the four departments of the different ministries of France in two months, and finally persuaded the French government to provide two free exhibition areas for China.
In March 1937, Gu reported the result to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and pressed the importance of China's participation. Gu believed that the World Expo would help China to absorb the advanced technology of other countries and promote development of his motherland.
With support and help from the public, exhibition objects arrived in Shanghai at the end of March and the beginning of April. The association also appointed its staff to inspect the exhibition objects in the middle of April. Everything seemed to go smoothly. The newspapers even published relevant stories. But the situation changed dramatically in May as money promised by the government couldn't be paid. Gu Weijun was told the association should give up.
Gu was so anxious when hearing this. He replied that all details had been settled with the French government which had promised to give China special treatment. The exhibition place was under construction.
So he kept talking to the association but the political situation in China worsened at the beginning of June, and the association had to abandon its plan to join World Expo in Paris.
To this day, all the historical materials and various publications indicates that China didn't attend the 1937 World Expo. But the medal tells another story. Gu, together with other Chinese immigrants and students in France, attended the event, something that had previously been done by people from other countries.
Today it doesn't matter whether China attended the World Expo Paris 1937 or not, but Gu's spirit in promoting the World Expo in China is unforgettable.
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