EXPOS have long been the venue for the exhibition of great art, inventions and extraordinary things. These include Rodin's bronze statue "The Thinker" at the World Expo 1900 in Paris, France; the world's first Earth satellite (USSR) exhibited at the 1958 Expo in Brussels, Belgium; a rock from the surface of the moon shown at the Expo 1970 in Osaka, Japan; and the 2005 Expo in Aichi, Japan, exhibited a fossil of a mammoth unearthed in Siberia.

These treasures became the most popular exhibits at those Expos.

At the Expo Shanghai, the treasure exhibits will be no less than any previous Expos.

Many participants have decided to bring the most famous exhibits of their countries to attract visitors, so apart from solutions on various urban problems, the 2010 event will also be a large gathering of national treasures.

Visitors may not have enough time to tour around the 5.28-square-kilometer Expo site to watch all the exhibits in the more than 120 pavilions, but they should not miss these national treasures on show at the world fair.

China

"Along the River During the Qingming Festival"

This painting is one of the most famous national treasures of China.

The original painting is on display at the Palace Museum in Beijing and it could be exhibited at some point during the Expo.

The Expo organizer has prepared some secret "national treasures" in the 160,000-square-meter China Pavilion as the centerpiece to attract visitors, and one of them will be a massive projection of the painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."

Visitors will be led to a massive projection of the painting.

The painting, depicting life in Bianjing (today's Kaifeng, Henan Province), the largest city in the world more than 1,000 years ago, will be projected on a 100-meter-long wall.

Multimedia technologies will be used to make the more than 1,500 characters in the painting move around.

"Bronze Chariot and Horse"

The "Bronze Chariot and Horse" sculpture is the most precious centerpiece of the terracotta warriors of China's Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).

The well-preserved sculpture is believed to be a copy of the personal carriage of the first emperor of Qin, who in 221 BC unified China for the first time.

The work, four horses drawing a chariot steered by an armed warrior, is about 1 meter tall and 3 meters long.

Two "Bronze Chariot and Horse" sculptures were unearthed in 1980 among the terracotta soldiers in Xi'an, capital city of Shaanxi Province.

They were colorfully painted. More than 4,000 gold and silver parts were attached to each of them as decorations.

It is believed the emperor took this style of chariot on five tours around his kingdom. The works are now stored in the Xi'an Terracotta Museum.

Italy

Paintings by Giovanni Antonio Canal and other artists

Art plays an important role in the Italy Pavilion. Masterpieces from both past and contemporary artists are on show.

Among them are two works by Giovanni Antonio Canal (1697-1768), better known as Canaletto.

Other masterpieces include those of 17th-century painter Bartolomeo Bimbi and 16th-century sculptor Benvenuto Cellini.

Modern artworks from Alberto Burri, Giuseppe Capogrossi, Lucio Fontana and Pietro Consagra are also on display.

France

Six paintings and a sculpture by artists including Cezanne, Manet, Millet, Rodin and Van Gogh

Of the 10 best masterpieces from Musee d'Orsay in Paris, famed as "the most beautiful museum in Europe," seven will be in China for six months.

The value of each is more than 100 million euros (US$139 million) and they have never left France for such a long period before.

The paintings will include Millet's "The Angelus," Manet's "The Balcony," Cezanne's "Woman with Coffee Pot" and Van Gogh's "The Dance Hall in Arles." The sculpture is Rodin's "The Age of Bronze."

The paintings and sculpture have been transported to the Expo site on separate flights.

Belgium

ECC trophy

The trophy is in the form of a diamond tennis racket made from 6 kilograms of gold and 1,600 diamonds and is a priceless exhibit in the Diamond Museum Province of Antwerp.

To illustrate the more than 550 years of Antwerp's diamond heritage, 10 of the most prestigious antique diamond jewels from the Diamond Museum Province of Antwerp will be displayed in the Diamond Exhibition Corner in the Belgium Pavilion, together with the ECC trophy.

Belgium will exhibit more than 50 diamond jewelry pieces in its pavilion, including the world's 15th largest stone, with 603 carats separated into 26 diamonds. To safeguard the exhibits, the country will also have the world's most advanced security system in operation.

Luxembourg

"Golden Lady"

National treasure "Gelle Fra" ("Golden Lady") from The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg arrived in Shanghai on April 8. This statue has been placed at the top of a 3-meter-tall steel column at the entrance to the Luxembourg Pavilion.

The country's renowned artist Claus Cito created "Gelle Fra" in 1923.

As a national cultural treasure in Luxembourg, "Gelle Fra" is situated in the center of the city state, looking down the whole nation from above.

Installed in the Expo Shanghai site the day after she arrived, this "lady" will be staying in Shanghai for the duration of the Expo.

Norway

"The Angry Boy" (Sinnataggen)

Norway's most famous boy is a highlight of the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo.

"The Angry Boy" was created by Gustav Vigeland and depicts a boy with two hands clenched, elbows bent, stamping his feet, the brows furrowed and his mouth wide open.

It seems that he is filled with anger and is going to explode. "The Angry Boy" is expected to be a popular attraction for visitors to the Norway Pavilion.

Denmark

"Little Mermaid"

The statue is on her first overseas journey since it was made in 1913.

The renowned "Little Mermaid" left Denmark's Copenhagen harbor on March 25 heading for World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

It will return to the Danish capital by the end of November.

The bronze statue was created by Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen, according to Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale that bears the name.

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei (known for the National Stadium in Beijing) has created a video installation that will incorporate video footage of the Little Mermaid's journey to Shanghai.

After darkness falls on the Denmark Pavilion, a documentary will be shown on the large screen in the pavilion about the Little Mermaid's journey.

New Zealand

1.8-ton jade stone

The jade stone is one of the biggest in New Zealand and is worshipped by Maori people. Visitors will be able to see and touch the stone.

New Zealand Pavilion will feature the 1.8-ton jade stone at the entrance of the pavilion.

"As visitors touch the precious stone, they will be touching the heart of New Zealand," says Phillip Gibson, New Zealand's commissioner general for the Expo.

The stone is exhibited as a bridge between Chinese and New Zealand's traditional cultures.

Japan

Statue of Monk Jianzhen

The statue is an impression made from his body shortly after his death in AD 763 in Japan. The original one is in the Toshodai Temple in Nara City. Jianzhen was a Chinese monk who popularized Buddhism in Japan in China's Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). He introduced a great deal of Chinese culture to Japan.

The statue is on display at the Expo as a symbol of Sino-Japan friendship and cultural exchanges. Japan's Expo exhibition will highlight the historic period from 7th and 9th century when Japan sent dozens of envoys to China in the Tang Dynasty to learn about the culture, science and technology.