As simple as a walk in the park
In a world where parks are often overlooked, a rising generation of enthusiasts is leading the way in rediscovering these public green spaces, Gui Qian reports.
Cheng Yuyan never expected that the interest group “We Love Strolling in the Park”, which she casually created on Douban, a Chinese social media platform, four years ago, would now approach 100,000 members.
According to the 25-year-old from Shanghai, establishing this group was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, and she didn’t invest much time in managing it afterward. However, park enthusiasts from all over China and even overseas have spontaneously made it their gathering community. From Fuzhou in southern China to Harbin in the northeast, from Tokyo in Japan to London in the UK, people share park experiences, post photos taken in parks, and offer recommendations and reviews about parks.
“The growth of this group is the result of organic development, just like a park, where people naturally come together. The surge in member numbers also indicates the increasingly important role that parks are playing in people’s lives,” Cheng said.
Within this group, there is a tag called “20 minutes for parks”, which comes from a theory originating from the International Journal of Environmental Health Research. According to the theory, spending 20 minutes in a park daily helps to reduce stress, regardless of whether people exercise in it or simply take a walk.
With the help of social media, the theory has been gaining popularity among a great number of young people in China. Huang Bingbing, hailing from Hunan and now living in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, is a practitioner of this idea.
She said that Shenzhen boasts numerous community parks that are scattered in neighborhoods and between office buildings. Over three years ago, when she was still working at an advertising company, she used to frequently visit the small park downstairs during her weekday lunch breaks. “On that patch of grass, I could connect with living plants and animals, allowing me to refresh my mind and heal from the stresses of the workplace,” Huang said.
Parks are private
Huang believes that parks are private and solitary spaces. She considers herself an introverted person, and parks undoubtedly serve as the perfect recharging spot for introverts. She often spends time alone in parks, free from worrying about social interactions. “One can fully engage his or her senses and experience the growth of plants, the warmth of the sunlight, the gentle touch of breeze, and the energy of nature. These moments are very romantic. It’s a time to completely be with oneself,” she said. “In parks, one can be alone while being among the crowd.” According to Huang, the choice of park is also a matter of personal preference. “If you want to experience a lively atmosphere, you can visit a downtown urban park. If you seek tranquillity, then a park in the countryside is ideal,” she said. “The time, the season, and the mood with which you visit the park can all lead to different scenery and experiences. The process of exploring parks is also a journey of self-discovery.”
Liu Xi, from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, is also fascinated by the peace and the sense of time slowing down that occur in parks.
As an art curator and stage designer, Liu launched the “In the Park” project in early 2020, inviting submissions of artworks inspired by parks. She aimed for these works to depict parks from a third-person perspective, simply observing the people and events taking place in parks, rather than orchestrating staged scenes. The project sought to showcase genuine moments captured within parks, excluding posed or selfie images.
Over the past three years, “In the Park” has received over 6,000 submissions, with more than 3,000 of these artworks displayed on social media platforms, representing nearly 1,000 parks from various corners around the world.
Parks are public
For many people, parks hold treasured moments of their personal lives, while for a city, parks serve as public spaces, reflecting the distinct characteristics of the city.
When Huang first arrived in Shenzhen 10 years ago, she initially viewed Shenzhen as a moneymaking hub, but then she was surprised to discover its lesser-known side — a city of a thousand parks.
According to local government data, as of the end of 2022, Shenzhen boasts 1,260 parks.
Huang then set a target for herself — the “Shenzhen Thousand Parks Challenge”. Starting in the spring of 2021, she has visited nearly 100 parks, documenting her experiences through vlogs, with over 20 parks featured so far. “This project is a long-term commitment for me. It’s also a way for me to observe this city and connect with it,” she said.
She noted that Shenzhen is a young city with a large population of young people, which is why many of its parks feature plentiful smart fitness facilities and children’s play areas.
Shenzhen, nestled between mountains and sea, boasts its own unique charm. A few months ago, Huang found herself at a park at Shenzhen Bay that resembled an outdoor theater, waiting for the sunrise.
“The vast lawn slopes gently eastward, with the sea serving as a majestic stage and the sunrise its star performer. That was the most breathtaking moment I’ve experienced in a park,” she said.
Cheng believes that people can deepen their interaction with parks even further, by fostering a sense of ownership.
She recalls her experiences of visiting parks in Japan. She noticed that many benches in the parks were donated by local residents, with the donors’ nameplates affixed to them. Also, many parks have their own guidebooks, detailing the history, geography, and blooming schedules of the park’s flora.
Cheng plans to encourage park enthusiasts within her Douban group to do the same. “I hope this group shows more social responsibilities. Each of us can become a guardian and contributor to the parks and our own city,” she said.
Parks are rebellious
In the realm of public spaces, parks stand apart from places like shopping malls and cinemas for a particular reason, which, Liu believes, lies in the anti-consumerist essence of parks.
“Many people mistakenly suppose that they have to spend money to enjoy their leisure time, but parks offer a non-consumerist environment where one can find joy without opening their wallets,” she explained.
She also sees parks as havens of equality, where people from all walks of life, regardless of wealth, can equally enjoy beautiful experiences.
In her “In the Park” project, Liu highlights the human ecological significance of parks. “Parks themselves are man-made landscapes, and it is the presence of people within them that gives these spaces meaning. This is why I do not accept purely scenic photos,” she said.
“Whether it’s people strolling, boating, reading under the trees, or simply lost in thought on a bench, this project seeks to observe how individuals, amid the fast-paced urban life, find solace in these ‘urban oases’.”
For Cheng, parks are a sanctuary from the mundane routines of daily life, brimming with unexpected possibilities. She has come across many European parks through posts in her Douban group, some even featuring graveyards.
“They offer me a fresh outlook on parks, prompting me to ponder the philosophical questions of life and death,” she said.
“We modern people spend too much time indoors, trapped in repetitive work routines. Even our social outings with friends follow a predictable pattern: dining, shopping, and then catching a movie. Yet, in a park, you can do so much more — it’s liberating and full of creativity.”
Even our social outings with friends follow a predictable pattern: dining, shopping, and then catching a movie. Yet, in a park, you can do so much more — it’s liberating and full of creativity.”
Cheng Yuyan, a park enthusiast
Whether it’s people strolling, boating, reading under the trees, or simply lost in thought on a bench, this project seeks to observe how individuals, amid the fastpaced urban life, find solace in these ‘urban oases’.”
Liu Xi, an art curator and stage designer