Chengdu Style | New Experiences of Happiness and Well-being, Living Like a Chengdu Local

I remember when I was a child, it took a whole day to travel from Chongqing to Chengdu. Later, with the advent of bullet trains and high-speed rail, the distance between Chengdu and Chongqing was reduced to just one hour... Waking up naturally in the morning, taking the high-speed train to Chengdu for some chuanchuan, and then heading back to Chongqing in the evening for a hotpot feast—this is now a very easy thing to do.

Chengdu realizes dreams—the changes in Chengdu over the years have been obvious to all, especially the rapid development in the southern part of the city. The former suburban wasteland has now formed an international cluster of commerce, exhibitions, culture, and technology showcases surrounding the city's north-south transportation artery—Tianfu Avenue.

Chengdu is the only megacity in the world where you can see snow-capped mountains. "From my window the snow-crowned western hills are seen; beyond the door the east-bound ships at anchor lie" is Chengdu. Chengdu is a park city under the snow-capped mountains. "Granting you a balcony with a view of snow-capped mountains" is truly real!

The city has parks, and the parks contain the city—this also means that Chengdu's urban development philosophy has shifted from "industry-city-people" to "people-city-industry," placing greater emphasis on a people-centered development approach. Chengdu has also planned the world's longest greenway system—19,000 kilometers of Tianfu Greenway. Now, parks, scenic spots, and new consumption scenarios can be seen everywhere in Chengdu.

In 2021, Chengdu's Ten Major Projects for a Happy and Beautiful Life have been fully implemented. What changes will this "highlight" concerning Chengdu's "14th Five-Year Plan" development and the future lives of Chengdu citizens bring? In Chengdu, what new experiences of happiness and well-being have we discovered?

So, let's start today's topic—"Chengdu's Ten Major Projects for a Happy and Beautiful Life"—from Guixi Ecological Park in Chengdu.

Guixi Ecological Park

Guixi Ecological Park is located south of the Ring Expressway, starting from Yizhou Avenue in the west, bordering the south extension of Hongxing Road in the east, facing Jincheng Lake Park, covering an area of about 1,800 mu. It is the point with the best ecological foundation and the earliest start of the Jincheng Greenway project.

The theme of Guixi Ecological Park is "sports vitality, leisure fashion." In response to citizens' needs and greenway construction requirements, it has introduced dining, cultural cafes, basketball, football, tennis, and padel tennis and other specialty services to serve the general public.

The park has built 2.3 kilometers of first-level greenways and 5.5 kilometers of second-level greenways, and has set up 11 supporting service facilities such as forest groves. It plans to build the Tianfu Greenway Planning and Exhibition Center and the Tianfu Silk Road Park, organically integrating with the Global Center, the Convention and Exhibition Center, the Jinjiang Green Axis, and the Chengdu Zhang Daqian Museum, forming an international cluster of commerce, exhibitions, and cultural showcases.

Here, you can enjoy the natural scenery of moonlight sprinkling on the silver lake, with sparkling ripples; here, you can experience the beauty of wandering in a painting, up close to the lake and mountains; here, you can abandon the trivialities of life, relax yourself, watch the sunrise and sunset, and savor the beauty of life.

The entire park is divided into eastern and western sections by Tianfu Avenue, the city's north-south transportation artery. The park has built 2.3 kilometers of first-level greenways, 6 meters wide, and 5.5 kilometers of second-level greenways, 4 meters wide. For the convenience of visitors, the park has set up 15 public toilets and a seat every 50 meters for rest.

Guixi has sunny lawns, the Friendship Ring sculpture, the Tianfu Greenway Planning and Exhibition Center, the Ribbon Corridor, dense forest hills, hibiscus in misty rain, moonlight on silver lake... Have you got such a park yet?

When you come to Guixi Ecological Park, you must visit the Tianfu Greenway Planning and Exhibition Center. It is a circular single building with a steel structure and full glass facade, covering about 1,700 square meters. The first floor of the center features a circular LED screen along the visitor route, fully displaying the planning and construction achievements of the Tianfu Greenway through VR technology and 3D displays.

The second floor of the center is the first implemented business format on the Jincheng Greenway, and it is also the image store of Chengdu Xingcheng Group's own brand, Miyuan Coffee.

Hongshatun (Red Sand Village) is located in Sansheng Township, Jinjiang District, Chengdu, on the north side of Chenglong Road, about 7 kilometers from the Second Ring Road. It is a national AA-level scenic tourist area and one of the first national tourism demonstration sites.

