Lotus blooms peak along Changning greenway

Lotus flowers are in full bloom along the Changning Outer Ring Greenway, creating a calm summer scene.

At Bridge No. 5 beneath the greenway, near the Xianxia Rd W. entrance, dense layers of lotus leaves spread across the water at peak viewing season.

A pedestrian bridge above the pond has become a popular vantage point. Cyclists pass along the riverside path below, while visitors pause to lean over the railings and take photos of the lotus in bloom.

How to get there:

Guangshun Rd N. entrance

Transport: Bus Xinjin No. 1 (not operating on weekends), or Bus 74 to Guangshun Rd N. / Linxin Rd

Parking: Lingkong No.1 Park underground car park, 592 Guangshun Rd N., or nearby roadside parking

Hours: 6:30am–8:30pm (last entry 30 minutes before closing)

Kele Rd / Xianxia Rd W entrance

Transport: Bus 141, 176 or 1221 to Xianxia Rd / Beixiang Rd, or Bus 941 to Yingle Rd / Xianxia Rd

Parking: No public parking nearby

Hours: 6:30am–8:30pm (last entry 30 minutes before closing)

Konggang No. 8 entrance

Transport: Metro Line 10 to Hongqiao Terminal 1, then Bus 941 to Youle Rd / Yingbin No. 1 Rd, or Bus 88 to Jinbang Rd / Fuquan Rd

Parking: Aspire underground car park, 299 Youle Rd

Hours: 6:30am–8:30pm (last entry 30 minutes before closing)

All entrances offer bicycle rental.

Crystal Bridge set for soft opening on July 16

Crystal Bridge, a mixed-use development combining office space with boutique retail, will begin a soft opening on July 16.

The project sits next to Loushanguan Rd metro station and brings together retail, dining and public space in an open, landscaped setting built around a “retail + green space + art” concept. An underground station link and a 1,380-space car park will open with the development.

Covering around 30,000 square meters, the scheme includes first-store openings, flagship outlets and concept retailers alongside dining and lifestyle venues across multiple levels. Early tenants include COMMUNE•X, a restaurant-bar chain with an all-day format; Wanniu Wagyu Yakiniku, serving Australian Wagyu at the table; and Rolife, which is opening its first self-operated themed store in the area.

About 30 percent of the site is landscaped, including roughly 13,000 square meters of central green space. Planting runs through public areas and retail zones, creating a continuous green environment across the site.

Public art installations from artist Liu Yi‘s “Light Talker” series are installed across the development, including “Code Cat Walker,” a playful figure with a robotic companion, and “Star Ring Mother and Child,” a quieter domestic scene.

At night, the diamond-shaped façade turns into a large-scale digital canvas for light projections. A circular installation known as “Aperture” forms part of the site‘s evening light display.

The developer said the project brings together retail, culture and public space in a more open urban format. Visitors can move through landscaped gardens, a sunken plaza, an outdoor theatre and rooftop garden areas.

A series of events is planned in the coming months, including craft beer sessions, pop-up markets and community activities such as pet adoption events.

Shanghai Fashion Customization Week Opens in Changning

Shanghai Fashion Customization Week opened at M+ Xingfuli in Changning on June 23, marking the launch of the 2026 Global New Product Launch Season and showcasing how Shanghai is using fashion, design and customized consumer experiences to strengthen its "Shanghai Style" brand.

Building on the city's "Shanghai Style" initiative, unveiled in March alongside the upgraded First in Shanghai 4.0 policy package, the three-day event highlighted bespoke fashion, traditional craftsmanship and lifestyle innovation while supporting Shanghai's efforts to boost consumer spending and industrial upgrading.

At the heart of the program was Changning's "happiness economy" strategy, which combines fashion, weddings, cultural tourism and lifestyle consumption to create new urban experiences. Since the district's marriage registration center relocated to Xingfu Road at the beginning of 2026, the area has evolved into a destination that blends wedding services with retail, cafés and cultural venues. During this year's Double Five Shopping Festival, Changning also introduced the Changning Happiness Passport, linking shopping, cultural attractions and lifestyle experiences across the district.

Shanghai Fashion Customization Week featured three days of runway shows, exhibitions and immersive events. The opening show brought together local fashion brands GRACE CHEN, MEJJY and Amy Chu, showcasing bespoke business tailoring and contemporary Chinese-inspired fashion.

A themed exhibition highlighted brands spanning fashion, craftsmanship and design. Shanghai Garment Group presented its DaDi and T&A brands through digital installations inspired by traditional Chinese wedding culture, while Dayun Meici showcased luxury porcelain that combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics. MEJJY exhibited bespoke business apparel, Panini presented premium scarves incorporating intangible cultural heritage techniques, and Amy Chu displayed collections ranging from contemporary Chinese womenswear to traditional wedding attire and Tang-style menswear.

