2009 Bellagio Conservatory Chinese New Year Display

Posted on 19 January 2009

Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is celebrating the 2009 Chinese New Year, the Year of the Ox, with a unique display filled with hidden meaning. The Conservatory’s design is 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 is a botanical 15-foot-long ox, shown cooling off in a tranquil pond. Legend has it that Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came. The second animal in the Asian zodiac, the ox serves as a symbol of prosperity. Those born in the Year of the Ox tend to be self-assured, inspirational and born leaders.

Just steps away, an 18-foot-tall Chinese God of Wealth and Fortune is 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.

Also on display, you will find three, 6-foot-tall giant pandas frolicking in a lush garden filled with towering bamboo.

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 are also 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 through February 28th.