Discover the Good Life and Explore the Trendy, Luxurious Magic City

📍 Shanghai · 👁 2 reads · ❤️ 56 likes

Now that the weather is improving, after being cooped up for so long, aren't you dying to get out? With the pandemic just stabilizing, it's important to travel wisely. A self-driving trip to nearby areas is a great option.

The trendy luxury car brand FAW Mazda has launched a "Travel Benefits Program" featuring six specially curated routes across six cities. Along with thoughtful nearby travel guides, you also have the chance to win free trips.

Luckily, this time I became a Shanghai nearby travel experience officer—come! Let's explore the culture and fun of this fashion capital together and enjoy a relaxing weekend.

I've always loved Shanghai. It absorbs thousands of romantic lifestyles from around the world, inclusive and leisurely; driving around the city, there are no mountains or seas blocking the way, simple and convenient.

Beyond the familiar landmark buildings, Shanghai also has many Instagram-worthy spots. Shanghai Shangshēng Xīn Suǒ (Columbia Circle), after nearly a century of changes, has now been renovated and become an international culture and art lifestyle hub blending fashion and leisure. M50 Creative Park is steeped in artistic atmosphere, with graffiti everywhere; painting and art exhibitions draw the city's hipsters. Yóuzhàn · Future City, with its unique pyramid shape full of avant-garde and individualistic visual impact, was once honored as one of the "Top Ten Weirdest Buildings".

Today, let's explore!

Shanghai Shangshēng Xīn Suǒ, also known as Columbia Park, is located at No. 1262 Yan'an West Road. It has played many roles throughout history.

In 1925, the Shanghai Municipal Council of the British and American Concessions established the Columbia Country Club here, making it a paradise for expatriates to relax and entertain.

After liberation, it became the site of the Shanghai Institute of Biological Products, a mysterious place closed to the public for 70 years.

In 2016, Shanghai Vanke took over the vacated factory campus and, after two years of renovation, transformed the Sun Ke Villa, Columbia Country Club, Navy Club, and other original industrial buildings into an international culture and art lifestyle hub integrating creative offices, shopping, entertainment, and leisure experiences.

Don't miss out if you love exploring shops—besides art exhibitions, there are many quality boutiques like Naked Hub, Daocheng Bookstore, PIRATA, Sumo Cat, and more.

The most famous is the British-style mosaic-tiled swimming pool, with its turquoise water encased in small mosaic tiles, exuding a full retro vibe. The elegant hues and exotic atmosphere make you feel as if you've been transported to Morocco in North Africa.

The pool is surrounded by a colonnade with white columns, graceful arched ceilings, and a floor paved with black-and-white diagonal lines, preserving the original charm while brimming with fashion and allure.

The entire architectural design is by the renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. I highly recommend visiting on a sunny day—first, the pool takes on enchanting colors, and second, you can see the shimmering reflections of ripples on the ceiling.

As an Aries who loves vibrant living, I must return to my true self on weekends. Naturally, a cup of rich, invigorating coffee is essential.

There are many restaurants and cafés here. Sitting by the window or taking a breather by the poolside are both great choices. You see, in the past this place was packed, and every space between two pillars was a haven guarded by clusters of visitors snapping photos.

But today, I got to enjoy the whole place to myself, a feeling I savored even on the way out. People always remember things that stand out. Only by not following the crowd can you lead new trends. The same goes for my car—it presents the ultimate Oriental aesthetics with craftsmanship, highlighting the driver's extraordinary style.

On the way, I stopped by the internet-famous "Paper Building" (Wukang Building).

It sits at the intersection of five roads: Tianping Road, Yuqing Road, Xingguo Road, Wukang Road, and Middle Huaihai Road. It was Shanghai's first exterior-corridor apartment building and is one of only three remaining ship-shaped buildings in the world.

It appeared in the film "Lust, Caution" when Wang Jiazhi rides a rickshaw after letting Mr. Yi go, and in "This is Not What I Expected" when Zhou Dongyu and Takeshi Kaneshiro sit by the railing watching the sunset.

Like a giant ship anchored in the city center, its elegant arcade design, entirely red brick walls, corner balcony, and triangular classical pediment window lintels exude extraordinary charm.