The event also premiered a promotional film on Changning's fashion customization industry and brought together businesses from the district's Xinhua–Happiness Economy business district, including Shanghai Garment Group, the Changning Marriage Registration Center, Haiyan Logistics and Fooknock, to discuss customized products and services. Zhang Xiaoxuan, founder of luxury porcelain brand Dayun Meici, and Xu Yan, founder of lifestyle photography brand Musee Foto, shared their views on the growing appeal of customization and Chinese-inspired design.

The "Shanghai Style" brand reflects Shanghai's push to make high-quality, personalized products and services more accessible. Supported by a series of policies covering fashion, traditional craftsmanship, high-end manufacturing, cultural tourism and retail, the initiative aims to expand bespoke consumption beyond the luxury market.

Changning has aligned that vision with its three-year "Fashion Changning, Enjoy Consumption" action plan. Drawing on the district's fashion and creative industries and more than 200 consumer brands, the plan promotes closer collaboration between industry and retail while developing six key consumer sectors, including fashion, beauty, food and beverages, functional foods and smart consumer products. Guochao, or Chinese-chic fashion, has been identified as one of its major growth areas.

According to the Shanghai International Fashion Federation, Shanghai Fashion Customization Week connects designers, brands, venues and consumers while bringing together local customization brands, traditional craftsmanship and guochao. The federation said the event reflects the growing influence of the "Shanghai Style" brand and helps bring bespoke fashion into everyday life.

Looking ahead, Changning plans to further develop its "happiness economy" by enhancing destinations including Xingfu Road, M+ Xingfuli and Fooknock, while expanding regular fashion, cultural tourism and themed consumer events. The district also aims to deepen collaboration between the customization industry and the fashion, wedding, lifestyle and cultural tourism sectors to further strengthen the "Shanghai Style" brand and support Shanghai's ambitions as an international consumption center.

Next-Generation Tech Entrepreneurs Connect in Changning

On June 26, Changning hosted an exchange bringing together more than 50 emerging technology entrepreneurs and young business leaders from China and over a dozen countries, including the US, Germany, Brazil, the UK, Switzerland, Singapore, Japan and South Korea, as the district stepped up efforts to deepen international innovation and business cooperation.

The participants toured the district's innovation hubs and met with leading technology companies, including industrial AI and manufacturing software firm Black Lake Technologies and automotive lidar leader Hesai Technology, to explore opportunities for collaboration.

Discussions covered technological innovation, supply chain cooperation, market expansion, project partnerships and talent exchange, while giving participants a closer look at Changning's industrial strengths and innovation ecosystem.

Among those attending were Pu Yapeng, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, and Liu Ping, deputy secretary of the CPC Changning District Committee and district mayor.

Pu said Shanghai offers strong opportunities for innovation and investment, supported by a world-class business environment and a growing innovation ecosystem. He highlighted the city's 31 innovation platforms, which focus on areas including public services, research and pilot testing, and real-world application scenarios, helping companies connect with partners, accelerate the commercialization of new technologies and expand business opportunities.

Liu said Changning's international profile makes it well suited to the needs of innovation-driven businesses. Serving as Shanghai's gateway to the Yangtze River Delta and an important link between China and global markets, the district is home to half of the city's diplomatic residences, one-third of its foreign consulates, nearly 100 regional headquarters of multinational companies, a large expatriate community and numerous international schools. One in seven businesses in the district is foreign-funded, reflecting its strong international business presence.

He also highlighted Changning's expanding digital economy and the development of the Shanghai Silicon Alley innovation district, describing an urban environment where technology companies, research institutions and entrepreneurs work alongside cafés, historic neighborhoods and tree-lined streets. 

Liu said the district remains committed to providing efficient, tailored services for businesses and will continue expanding international partnerships and investment channels in emerging sectors including artificial intelligence, green technology and fintech. He welcomed companies and innovators from around the world to explore new opportunities and deepen cooperation in Changning.

Changning greenway bursts into bloom

Early summer has turned the Changning Outer Ring Greenway into a stretch of dense greenery and seasonal color after recent rains brought the plants into full bloom.

Lotus leaves now cover the waterways, with pale pink and white lotus flowers and water lilies rising above the surface. A light breeze moves through the vegetation, replacing the heavy dampness of the rainy days with cooler, more comfortable air.

Along the cycling and walking paths, new scenery appears every few steps. Blue and purple agapanthus stand out in clusters, set against fields of salvia, while yellow coneflowers and daylilies line the edges of the route.

Gardenias add a soft fragrance to the air, while hydrangeas bloom in pink, blue and purple along the greenway, framed by green hedges and climbing wisteria.

With mild temperatures and soft sunlight, the greenway has become a popular spot for walking and cycling, offering a quiet, seasonal escape in the city.