Sunflowers and impatiens blanket renovated Linkong Music Park

The newly renovated Linkong Music Park in Changning District is now awash with a soothing golden and purple sea of flowers, as large patches of sunflowers and impatiens bloom together in full glory.

The sunflowers turn their bright yellow faces to the warm sun, their golden discs full and vibrant. Vast stretches of impatiens spread across the park, their soft purple flower spikes undulating like clouds along the garden paths.

Compared with the lively exuberance of spring blossoms, early summer at Linkong Music Park offers a quiet and tranquil charm. Since its upgrade, the park has embraced a “park +” philosophy, integrating ecological landscaping, leisure and fitness facilities, and cultural experiences. 

Along with improved walking paths and recreational lawns, the park leverages its prime location along Suzhou Creek to create a multi-functional urban public leisure space suitable for all ages.

Tianshan Tea City becomes new hotspot for international tourists

As Shanghai welcomes a growing number of international visitors, Tianshan Tea City at 520 Zhongshan Road W. has emerged as a new must-visit destination for those looking to experience traditional Chinese tea culture.  

“Nihao, I wanna buy Longjing tea,” said a Russian tourist who learned about the tea market from foreign travel review sites. He was in search of the Longjing tea that left a lasting impression on him. At the Xiancao Sanqian • Old Tea Shop, owner Ye Yuanqing warmly invited him to sit down and savor the tea.  

Apart from first-time tea lovers like the Russian visitor, Ye also recently reunited with a Canadian “old tea friend” from 15 years ago. The Canadian had been a customer of Ye’s. Days earlier, upon arriving in Shanghai again, he made a special trip to find Ye. The two sat down once more, chatting over tea just like old times.  

Tianshan Tea City sees all kinds of foreign visitors. Most, after buying tea, head upstairs to the second floor to pick out a delicate tea set. “Many foreign customers come here carrying the tea they just bought, looking for matching teaware,” said Ni Aizhen, manager of Longhao Teaware, a shop known for its wide and varied selection.

According to Ni, the number of foreign customers has risen noticeably recently. She noted that their preferences fall into two categories: some prefer simple, convenient sets, while others want complete, all-in-one sets.  

Many shops in the tea city have put up multilingual signs and tea labels. Whether it’s the type of tea or its origin, foreign visitors can see and understand the information at a glance. 

Zhang Hong, head of Jiqing Tea, one of the first shops to adopt multilingual signage, said that since adding signs in Chinese-English and Chinese-Russian, more foreign customers have come in to inquire. “They can see at a glance what tea I sell here, without hesitating at the door not knowing how to start a conversation.” Each tea variety also has a corresponding multilingual label, allowing foreign customers to get basic information before asking detailed questions.  

Beyond adding multilingual signs, shop owners are also learning basic foreign languages and installing translation apps on their phones.  

In response to the rising influx of foreign tourists, Tianshan Tea City said it will roll out a series of service upgrades, including language training, tea culture experience activities for international visitors, regular tea ceremony performances exclusively for foreign tourists, and tasting classes.

‘R&D upstairs, experiments downstairs’: Hongqiao Zhiyu builds vertical AI ecosystem

“Technology in Changning, scenarios across the globe.” This statement vividly captures the reality of Changning’s sci‑tech innovation landscape. In the third installment of our series on “Changning’s Incubator Development,” we visit Hongqiao Zhiyu Incubator, a “full-scene AI laboratory” for AI applications.

Located in the IBP Hongqiao Upper Town Innovation & Tech Building, the nearly 22,000-square-meter Hongqiao Zhiyu platform is not only a hard-tech incubator breaking traditional boundaries but also a global innovation hub for “AI agents and embodied intelligence” and a one-stop bridgehead for enterprises going global.

Shanghai Zhengtu Zhixin Intelligent Technology Co Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of a national-level “specialized and sophisticated little giant” enterprise and a manufacturer of smart inspection robots, recently moved its new technology entity into Hongqiao Zhiyu. “With full support from the park, we quickly connected upstream supply chains for embodied robots and secured orders from leading clients in multiple niche sectors,” said a company head.

