Moments of Minhang District in December 2022
It's a golden winter
Golden foliage rolls out like a colorful carpet in Minhang District's Pujiang Country Park as a frigid winter sets in. With the Shanghai government relaxing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, more local residents are going out to enjoy the cheerful sunshine and the beautiful seasonal views despite the cold wind.
Xinzhuang hand crochet fashion
A model (center) sporting a gown featuring Xinzhuang hand crochet poses with other peers during a Chinese local haute couture fashion show at Fosun Foundation Art Center. The Oriental aesthetics fashion show, featuring crochet-decorated clothes from Chinese local haute couture brand WJX, was staged this month in settings of butterfly-related Chinese literary tales. Lin Hua, a Xinzhuang crochet intangible cultural inheritor, and Vanessa Ye, WJX designer, joined hands in fusing crochet and customer-tailored high-end clothes.
What's up
Ancient town renovation
The Zhaojialou ancient town in Pujiang Town will be closed due to a renovation project starting from January 21, 2023. The Zhaojialou renovation project, which spans 71.04 hectares, is bounded on the east by Jiagen Road, on the south by the Yaojiabang River, on the west by Huichi Road, and on the north by the Shenzhuangtang River. The refurbished tourism complex will include resort hotels, cultural and innovation facilities, as well as residential areas.
Diesel bus 'retires'
The last diesel bus of Xumin bus line "retired" this month in Minhang. The model was introduced in 2010 during the World Expo Shanghai to facilitate commuting for tourists. The S2G diesel bus, a new model then, had a kneeling function which made getting on and off the bus much easier, and it was therefore nicknamed "Tara Panda." Bus fans rushed to Minhang Bus Station to bid farewell to the last "Tara Panda."
Upper-cover project
Civil engineering construction of Hongxiang Walk, an upper-cover section above Hongxin Road Station of Metro Line 12, was approved recently. When completed in May 2023, the project, with an investment of 1 billion yuan (US$143 million), will become a commercial complex that also serves as office space, research and development center and data center.
Coffee competition
The 2022 Shanghai Coffee Industry Vocational Skills Competition kicked off this month at Minhang's Hongqiao International Coffee Harbor. The event saw deals signed between top coffee brands and universities. A rose summer coffee bean from Panama won an auction price at 25,000 yuan per kilogram and earned the "Coffee King" title.
Enong HQ in Qibao
Enong Group settled its Shanghai headquarters in Qibao Ecological Business District on November 28. Enong, founded in 1993, runs business in decoration, heating engineering, renovation, import trading and information technology.
Canteen for seniors
A canteen opened at the Ruihechengdaju neighborhood in Pujiang Town, catering to the 8,500-plus seniors living in the area. Offering food at economic prices, it has a capacity of 126 seats and over 800 packages of food for each meal. Customers can either dine in or order takeaway.
Smart manufacturing
An industrial park to serve the smart manufacturing industry has opened in Minhang. Zhizaoyuan Park, located around the terminal station of Metro Line 5, covers 140,000 square meters. Eleven enterprises, including Corning Medical, Warson Marlow and Nowyon Medical, settled in the park on the first day.
New museum opens
The Wu Yiren Art Museum at 728 Guanghua Road in Zhuanqiao Town became a new cultural landmark in Minhang. Wu, born in Zhuanqiao, has spent decades on his calligraphy, traditional Chinese painting and seal cutting pursuits. The venue is open for free from Monday to Saturday.
Minhang Weibo
The 24-hour fenceless Minhang Kechuang Park opened to the public recently. The park covers 225,790 square meters, or about 31 football fields, but visitors won't get lost thanks to a 4.5-meter-wide ring road. The asphalt road has been painted blue and black for the convenience of both runners and pedestrians.
Fifteen rivers in Minhang, including Xupu and Panlong rivers in Huacao Town, were listed as "Shanghai's Most Beautiful Rivers and Lakes." The condition of the rivers has turned a new chapter thanks to the efforts of volunteers and village river chiefs.
An unmanned lawyer's office has been set up inside Minhang Civil Code Park. Residents swipe their identity cards or scan QR codes to make registration and connect with lawyers on duty through video chatting. They can also make appointments for offline meetings with lawyers through this automated system.
Minhang Culture
Minhang District used to be noted for its village jiaoquan (绞圈) houses. The houses, usually constructed from bricks and woods in the shape of an enclosed square to resist wind and earthquakes, is typical of rural Shanghai while the shikumen (stone-gate) architecture is for the city's downtown area.
