Residents spend their leisure time in Lianhua Hill Park in Futian CBD. Photos by the Shenzhen Municipal Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau
A cyclist rides a bike in Shenzhen Bay Park in Nanshan District.
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There has been a surge of interest in the "20-minute park effect" theory on Chinese social media lately. According to the theory and recent studies that support it, spending as little as 20 minutes a day in contact with nature significantly lowers stress hormones and improves emotional wellbeing 一 this can include sitting on a park bench or taking a leisurely stroll. As a city of parks, Shenzhen provides an array of convenient and accessible parks in which citizens can take advantage of the 20-minute park effect.
The Shenzhen Government Online website and the Shenzhen Municipal Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau have jointly launched a multilingual feature, titled "Shenzhen: City of Parks," that provides valuable information to both local and foreign residents that can be used to explore the city's parks.
This feature offers content in five languages including Chinese, English, French, Japanese, and Korean, encompassing park guides, event calendars, flower calendars, related news, featured parks, and Shenzhen greenways.
By the end of 2023, the multilingual feature had covered services across all 31 natural parks and 181 city parks within the city. Visitors can find the feature on the Shenzhen Government Online homepage or through the official website of the Shenzhen Municipal Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau.
"Shenzhen: City of Parks" includes a search function that helps visitors discover parks that align with their needs and interests. Visitors can search by district or by specific park features such as book bars, countryside hiking, coastal leisure, climbing and hiking, sports and fitness, children's amusement, site of historical significance, tent zone, waterfront recreation, and more.
Additionally, the feature has an "Event Calendar" that includes information on park and greenway activities and a "Flower Calendar" that lists the best locations and times to enjoy flowers in Shenzhen. The "Related News" section offers updates on park operating hours, visitor guidelines, and forthcoming events. The "Shenzhen Greenway" section provides detailed descriptions of the city's 24 greenways, which range from family-friendly venues to cycling routes, serene natural escapes, renowned landmarks, oxygen-abundant environments, and picturesque coastal viewpoints.
Shenzhen remains committed to implementing its "Mountains and Seas Connecting the City" and "City of Parks" initiatives, which aim to integrate the city's greenways, parks, hiking paths, and biking lanes as well as create a model of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature in China.
"Shenzhen: City of Parks" represents Shenzhen's continuing dedication to enhancing its urban appeal.