Why go to a primeval forest to cleanse your lungs? Parks like this small city’s are like legendary hidden realms.

We tend to think that only pristine places, like primeval forests, have excellent ecological environments, and that’s true! Across the country, most places for lung-cleansing are in pristine areas, and it’s hard to find such spots close to cities. However, there are also some small cities in China that, despite relying on industry as their economic lifeline, boast very good ecological environments. Some city parks have environments that feel like paradise, with air quality approaching that of forests.

Ningguo, a small industrial and trade city located in southern Anhui, has many ecologically rich spots. Besides the world-class Banqiao Primitive Forest Park, there is also the Binjiang-Bamboo Park, whose overall environment feels like a legendary hidden realm. Let’s take a look together!

The 30° north latitude is a magical and beautiful place. Ningguo sits precisely at the coordinates of 30° north latitude and 119° east longitude. Despite its developed industrial economy, it boasts a great ecological environment, pleasant climate, and distinct seasons, making it an excellent place for human habitation. Can you imagine that this is a park in the center of Ningguo? This is a corner of the walking boardwalk in Ningguo’s Binjiang-Bamboo Park.

The season has now passed the Beginning of Summer, so it is truly summer. The bamboo shoots have just begun to form a forest. The lush green color made me realize why this bamboo is called emerald bamboo, and the large grove of emerald bamboo is called the Bamboo Park. I think many people can feel from such color tones how fresh the air here is, right?

The Bamboo Park is a bamboo grove along the Xijin River. The environment inside is quiet and serene, the air is fresh, and it provides cooling and shade. Compared to the noisy streets outside, it feels like a legendary hidden realm. To allow Ningguo’s residents to enjoy nature’s gift, the local area has built a several-kilometer-long walking boardwalk through the bamboo grove. Strolling on it gives a feeling of floating, as the rustling bamboo sea seems to make one forget all worldly worries.

Around dusk, nearby residents come out for walks and jogs. Walking in such an environment is so comfortable and enjoyable. When you come here yourself, you’ll be surprised to find that you don’t have to go to a pristine forest to cleanse your lungs; you can do it in an environment like this. I think there must be many places like Ningguo’s Bamboo Park that offer such surroundings; it’s just a microcosm of the beautiful development of Chinese cities.

The boardwalk in the bamboo sea is built in layers, stacked one on top of another. Looking at the structure, you realize that the boardwalk levels are suspended within the bamboo forest, which explains why it feels so ethereal.

I took this photo around 5:20 PM. The light on the bamboo boardwalk was quite dim, but the environment was even better. The people walking on the boardwalk added a poetic charm to the entire Bamboo Park. Places like the Bamboo Park are not only good for lung-cleansing but also for shooting stunning portrait photos; I imagine portraits taken here would look especially fairy-like.

Can you believe it? Through the gaps in the bamboo forest boardwalk, you can see the city streets outside. So this hidden realm-like bamboo environment is actually part of the city center. From this perspective, you really don’t have to go to a primeval forest to cleanse your lungs—you can experience it in a bamboo park like Ningguo’s.

The two sides of the Xijin River offer a stark contrast in ecological environment: on one side are commercial buildings and streets, and on the other is a pristine bamboo forest, so beautiful it feels like a hidden realm. The people living in such an environment must surely be very happy.

The Fenghuang Bridge divides Ningguo into the urban living area and the ecological sightseeing zone, and the bridge itself has become a beautiful landmark on the Xijin River. The Xijin River in Ningguo, with its excellent ecology, is full of beautiful scenery—every step offers a view, and every view is a painting!

The Bamboo Park is very large, featuring both wooden boardwalks and stone-paved paths through the forest. Both the wooden paths and the stone paths are equally beautiful, and the environment is equally lovely. In Ningguo, you don’t need to specifically seek out a lung-cleansing trip—once you arrive at the Bamboo Park, every step will thoroughly refresh your lungs.

Influenced by light, temperature, and humidity, some bamboo shoots are still growing in the park, combining with the lush green grass to create a fairy-tale scene that seems almost too beautiful to be real. But I really like this feeling!

Such landscapes and waters are usually found in primeval forests, but here in Ningguo’s Bamboo Park and along the Xijin River, it’s all like this. This ecological environment, like a hidden realm, is so beautiful it intoxicates, so pleasant it makes one reluctant to leave. Ningguo’s Bamboo Park is truly such a place—beautiful like a hidden realm, with an environment that seems untouched by worldly affairs.