Hongqiao Zhiyu operates on four core pillars: cutting-edge new materials focusing on scientist-entrepreneurs, key components deepening robotics core technologies, new-scenario innovation driving applications in industry, logistics, and elderly care, and global expansion leveraging the Hongqiao International Central Business District’s hub advantages to offer one-stop going-global services.

The incubator has built a six-part empowerment system covering R&D, validation, deployment, and industrialization, including R&D testing, supply chain coordination, data and computing power, scenario matching, investment and financing, and overseas expansion.

To meet the R&D testing needs of hard-tech companies, Hongqiao Zhiyu has innovatively planned four zones — incubation, acceleration, exhibition, and a comprehensive lab center, creating a vertically integrated AI ecosystem with “R&D upstairs, experiments downstairs.”

Focusing on going global, the incubator has identified five key overseas expansion directions: entertainment content, consumer brands, high-end manufacturing, enterprise services, and cross-border e-commerce. The nearby Hongqiao International Central Legal Services District provides legal and consulting support including notarization, courts, arbitration, and HR services, not only for local SMEs but also in partnership with Hongqiao Zhiyu to build a service cluster for global-bound enterprises.

Strategically located in the core area of Changning’s Hongqiao hub, Hongqiao Zhiyu enjoys comprehensive policy support covering startup subsidies, talent, R&D, and housing.

Zhongxinjing Park charms visitors with compact elegance and diverse architecture

Zhongxinjing Park, nicknamed “Little Hongcun of Shanghai,” has quietly put on its summer attire amid warm breezes and blossoming flowers. 

With white walls and black tiles standing by the water, visitors can enjoy a touch of elegant Huizhou-style architecture without traveling to southern Anhui Province.

What makes the park most unique is its diverse character. The ancient and serene Fahua Temple sits nearby, while the Byzantine bell tower of Sieh Yih Chapel is faintly visible in the distance. These different styles give the small park a distinctive charm.

Inside the park, pomegranate flowers burst red and vibrant along the branches. On the west side of Hami Road, a long continuous wall of roses runs beside the park.

Zhongxinjing Park is compact and exquisite. A slow stroll through the entire park takes just about an hour. Without the crowds, visitors can enjoy black-tiled roofs, flowing waters, blooming flowers, birdsong, and a leisurely walk.

Livat Shanghai launches first-ever Wildfield Market

From May 22 to 24 and May 29 to 31, 11:00–20:00 daily, Livat Shanghai is hosting its first-ever food festival, the Wildfield Market. Centered on the theme of “freshness,” the event brings together over 40 specialty stalls, delivering the natural flavors of the countryside right into the city.

The market offers everything from fresh farm produce to popular street snacks, healthy nibbles to trendy desserts, catering to a wide range of tastes.

SUCZUG AGORA serves fresh vegetables grown in harmony with nature, still carrying morning dew. Dian Wa offers freshly baked black chocolate banana and rose mango roasted milk fans (rushan) with a creamy aroma. X Kitchen’s wok-fried pineapple beef cubes are a hot seller.

Swiss Mövenpick Ice Cream brings over 20 flavors, from classic vanilla and cappuccino to blueberry cheesecake and mint chocolate. Buwan Zhizao brings vibrant live plants into the bustling market, each pot full of natural wild charm.

The market is not only a feast for human taste buds. Pets get their own treats too. Brandi Pet Fresh offers handmade snacks, custom cakes, and fresh wet food.

The Wildfield Market is set in the outdoor Huixin Garden of Livat Shanghai, a space that naturally exudes a relaxed, rustic vibe. Visitors can take a break at designated camping areas and enjoy live music performances.

“The market opens a new chapter for our first food festival. We want to bring the countryside into the city, allowing residents to experience the taste of nature without traveling far. We also hope everyone can shed their fatigue and enjoy a gentle, nature-embracing leisure experience,” a Livat Shanghai manager said.

Livat Shanghai First Food Festival – Wildfield Market

Time: May 22–24 & May 29–31, 11:00–20:00

Location: Huixin Garden, Gate 3, Livat Shanghai, 788 Jinzhong Road