Hongshatun Flower Village Rural Residence covers an area of over 3,000 mu, with a core area of over 1,500 mu. It is divided into a Sichuan-style bonsai area mainly with podocarpus and crabapples, a premium potted flower area mainly with poinsettias, cockscombs, cyclamens, and bromeliads, a seedling planting area mainly with ginkgo, crape myrtle, camphor, and metasequoia, and a fresh-cut flower area mainly with lilies, gladiolus, and chrysanthemums... These six major flower areas support each other, each with its own characteristics.

According to the changing seasons, the Flower Village Rural Residence timely launches themed cultural activities such as the Flower Village Spring Outing Kite Festival, Bird and Flower Calligraphy and Photography Exhibitions, Flower Poetry Recitals, National Fitness Trail Competitions, and Floral Arrangement Art Performances. It is an ideal place for middle-aged and elderly people to exercise and relax, for neighbors to gather, and for families to go on spring outings. It has now become the top choice for urbanites for suburban sightseeing and farmhouse leisure.

Since 2019, Jinjiang District has followed the principles of "landscaping, scenic transformation, accessibility, and participation." Starting from the transformation and upgrading of "Flower Village Rural Residence," it has systematically promoted the transformation and upgrading of the Sansheng Flower Township scenic area in five aspects: "optimizing form, strengthening infrastructure, creating scenarios, upgrading business formats, and enriching culture." This transformation and upgrading means the implementation of various new plans and supporting facilities, further highlighting the ecological value function of Sansheng Flower Township as the largest urban "green lung" in Chengdu.

Hongshatun features a unique scenery for each household, complementing the vast flower fields and creating a harmonious blend of humans and nature. As a result, the tourism industry is thriving, with a continuous stream of visitors.

The messy farmhouses of the past are gone, replaced by a dazzling array of trendy internet-famous shops, and the slow-traffic greenways have been newly renovated. Now, strolling through the Flower Village Rural Residence, you see a variety of flower landscapes under glass greenhouses, warm sunlight filtering through the dappled shadows of trees, and exquisite specialty shops everywhere that invite you to step inside and explore.

After admiring and buying flowers, visitors are often drawn to the unique residential houses, stopping to sit in the courtyard, sipping tea while passing the time, experiencing the distant tranquility and comfort.

These distinctive shops are sure to soon become popular check-in spots in Sansheng Township.

"If you haven't been to Sansheng Flower Township to buy flowers and bring spring home, you can't call yourself a true Chengdu native." The "Flower Village Rural Residence," once affectionately called one of the "Five Golden Flowers" of Sansheng Flower Township, is becoming a tourism destination for all ages, all seasons, and all times—"a beautiful scenery within sight, warm service within reach, and a profound experience that touches the heart." It continues to polish the Jinjiang brand of "Open the door to a beautiful life."

The development of a city is inseparable from the various residential communities where we live. The success of management directly affects the living standards and happiness of urban residents. This time, we visited several communities on Yongling Street, Xi'an Road. Through them, we learned about the efforts and achievements of Chengdu in the renovation of residential communities.

Xi'an Road Yongling Street is located in Jinniu District, Chengdu. The community has planned the development of the area in 2021 with high standards, fully supporting Jinniu's construction of a new northern city center of Tianfu Chengdu. The renovation projects include: greening renovation, lighting facilities, wall repair (new construction), garbage collection and storage, security facilities, non-motor vehicle sheds, activity room renovation, communication lines, public service areas, motor vehicle parking spaces, etc. The renovation of old communities has given Yongling Community a new look.

Let's start with Jinsha Yuan (Jinsha Garden).

Jinsha Yuan was built in 1996, with 3 buildings and 7 units, 91 households, and a permanent population of 276.

Before October 2014, the situation in Jinsha Yuan was "three disorders": chaotic management, disorderly people, and dirty environment, with residents complaining bitterly. To change the appearance of the courtyard, the community party committee called on communist party members to step up. They convened all party members in the courtyard to hold a meeting and discuss solutions: establish a courtyard party branch, form combat effectiveness, and transmit positive energy. Party branch members dared to take responsibility; dual-registration party members took tasks and shouldered burdens, tackling the problems existing in the courtyard.

This formed the "three-drive model" of party building leading courtyard governance: party organization drive, self-governance organization drive, and service project pull. The key to courtyard governance lies in people. A batch of courtyard backbone members willing to contribute and take responsibility continuously emerged. The mechanism of "using the courtyard to support the courtyard" ensures sustainable and stable development of courtyard governance. A living environment with beautiful scenery, good public security, and harmonious interpersonal relationships is no longer an empty phrase in our courtyard.

