What does the ideal community life look like? When people from different countries and backgrounds came together to visit future communities and cultural venues in Zhejiang, they found the ideal community life unfolded before their eyes.

On November 1, the international media tour of "2022 A Date with China", with the theme of “Happy China, Digital Zhejiang” came to Nanhu District of Jiaxing City. The group of foreign social media influencers and domestic media reporters visited Yuli Future Community, Old Construction Committee Station, and the MindRoom in the library of the Nanhu District, where they witnessed the urban development of Jiaxing, this vibrant city not far away from Shanghai.

Community is the place where residents and neighbors get along, the container where housing, greenery and roads coexist, and the cell of urban life. Speaking about the changes in Chinese community life, a foreign friend who has been in China for many years said, "China's macro economy has achieved rapid development in the past few decades. At the same time, I have witnessed qualitative changes in the living environment of both urban and rural residents."

The group first visited Yuli Future Community in Yuxin Town, Nanhu District. This Community covers 38.4 hectares in the core area of High-speed Rail New Town. Being shaped like a flying object, the Community attracted everyone’s attention. It is about 35 meters high and the overall area is about 4,600 square meters. People stopped and held up their mobile phones to take photos of this special building.

International friends in Yuli Future Community Center. (Photo/Yu Fei)

According to the local staff of this community, the first and second floors of this community center consist of a senior activity center, a children's activity center, a Party building-themed book center, and a volunteer center. In addition, it establishes strategic cooperation with Jiaxing First Hospital to build the Integrated Healthcare Organization to provide health services for residents living nearby. On the third floor, Jiaxing Branch Library houses more than 10,000 books. After the introduction, the group experienced the digital consultation service, used the intelligent all-in-one machine for general practice detection and appointment, and conducted video consultations with doctors.

After that, the group visited Old Construction Committee Station, which is called “Hecheng Post-Warm Jiaxing”. This city lounge-like complex is located on Zhongshan Road, the core area of the old city of Jiaxing. The site is sandwiched among buildings of different ages, and is a typical urban debris space. The project is part of the old town remodeling plan of Jiaxing, and is different from the large-scale overall renewal. It introduces Jane Jacobs' "street eye" concept into the debris space reconstruction, trying to apply the "organ style" point of renewal to arouse the public's passion for the complex and diverse life in the old city.

Hecheng Post, Warm Jiaxing. (Photo/Yu Fei)

This lounge was originally a public toilet. Being transformed into a building with a modern industrial style, it accommodates the "Shao Sanfang Art Gallery" founded by Shao Jiaping, a famous ancient brick collector. It is a comprehensive art institution integrating collection and safekeeping, academic research, exhibition and display, education and promotion, cultural exchange and other functions.

International friends visit the exhibition in Hecheng Post, Warm Jiaxing. (Photo/Yu Fei)

According to the staff here, Yue opera lovers often come here to communicate and share their views. Retired university professors will come here to teach the children how to do the paper-cutting here, and the lounge also hold public vocal lessons regularly.

In 2021, Old Construction Committee Station was honored with the A+ Awards Popular Choice Winner in the Libraries Category, organized by Architizer. On the one hand, this small station rises to fame on the international stage; on the other hand, it still serves the surrounding residents silently in the corner of the city. There are 68 such stations in Jiaxing, all of which provide public services such as free drinking water, book borrowing and medical first aid.

Interior view of Hecheng Post, Warm Jiaxing. (Photo/Tan Qikuan)

"This station does not cover a large area, but it plays so many functions. It is a wonderful and efficient urban space. In Zhejiang and in China, many advanced and modern living concepts are being put into practice, making people's lives better and better,” said a foreign social media influencer.

Reporter: Ye Ke, Tan Qikuan, Yu Fei (Intern)

Editor: Tan Qikuan