The delivery of the stone celebrates Sino-Brazilian diplomatic relations and takes place on the eve of Mandarin Day in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro
The Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden will receive a gift from China on Saturday (September 27th). It is a 700kg rock extracted from Mount Tai (Taishan), a sacred pilgrimage site for Taoist believers. It was donated by State Grid Brazil Holding (SGBH) and will be permanently displayed outdoors, in front of Casa Pacheco Leão.
The stone has a special meaning for many Chinese people because it represents steadfastness, something lasting and reliable. The handover is part of the celebrations of the 51st anniversary of Sino-Brazilian diplomatic relations and takes place during the 15th anniversary of SGBH. It also coincides with the eve of Mandarin Day (28/9), established by the Rio de Janeiro City Council in 2022.
The donation will be made in a ceremony attended by the president and directors of the Botanical Garden, executives of SGBH, councilors responsible for authoring the project and other authorities from the Consulate General of China and the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, in front of Casa Pacheco Leão.
The rock will bear a plaque that reads: "May our friendship endure, and though separated by a thousand leagues, may we share the same bright moon." Surrounding it will be three tea seedlings from China. The trio completes a total of four plants imported by SGBH and donated to the Garden. A fourth was planted alongside another brought by the Portuguese Crown 215 years ago, through Chinese who came to introduce tea cultivation in Brazil.
HISTORY
Mount Tai (Taishan) is 1,545 meters high and is located in Shandong province. It is considered a symbol of the connection between heaven, earth, and humanity. Emperors climbed to its summit to bring offerings and perform rituals. Today, visitors come to pray for health, longevity, and peace. In 1987, UNESCO inscribed it as a Mixed World Heritage Site in recognition of its natural landscape and historical and cultural value.
Saturday's event (September 27th) joins other SGBH activities at the Botanical Garden. In 2024, in partnership with Banco Bocom BBM, it sponsored the renovation and reopening of Casa Pacheco Leão. The exhibition "Tea Route – Botany, Culture and Tradition" is on display there.
