Cities across China have been transforming small urban spaces into boutique pocket parks that serve not only as green retreats but also as vibrant cultural landmarks.
China have been repurposing underutilized land, such as vacant lots, green belts and urban corners by integrating them with regional cultural elements in recent years.
According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, 3,420 new pocket parks broke ground nationwide in the first half of this year. By the end of June, the number of pocket parks had reached more than 54,000 across the country, along with 142,000 kilometers of greenways.
In Ma'anshan, a city in east China's Anhui Province, one such small park features a large screen wall inscribed with the classical Chinese prose "Ode to My Humble Dwelling" by renowned poet Liu Yuxi of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
"I think it's great. It provides children with a subtle and immersive form of education. The more frequently they see it, the more likely they'll remember the prose," said Tang Meixiang, a resident.
Urban planners in Ma'anshan have adopted a "one park, one story" approach, embedding unique cultural themes into park design.
"We want to showcase Ma'anshan's cultural heritage to our citizens by integrating the local culture into these pocket parks," said Zhu Xia, an official from the city's landscaping department.
The trend is spreading across Anhui Province. In Chizhou City, authorities have been trying to give pocket parks names selected from classical poetry and literature so as to make them rich in cultural significance. In Huangshan City, Huizhou-style stone carvings, brick engravings, and local dialect expressions have been incorporated into park designs to fill them with strong local colors.
In Changchun, capital city of northeastern China's Jilin Province where 30 new pocket parks have been added this year, some newly-built pocket parks feature elements of landmark architecture, while others focus on child-friendly designs or use stone inscriptions and bamboo landscapes to promote traditional cultural values.
Chinese cities have also been expanding public access to green spaces.
In the first six months of 2025, over 19,000 hectares of lawns were opened to the public, and more than 32,000 ping-pong tables and 230,000 outdoor fitness facilities were installed in parks nationwide, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said.
Chinese cities turn pocket parks into culture landmarks
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