Guanyin Ge (Guanyin Pavilion) is located at No. 4 Guanyinge Qian Street, named after the "Guanyin Pavilion." In the 6th year of Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty, there was a nunnery on this street, enshrining the Bodhisattva Guanyin, and hence named "Guanyin Pavilion."

This courtyard was a dormitory for the Construction Bank, built in 1997, with 192 households. In 2016, a courtyard committee was established, and daily affairs of the courtyard are managed by the committee.

Most residents are retired bank employees. Among them, party members and backbone elements silently contribute to the governance of the courtyard. The relationship among residents is harmonious and friendly. The courtyard committee has strong organizational skills, holds regular council meetings, and organizes a variety of activities with many participants. Residents are very willing to pay attention to and participate in courtyard affairs.

The community party committee, party branch, and resident representatives held a mobilization meeting for the "Beautiful Balcony" citizen action to discuss the action plan. The community, social organization (Tianxiagu Culture and Art Exchange Center), and social workers actively organized community residents to participate in activities.

Party members and the courtyard committee brainstormed together to discuss the activity plan. Multiple methods were used to publicize and mobilize residents, guiding them to actively participate. Beautifying the environment enhances mood; residents are satisfied, sharing governance and benefits.

In 2018, the courtyard underwent renovation of old residential areas, significantly improving the environment. Under the leadership of the party branch, democratic management is implemented. It is worth mentioning that "using the courtyard to support the courtyard" is an important guarantee for sustainable development.

In November 2020, No. 4 Guanyinge Qian Street Courtyard won the "Completely New" award. Culture exists because of people, and these people have shaped the atmosphere of the entire courtyard: clean and tidy roads, neatly trimmed greenery, and a comfortable and quiet environment.

Wangjia Alley No. 16 and No. 21 were previously grain warehouses in Chengdu. In 1995 and 1996, they were converted into employee dormitories for the Jinniu and Qingyang District Grain Bureaus.

In the "Beautiful Balcony" citizen action, party members and residents actively participated and pooled their wisdom. They excavated the "grain" elements, decorating the courtyard with "abundant harvest of five grains." At the same time, bougainvillea, symbolizing "enthusiasm and resilience," was planted on balconies as the main flower, beautifying the courtyard and embellishing life.

Wangjia Alley No. 16 has 85 households, and Wangjia Alley No. 21 has 30 households. Around 2000, the work unit underwent institutional reform and was integrated into social management.

Due to their long construction history, outdated facilities, dirty and messy environment, disorderly management, and constant conflicts, these two courtyards were a community governance challenge a few years ago. What to do? The two community committees fully seized the opportunity of renovating old residential areas. According to the needs of the masses, the renovation of these two courtyards was completed in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Through renovation, the old courtyards have taken on a new look. The masses are now calm and satisfied, actively participating in community governance. Party members and activists are everywhere in the courtyards, such as old party member Liu Yongquan and activist Aunt Zhang, who have played a key role in courtyard governance, gradually exploring a path to drive community governance through the renovation of old residential areas.

The Luxiao TOD Exhibition Center integrates cultural education, platform display, and exchange center. It is located in the Luxiao TOD project in the Zhonghe area of the High-tech Zone, where Metro Line 6 and Line 22 (planned) interchange.

The exhibition hall covers a total area of about 1,300 square meters. Using various exhibition methods, it comprehensively introduces the TOD concept, theoretical system, and development history in a simple and clear way, introduces TOD practice in Chengdu, and fully presents Chengdu TOD's high-level layout, innovative concepts, characteristic paths, demonstration projects, and bright future.

As Chengdu's first TOD comprehensive development demonstration project, Luxiao Station TOD carries not only public expectations for TOD but also a vivid practice of the concept that "rail transit changes urban spatial patterns, and TOD comprehensive development reshapes urban lifestyles."

The first exhibition area of the TOD Exhibition Center is the TOD Origin and World Practice Exhibition Area, consisting of three parts: TOD definition and history, TOD connotation, and classic cases. This exhibition area starts with "What is TOD?" and displays the development process of TOD from germination, incubation, birth to transformation in a timeline format. By analyzing the urban development laws from traditional farming era, industrial era to rail transit era, it reveals the internal logic of TOD's birth and development.

As of the end of 2019, 520 cities in 75 countries and regions worldwide have opened urban rail transit systems, with a total mileage exceeding 28,198 kilometers. In the continuous climax of rail transit construction, "cities on tracks" have sprung up. The TOD model has become an inevitable choice for more and more world-class rail cities. Modern international cities are fully entering the era of rail transit and TOD.

