Tracking the remaining Yuanxiang Cultural Loop pearls

Building on the previous issue, this installment continues our introduction to the remaining nine architectural landmarks along the Yuanxiang Cultural Loop in Jiading New City's central activity zone.

Hunzhi Bookstore

The 400-square-meter bookstore features nearly 100 comic books created by the Hunzhi team, covering topics such as the humanities, history, science and health.

Hunzhi is a popular knowledge-sharing social media influencer based in Jiading District.

Appealing creative cultural derivatives, such as encyclopedic calendars, also impart knowledge through cartoons that make difficult subjects easy to understand.

An interactive zone allows visitors to create their own Hunzhi avatar and receive a badge as a souvenir. The reading area offers a cozy spot to enjoy a book while taking in peaceful lake views.

The bookstore's Hunzhi Theater, with a capacity of 80, will host regular events such as book signings, talk shows and knowledge-sharing sessions. The BBQ restaurant connected to the bookstore provides visitors with a great place to enjoy the scenery and savor delicious food.

Address: Bldg 6, 2755 Huyi Highway

Tai Art Gallery

The lakeside gallery used to be a highly iconic dock by Yuanxiang Lake. On entering the gallery, a transparent and bright space comes into view. The former dock's ceiling has been cleverly transformed into a skylight, allowing natural light to fully illuminate the exhibition hall. The light interacts with the white-walled gallery and ink-and-wash works, creating a unique and harmonious artistic atmosphere.

The inaugural exhibition, the "Contemporary Character" experimental ink exhibition, features 40 works such as "Lotus Root, Fish, and Life Is Like a Song." These works, with their flowing brushstrokes and profound ink expressions, carry a distinct contemporary spirit.

Relying on the ecological landscape of Yuanxiang Lake, the gallery aims to create a multifunctional cultural exchange public space that accommodates art exhibitions, aesthetic education, small concerts, art therapy, salons, markets, outdoor family activities, brand events and a cafe.

As planned, a public sculpture park will be developed in the southeast corner of Yuanxiang Lake, building an open artistic platform where "nature and art coexist and are shared by all," adding more artistic flair to Jiading as a "land of cultural enlightenment."

Address: Bldg 9, 2755 Huyi Highway

Youdianyisi Wax Museum

The museum aims to achieve its cultural vision of "creating interesting art exhibitions and bringing art closer to life" by building a diverse cultural space and comprehensive art exchange platform that integrates art exhibitions, cultural salons, parent-child education and art workshops.

In the first exhibition hall, world-famous paintings are reborn in three dimensions. The downcast eyes of "Girl with a Pearl Earring" are no longer distant; the mysterious smile of the Mona Lisa becomes a tangible three-dimensional wax figure; and the green apple in front of the face in "The Son of Man" is within reach.

Visitors can take photos with classic artworks and also become the protagonists in immersive settings, experiencing the beauty of culture.

The second exhibition hall draws inspiration from classic Chinese paintings, using innovative three-dimensional art to recreate Eastern aesthetics. The women with flowing robes seem to have traveled through time, and traditional labor scenes come alive before visitors' eyes. They can explore the artistic interests of ancient people and feel the cultural heritage in a traditional Chinese setting, allowing traditional culture to be revitalized through fun interactions.

In addition to the lifelike wax figure exhibitions, the museum's lower level features a diverse interactive space. Aromatic coffee and light meals fuel visitors' artistic journeys, while intangible cultural heritage handicraft workshops allow visitors to experience traditional craftsmanship.

In the future, the museum will launch activities such as DIY art classes, trendy art markets and immersive theatrical performances.

Address: 145 Taxiu Rd

Jiangnan Bookstore • Eye of Liucheng

This bookstore is a hotspot along the loop, offering stunning views of Jiading New City. Liucheng is another name for Jiading.

The overall building resembles a wise person gently opening their eyes. On entering, you will see the bookstore's "center stage" – a tree of life. Circular bookshelves on both sides form a knowledge jungle, housing nearly 20,000 books.

