United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the Expo a "remarkable, even historic event."

"I hope that China will be an urban pioneer," he said, adding that he looks forward to working closely with China on the sustainable development agenda.

CHINESE AS CITIZENS OF THE GLOBAL VILLAGE

The 184-day event provided a rare opportunity for Chinese people to experience the world with their own eyes and bodies. Although the number of overseas-bound Chinese tourists rose to 47.76 million last year, more than 200 times that of 30 years ago, most Chinese still have no access to first-hand foreign information.

Mei Haixing, 59, a retired teacher from a Shanghai middle school, has visited the Expo more than 30 times. He has written a 400-page diary to record his precious Expo memories. The diary has pictures, souvenirs and signatures from different pavilion curators.

"The Expo is like a huge museum of the world's different cultures," he said.

The Chinese are not satisfied with their current level of knowledge and access to entertainment, according to Sheng Banghe, a sociologist with the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

"At first, I jeered those who lined up to get a stamp in their Expo passports. Now I understand their enthusiasm. Many Chinese have no chance of obtaining a real passport, let alone receive visa stamps from other countries," said Zhang Wei, an editor at China Youth Daily.

Pavilions like the French "Sensual City" and the Italian "City of Man" that centered on an individual's free and vigorous lifestyle have inspired the Chinese to dream of an even rosier future.