At the critical moment of building a national central city, Chengdu, based on high-quality and sustainable development, has opened a new era of urban development with "full-area rail." From the first metro line opened in 2010 to 558 kilometers of operating mileage in 2020, and to the magnificent blueprint of 1,666 kilometers by 2035, Chengdu is rapidly weaving a world-class rail transit network. Through a 270-degree ultra-large circular screen, you can deeply feel every detail of the TOD world, from spatial experience to operational arteries, from economic geography to life aesthetics, experiencing the efficiency, convenience, and comfort of TOD as if you were there.

The Luxiao Station TOD project fully utilizes the "137" concept: ultra-high-density development in the 100-meter core area around the station to create a visible urban landmark; high-density development in the 300-meter sub-core area to shape flexible and diverse urban scenes; and low-density development in the 700-meter non-core area to create a poetic dwelling from "city to nature." It strives to shape an urban form that is dense yet orderly, varied and layered, with bold openings and closures. The project's green space ratio reaches over 30%.

TOD development centered around rail transit stations gathers people flow and business flow, drives the development of new areas, promotes urban renewal, and is an important support for reshaping urban form and optimizing urban space. It is also a key starting point for reallocating resources and reshaping economic geography, and an important carrier for improving spatial quality and promoting scenario-based city building.

It improves travel structure, alleviates traffic congestion, reduces environmental pollution, and is an important measure to regulate urban operations and cure urban ills. It improves urban functions, integrates living spaces, promotes job-housing balance, and is an important way to innovate service supply and meet the needs of a better life.

In the third exhibition area, the center elaborates on the Chengdu TOD model from six dimensions: TOD Chengdu concept, top-level design, demonstration projects, planning and design, international team, Chengdu characteristics, and expert interviews. At the same time, digital sandboxes and physical sandboxes are used to display TOD projects and future TOD production, living, ecological, and consumption scenarios in multiple dimensions. Since the end of 2020, Luxiao, Shuangfengqiao, and Zitonggong TOD have successively appeared, presenting an excellent answer sheet for the final battle of Chengdu TOD's "13th Five-Year Plan." Here, through integrated urban functional layout and clever design of urban spatial patterns, a completely different picture of urban production and life is presented to people, outlining an ideal demonstration of a new lifestyle in future TOD cities.

Rail is the root line of urban development, intricately interwoven and rapidly spreading. TOD is like a seed, relying on rail to break through the soil in the land of abundance, grow toward the sun, become a towering tree, and converge into a lush forest. In the future, with the widespread creation of Chengdu TOD, such a lifestyle will further spread and eventually completely change the residential pattern of cities in China and even the world. A thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. And the starting point of Chengdu TOD development is Luxiao.

Jingronghui is located in the core area of Chengdu High-tech Zone. It was officially opened in March 2016, with a total building area of 256,000 square meters. Focusing on international innovation and entrepreneurship, with the core of incubating new technologies, cultivating new business formats, and realizing new values, it builds a full-chain technology entrepreneurship incubation system, introduces high-level mass entrepreneurship and innovation service platforms, creates intelligent data-driven service systems, and strives to build a world-class innovation and entrepreneurship ecological system.

Jingronghui is a Tianfu innovation and entrepreneurship flagship project positioned to build a national independent innovation demonstration zone and create an international innovation and entrepreneurship center with global influence.

It highlights the attraction and aggregation of innovation and entrepreneurship elements, introduces and cultivates innovative incubators, builds innovation and entrepreneurship platforms such as information, training, capital, and incubation, fully leverages the agglomeration effect of innovation and entrepreneurship resources and the scale advantages of innovation and entrepreneurship activities, achieves the combination of online and offline, innovation and entrepreneurship, incubation and investment, and provides entrepreneurs with good working spaces, network spaces, social spaces, and resource-sharing spaces.

Jingronghui is a microcosm of Chengdu's booming "mass entrepreneurship and innovation." It is the first dual-innovation park in the world to receive the highest-level LEED Platinum green building certification, the earliest approved "Overseas Chinese Dream Workshop" dual-innovation base in Western China by the State Council, the core area of the first "Intellectual Property New Economy Demonstration Park" in China, and the main carrier of the incubation and cultivation function of the China-South Korea Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park.

We visited one of its training bases, "Ubi Zhiyuan" (Ubi Willing), and learned about their efforts and contributions to the development of science and education as a data platform.

"Chengdu's Ten Major Projects for a Happy and Beautiful Life" paints a series of beautiful social life scenes, from basic necessities to life and death, from innovation and entrepreneurship to leisure and entertainment, closely weaving the life and career of every Chengdu person into the grand picture of urban development. And discovering new scenes and new experiences of happiness and well-being in Chengdu is becoming a new trend.