Tracking the remaining Yuanxiang Cultural Loop pearls

1. “Romance Car Peninsula” Auto-themed Cultural Museum

2. Jiangnan Bookstore • Eye of Liucheng

3. Tai Art Gallery

4. Wojia Cultural Museum Future Hall

5. Empty Space — Jiading New Performing Arts Space

6. Johnson Fitness and Cultural Center

7. Hunzhi Bookstore

8. Yuanxiang Cultural Source Station

9. Jingxiuhui Ceramics Cultural Hall

10. Youdianyisi Wax Museum

11. Jiading Library (Cultural Center)

12. Shanghai Poly Grand Theater

At Jiangnan Bookstore • Eye of Liucheng, a “tree of life” takes center stage with circular bookshelves on both sides with nearly 20,000 books on display. Liucheng is another name for Jiading. — Yang Yujie

The Yuanxiang Cultural Source Station integrates cultural and creative displays, leisure, cultural experiences and convenient services. — Ti Gong

The painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is reborn as a wax figure at the Youdianyisi Wax Museum. — Dai Yixin

An artist’s rendition of Wojia Cultural Museum Future Hall, which is still under construction

Hunzhi Bookstore — Yang Yujie

Yu Chao and Hu Min

Building on the previous issue, this installment continues our introduc-tion 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, cover-ing 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 de-rivatives, such as encyclopedic calendars, also impart knowledge through cartoons that make diffi-cult subjects easy to understand.

An interactive zone allows visi-tors 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 regu-lar events such as book signings, talk shows and knowledge-sharing sessions. The BBQ restaurant con-nected to the bookstore provides visitors with a great place to enjoy the scenery and savor delicious food.

Address: Bldg 6, 2755 Huyi Highway

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” experi-mental 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 land-scape of Yuanxiang Lake, the gallery aims to create a multifunctional cultural exchange public space that accommodates art exhibitions, aes-thetic 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 south-east corner of Yuanxiang Lake, building an open artistic platform where “nature and art coexist and are shared by all,” adding more ar-tistic 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 interest-ing art exhibitions and bringing art closer to life” by building a diverse cultural space and comprehen-sive 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 mysteri-ous 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 set-tings, 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 flow-ing 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 tradition-al culture to be revitalized through fun interactions.

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

In the future, the museum will launch activities such as DIY art classes, trendy art markets and im-mersive 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 Jiang-nan 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 sci-ences, finance and philosophy.

Address: Bldg 3, 2775 Huyi Highway

 Yuanxiang Cultural Source Station

Heading northwest from Jiang-nan Bookstore • Eye of Liucheng, you will reach this place, which integrates cultural and creative dis-plays, 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 trans-formation 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 paint-ing scroll, meticulously depicting attractions such as the Jiading Con-fucius Temple, Fahua Pagoda and Qiuxia Garden.

Thanks to its stunning looks and comprehensive facilities, this pub-lic 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 cul-tural interactive activities, such as Suzhou embroidery experiences and Fahua Pagoda seal experiences, allow visitors to immerse them-selves 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 inte-grating health culture exchanges, healthy catering and health sci-ence 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 architectur-al pieces by Yuanxiang Lake, and “Movement” signifies sports.

The center boasts 12 function areas that include an experience pa-vilion, 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 constel-lation 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 mul-tifunctional 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 con-cept of “empty space,” it uses drama as a medium to connect multiple fields such as drama, games and life. It combines theatrical perfor-mances, cultural activities and brand pop-ups to create a perfor-mance 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 “em-powering 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 ar-chitectural fixture along the loop. Designed with the concepts of “openness, futurism and green-ness,” it aims to create a trendy automotive cultural space that com-bines automotive industry displays, cultural exploration and lifestyle experiences.

Address: Bldg 4, 2755 Huyi Highway