Today, revisiting it with admiration, I drove the youthful and handsome FAW Mazda all-new CX-4 past the 95-year-old Wukang Building; circling the sharpest corner, the dynamic side lines of the car intersected with the building's sharp angles, forming the most beautiful geometric pattern.

I used to like flaunting a purely individualistic self. After experiencing the world, I've realized that "complex blending" creates life's true flavors—mixing different proportions of brilliance through the clash of extremes.

The same goes for one car and one city!

It can be sweet or salty; Magic City embraces diverse lifestyles. One calm, one dynamic—just like the car's dual nature: trendy luxury and sportiness. That's why it understands me best; an elegant soul needs physical tempering.

Thinking about how many years I've been working, striving in the big city—time always erases the youthful edges on a face and coats it with a thick layer of "greasiness." But!! With the blue sky as my core and the joy of Chuangchi (Skyactiv), how could I sink into self-indulgence?

Let's go, let's exercise!

Quickly, a friend and I arrived at KC Basketball Park, planning a weekend gathering to stretch our limbs.

It resembles the colorful Hong Kong internet-famous courts, which mainly use red, yellow, and blue, while KC Basketball Park's colors are yellow, green, and purple, creating a stronger contrast between stillness and motion.

After changing into gear, we revisited a hobby from our school days. In an instant, blood rushed from the brain back to the limbs, and I couldn't help but sigh—sports truly are the best way to release the mind.

While resting quietly, a thought suddenly crossed my mind: Why do people enjoy sports?

—Maybe it's the pursuit of the highest performance configuration,

—and the ultimate satisfaction of self-control.

Only then can you be at ease and be yourself in complex environments.

Leaving the court for the next stop, I naturally carried my "sports genes" into the car, experiencing the new CX-4's unity of car and driver, Jinba Ittai!

When the car becomes an extension of your body, driving becomes true pleasure. Based on upgraded Skyactiv technology, the new CX-4 focuses on refining linear acceleration; the suspension, accelerator, clutch, and brakes are all tuned to an extremely comfortable state. It makes every trip something to look forward to even before setting off.

Its heart is a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine, delivering a maximum power of 192 horsepower.

Its athletic nerves are that super smart 6-speed automatic transmission, paired with intelligent on-demand all-wheel drive.

The first driving impression is very smooth; the power delivery is linear with no jerks. A press on the brake pedal brings the car to a stable stop, and stepping on the accelerator gives an immediate response—I especially like this quick feedback.

The car also has a HUD head-up display, making it convenient for the driver to check speed in real time. Plus, for car enthusiasts, the visual superiority is even more pronounced.

Quickly we arrived at M50 Creative Park. As a veteran park, it boasts some remarkable honors:

In 2004, it was listed by TIME magazine as a recommended Shanghai cultural landmark.

In 2006, it was awarded the highest popularity prize among Shanghai's top ten fashion landmarks.

It was originally the Shanghai Chunming Worsted Mill, covering 41 acres with over 50 supporting industrial buildings, and is the most completely preserved remnant of national industrial architecture along the Suzhou Creek.

M50 exudes a dense and casual artistic vibe, often hosting painting and art exhibitions. A casual stroll always reveals something fresh, and every weekend many hipsters flock here for exhibitions and photos.

Graffiti is arguably M50's core culture—the creativity inspired by the surrounding elements is truly impressive.

It feels a lot like Beijing's 798 or Chongqing's Eling Second Factory. Wandering through, you'll be amazed by the richness of elements; it's practically a natural photo base. Industrial, retro, street-chic, or Instagram-style—whatever style you want to create, it can handle it.

During these two days of travel, I drove the FAW Mazda all-new CX-4 through streets and lanes. With its warm companionship, I soaked in the city's vitality, transforming from a passing visitor into a local newbie. The more roads you travel, the greater the depth of your mind.

My car, singing along with me through Magic City, encapsulates style and quality effortlessly. As an urban coupe SUV, it's agile and elegant, fashionable and bold, yet never sacrificing comfort and handling. The new CX-4 has become a dazzling sight on the road.

Its luxuriousness isn't just on the outside; the interior complements it perfectly. The dashboard is black, while the seats, center console, and door panels are uniformly finished in brand-new Burgundy Red—a hue favored by sports car brands. It definitely evokes passion.

The Nappa leather seats have great wrap and support, with electric adjustment and memory functions.

The BOSE sound system makes the audio quality even more outstanding.

