International community citizens tour Hongqiao sites
Ling Guiming, a senior ballet dancer, shares his experiences with participants of the tour.
Families of the Gubei International Community were invited on a guided tour of the historical and cultural landmarks in the Hongqiao area on Sunday as part of events to mark China Tourism Day on May 19.
More than 30 families from the Gubei community, one of Shanghai’s largest and earliest international communities, in Changning District, visited the Mausoleum of Soong Ching Ling, honorary president of People’s Republic of China, the Gubei Civic Center and the Shanghai International Dance Center.
This year’s China Tourism Day is themed on “Green Development and Beautiful Life.” Sixty-nine tourist attractions across Shanghai will offer half-price admission on the day.
The micro-tourism event jointly organized by the Changning District Culture and Tourism Bureau and Hongqiao Subdistrict aims to showcase the beautiful life and development of the international community.
Sheng Hong, Party secretary of Ronghua community, led visitors to the civic center, a “chamber of counselors” comprised of residents from different nations from the community.
Ling Guiming, a senior ballet dancer, shared his experiences of participating in the classic drama ”The White Haired Girl.”
The Gubei International Community dates back to the 1980s. At that time, two residential blocks, mostly surrounded by farmland, were open for foreigners to purchase.
Gubei was especially attractive to expats because it's only a 10-minute drive to Hongqiao airport. By the mid-1990s, it was one of China’s first international communities.
The 2-square-kilometer area is home to 32,000 residents, about a third of them from overseas. Japanese and South Koreans are the two most prominent nationalities.
Children from the international communities pose at the Mausoleum of Soong Ching Ling.
Participants of the tour visit the Gubei Civic Center.
