AppleInsider Staff
Apple on Thursday posted to its YouTube channel a translated version of a promo video featuring artist Wang Dongling, initially created for the Chinese market in celebration of the unveiling of a new West Lake Apple Store in Hangzhou.
Two days ago, Apple took the wraps off its latest retail outlet in Hangzhou, China, tearing down protective barriers bearing original artwork commissioned from noted calligrapher Wang Dongling. To commemorate the event, a video was created showing a behind the scenes look at Wang's work.
Apple has since translated the short feature and uploaded the results to its official YouTube channel under the title "Apple Store, West Lake - About the Artist." Wang discusses Hangzhou and the West Lake region, explaining that the 2000-year-old poem "Praising West Lake in the Rain" was a perfect fit for the project.
The poem reads:
Shimmering water on sunny daysBlurred mountains through rainy haze
West Lake is like the beauty, Xizi
With light or heavy makeup, always beautiful
According to Wang, Hangzhou combines both traditional Chinese culture with a modern cityscape open to new ideas.
"To have a West Lake Apple Store in Hangzhou, it will also add another highlight to the city," Wang said.
Architecturally, the West Lake location is a close relative to Apple's upcoming Union Square flagship store in San Francisco. Currently under construction, the new California outlet will sport the same split-level layout and open glass facade, but is expected to be much grander in scale, with huge 44-foot steel framed doors and a spacious rear patio with waterfall feature.
Apple's Hangzhou storefront is the first of five China locations to open in the coming month. Last week, Apple SVP of Retail Angela Ahrendts said the company plans to open five Apple Stores in the country in as many weeks, all part of an aggressive expansion into mainland China.
The West Lake Apple Store in Hangzhou is scheduled to open its doors to customers on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 9 a.m. local time.
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
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Wesley Hilliard
26 Comments
It's good if you can find something you love in life, like he has with calligraphy. Steve Jobs was in to typesetting also.
Beautiful. It's incredible how Apple captured West lake's essence. Instead of selling western "Lao wai" marketing they've blended local artistry and culture with Apples distinct sense of zen simplicity. This is how you conquer China. Stock up on AAPL people
[quote name="dnd0ps" url="/t/184464/apple-features-calligrapher-who-created-hangzhou-apple-store-mural-in-about-the-artist-video#post_2665396"]Beautiful. It's incredible how Apple captured West lake's essence. Instead of selling western "Lao wai" marketing they've blended local artistry and culture with Apples distinct sense of zen simplicity. This is how you conquer China. Stock up on AAPL people[/quote] Except for that béret...I get it but come on.
Cool looking city.
Cool looking city.
This is how you conquer China. Stock up on AAPL people
I would if success had anything to do with the price of a stock.