On the underground floor, the Jiangnan landscape seems to have been transplanted into the city. With the adornment of blue stones, spring, calamus and crape myrtle, it creates a picturesque paradise.

The bookstore is more than just a bookshop; it is a treasure trove filled with memories of Jiading. Here, you will find a dedicated area featuring books on the culture and history of the district and the broader Jiangnan region, highlighting the area's distinctive heritage.

It also showcases creative local artworks, such as Xuhang straw weaving.

There are a number of carefully selected books covering fields such as the humanities and social sciences, finance and philosophy.

Address: Bldg 3, 2775 Huyi Highway

Yuanxiang Cultural Source Station

Heading northwest from Jiangnan Bookstore • Eye of Liucheng, you will reach this place, which integrates cultural and creative displays, leisure, cultural experiences and convenient services.

The multi-functional exhibition hall houses Shanghai's largest book – "Impression of Jiading." When opened, it measures 1.1 meters in width and 0.7 meters in height, with 287 pages. The book chronicles significant historical moments in Jiading in terms of urban transformation and development, and stories of struggle, happy lives and beautiful visions.

On the other side of the exhibition hall, there is a cascading electronic borrowing machine. People can read online or download to their phones.

The cultural corridor of the center features a 26-meter-long and 3-meter-high landscape painting scroll, meticulously depicting attractions such as the Jiading Confucius Temple, Fahua Pagoda and Qiuxia Garden.

Thanks to its stunning looks and comprehensive facilities, this public space has evolved into a cultural hotspot on people's doorsteps.

In the activity experience area, traditional culture such as seal carving, calligraphy and painting have taken on new forms.

Regularly held traditional cultural interactive activities, such as Suzhou embroidery experiences and Fahua Pagoda seal experiences, allow visitors to immerse themselves in the charm of Jiading's local intangible cultural heritage through hands-on experiences.

Address: Bldg 5, 2755 Huyi Highway

Johnson Fitness and Cultural Center

The 515-square-meter center provides an ideal leisure lifestyle destination for residents for integrating health culture exchanges, healthy catering and health science and technology display functions.

The design concept of the center is "The Movement of the Arc," where "arc" refers to the only arc-shaped building among the 10 architectural pieces by Yuanxiang Lake, and "Movement" signifies sports.

The center boasts 12 function areas that include an experience pavilion, a culture corridor, a cherry blossom boulevard and a health energy station.

A number of fitness facilities including treadmills, bicycles and stair climbing machines will allow people to enjoy fitness fun.

There are also dining areas where healthy light meals are served.

The central area of the entire venue, the arc atrium, is a treasure spot where the center intimately connects with nature. People can enjoy the view in front of the outdoor giant screen at the constellation plaza, or sit quietly on the waterside platform to get close to nature.

From an aerial view, the center presents an overall "J" shaped outline, symbolizing the infinite extension of vitality and health. The roof of the J-shaped terrace is an open space that serves as a multifunctional social platform, where people can take in a panoramic view of Yuanxiang Lake.

Address: Bldg 1, 2755 Huyi Highway

Empty Space – Jiading New Performing Arts Space (under construction)

Centered around the design concept of "empty space," it uses drama as a medium to connect multiple fields such as drama, games and life. It combines theatrical performances, cultural activities and brand pop-ups to create a performance space with scenery, charm and a sense of the future.

Address: Bldg 2, 2755 Huyi Highway

Wojia Cultural Museum Future Hall (under construction)

The hall, with the vision of "empowering culture with technology and revitalizing tradition through innovation," integrates an "AI + customization workshop," culture and creativity product exhibitions featuring art and heritage time-honored brands, and an Eastern aesthetic cultural life center.

Address: Bldg 7, 2755 Huyi Highway

'Romance Car Peninsula' Auto-themed Cultural Museum (under construction)

The museum is the largest architectural fixture along the loop. Designed with the concepts of "openness, futurism and greenness," it aims to create a trendy automotive cultural space that combines automotive industry displays, cultural exploration and lifestyle experiences.

Address: Bldg 4, 2755 Huyi Highway