A scene from ‘Impression West Lake’ 印象西湖, HangZhou

Provincial capital of GuangDong.

With Little Chinese Everywhere ...

With Walk East ... Phoenix ancient town, night walk ...

With Wei's Travel ... ShangHai can be considered a 'garden city' due to its extensive green spaces, parks, and efforts to integrate nature within its urban environment. Here are some key aspects that contribute to this : ### Extensive Green Spaces and Parks 1. **Large Urban Parks**: Shanghai is home to numerous large parks such as Century Park, Gongqing Forest Park, and Shanghai Botanical Garden. These parks provide significant green spaces within the city and offer residents and visitors places to relax and enjoy nature. 2. **Green Belt**: The city has developed green belts and corridors that integrate natural elements into the urban landscape, helping to connect different green spaces and providing continuous natural areas for walking, cycling, and leisure. ### Historical and Traditional Gardens 3. **Traditional Chinese Gardens**: Shanghai boasts several well-preserved traditional Chinese gardens, such as Yu Garden (YuYuan), which exemplify classical Chinese garden design with ponds, rockeries, pavilions, and intricate landscaping. These gardens reflect the city's historical commitment to integrating nature with urban living. ### Urban Greening Initiatives 4. **Street Landscaping**: Many of Shanghai's streets are lined with trees, flowers, and shrubs, contributing to a greener urban environment. The city has invested in extensive landscaping to enhance the aesthetic appeal and environmental quality of its streets and boulevards. 5. **Vertical Gardens and Green Roofs**: Shanghai has embraced innovative urban greening techniques such as vertical gardens and green roofs on buildings. These initiatives help to increase the amount of greenery in densely populated urban areas and contribute to better air quality and urban biodiversity. ### Green Urban Planning 6. **Sustainable Development**: Shanghai's urban planning policies emphasize sustainable development and the creation of eco-friendly urban spaces. This includes the development of eco-districts and the incorporation of green spaces into new residential and commercial developments. 7. **Waterfront Revitalization**: The revitalization of waterfront areas along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek has included the creation of green promenades, parks, and recreational areas that provide residents with access to nature and enhance the city's overall green infrastructure. ### Community and Public Engagement 8. **Public Involvement**: The city encourages public participation in maintaining and developing green spaces through community gardens and public involvement initiatives. This engagement helps to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility for the city's natural environments. ### Environmental Conservation 9. **Biodiversity Conservation**: Efforts to preserve and enhance biodiversity within the city, such as the creation of urban wildlife habitats and conservation areas, contribute to Shanghai's identity as a garden city. ### Seasonal Flower Displays 10. **Flower Festivals and Displays**: Shanghai hosts various flower festivals and seasonal floral displays that enhance the city's visual appeal and celebrate its botanical diversity. These events attract tourists and residents alike, further emphasizing the city's green character. ### Conclusion Shanghai's commitment to integrating green spaces and nature into its urban environment through parks, traditional gardens, innovative greening techniques, and sustainable urban planning practices helps to position it as a 'garden city.' These efforts not only enhance the city's aesthetic appeal but also contribute to the well-being of its residents and the sustainability of its urban ecosystem.

A fascinating look at the extraordinary history and transformation of ShangHai. With China Central TV (CCTV). Narrated by Owen Grant. Bonus film - sailing along the HuangPu River at night, between the Bund in PuXi (west of the river) and PuDong (east of the river). The most well known area of PuDong is the LuJiaZui finance and trade zone that includes the ShangHai Stock Exchange and many of ShangHai's highest buildings, such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Jin Mao Tower, the ShangHai World Financial Center, and the ShangHai Tower. These modern skyscrapers directly face PuXi's historic Bund (meaning embankment), a remnant of former foreign concessions. PuDong also includes the Port of ShangHai, the ShangHai World Expo site and Century Park, ShangHai PuDong International Airport, the JiuDuanSha Wetland Nature Reserve, and the ShangHai Disney Resort. This 'New Area' has been established from almost nothing in just thirty years.

With Walk East ...

Good scenes from around BeiJing ...