The entire car uses Mazda's Connect infotainment system and features an 8-inch central display, creating a premium space with technology that's convenient and efficient, allowing me to explore the road ahead.

Oh, and it also brings new NVH quieting technology and new suspension dampers, ensuring a clear in-cabin conversation environment at all times.

Admiring the new CX-4, now let's return to the scenery. The nearby Hanging Gardens of Babylon, recently completed, is open to visitors.

Designed by the architect of the UK Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo, it has over 400 terraces and more than 1,000 plants, truly resembling the legendary gardens. Aerial photos show "Tian'an Qiānshù" (Thousand Trees) blending perfectly with the surroundings; the collision of ancient and modern feels romantic and almost surreal. It will undoubtedly become the largest architectural landscape along Suzhou Creek.

On Moganshan Road, there's also a 600-meter-long graffiti wall, magnificent and grand, co-created by 32 Chinese and international artists. With their boundless imagination, they've created a colorful world.

On the way to the last spot, I felt like "a light boat passing through myriad mountains, picking up lost pearls in Magic City," gently collecting the scattered street-life fragrances along the way.

These unplanned sights opened my eyes, much like the FAW Mazda all-new CX-4, which not only gave me a surprising coupe SUV experience but also accompanied me with its true self as I discovered and felt the beauty of life.

The last stop is this rather fantastical building, Yóuzhàn Future City, located at 258 Lvdi Avenue, Huaqiao Town, Kunshan City. There are three such pyramid-structured buildings, designed by the Japanese MAO First-Class Architects Office.

Thanks to the stepped-back design, each terrace enjoys blue skies and white clouds, breathing in sunlight and rain without obstruction at multiple levels. Its stacked layers prompted netizens to joke: "If you jump off here, you'd fall level by level—it's time-consuming and you can't reach the ground directly -_-b." But I think, with such a complex and interesting structure, overseas it would probably have been claimed as a pilgrimage site by parkour enthusiasts long ago.

Seeing this building in person felt extremely spectacular and deeply satisfying. I still remember the first time I saw it on Instagram, amazed by its wild sci-fi look.

The entire complex combines a creative fashion market, SOHO offices, and LOFT residences, earning it the nickname "a city within a building."

It's like a plus-size Lego block, forming a staggered, cascading tiered picture—truly breaking the monotony of standard apartments. Its striking appearance even startedled the central authorities, so naturally it earned the title of one of the "Top Ten Weirdest Buildings" in 2013.

It took just over an hour to get here from downtown, enjoying the super ride on the highway. Its handling is excellent; the GVC Plus vectoring control makes cornering much smoother. What's key is that such a short road trip isn't tiring at all—the fully upgraded new chassis and high-rigidity body greatly enhance ride comfort while ensuring driving fun.

Alright, as I prepare to leave this fortress-like (pyramid) building, I can't help but recall a saying:

"A fortress is a harbor of life, and a beloved car is an extension of home." Throughout this exploration, I deeply felt FAW Mazda's commitment to "using technology to silently safeguard safety." For instance, the new CX-4's ALH adaptive LED headlights quickly and automatically recognize vehicles and pedestrians ahead during nighttime driving, letting me better see the road ahead and drive with more confidence and poise.

After witnessing Shanghai's charm, I was truly touched by Magic City's trendy luxury + dynamic style! Are you also looking forward to FAW Mazda's benefits program? There are customized nearby travel routes in six major regions across the country. Click the link below to check out the travel guide for your city, and while participating in the topic interaction, you'll also have a chance to win a free nearby trip and a hundred-yuan gift card~

https://pages.ctrip.com/destinationad/202005/mazda/h5.html?disable_webview_cache_key=1&navBarStyle=white

A wonderful life, like a pleasant outing, is inseparable from a car companion with great looks, excellent handling, and a unique personality. FAW Mazda is your undisputed choice—embrace the good life, with FAW Mazda always by your side.

Travel Guide Contents

1. Shanghai's Fashion Runway – Shangshēng Xīn Suǒ

2. From Greasy Uncle Back to Youthful Lad, All It Takes Is... – KC Basketball Park

3. Just as Creative Parks Display Personality, So Must M50 See Me – M50 Creative Park

4. The Instagram Pyramid That Flooded Moments – Kunshan Yóuzhàn Future City

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