It was a sunny and cozy morning of the weekend. Wang Lihua, a Thai international student from Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, came to the pocket park near her home for morning exercise. She enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way while running. “There was no sports ground near my home, I used to go to faraway for running. Now I walk 5 minutes from home to the pocket park. The park, exquisite and beautiful, has a dedicated track for people who love running. It’s very considerate.” Wang Lihua was unstinting in her praise when talking about the pocket park.

She said, “In this pocket park near my home, there are not only sports venues, but also several cultural corridors. The exquisite 24 solar terms exhibition boards in the cultural corridor show the cultural charm and Chinese wisdom of 24 solar terms in painting. People can not only exercise, but also learn cultural knowledge. Just like the old saying goes, killing two birds with one stone.”

Pocket park is not only a running ground, but also a good place for her to take a walk. After class, she would go to the park every day before going home. The trees in late autumn prove to be colorful enough for her to enjoy scenery, watch maple leaves, and post moments on WeChat. Coming from Bangkok, a tropical monsoon climate, Wang never enjoyed the colorful autumn scenery before. She took a book with her to collect the fallen red leaves. She wanted to make bookmarks of the red leaves and send them to her families and friends in her hometown to share the beauty of Liaoning with them.

The pocket parks, small, beautiful and exquisite, “string” the beauty of the city. They add beauty to the city, and also reflect the temperament of urban development and the quality of people’s life. Wang Lihua has lived in Shenyang for 5 years, witnessing the changes and the sound development of Liaoning. It can be fully demonstrated in the improving public facilities and more “smart” functions of community. “The pocket park integrates leisure, entertainment, fitness and other functions, making the city more green and livable, and providing more possibilities for people to embrace ‘poetry and distance’ at their doorstep.” Wang Lihua said.

1070 pocket parks in Shenyang were built in 2021,and another 1000 will be built this year. “Pocket Park is the city’s scenery and also a small fortune for its citizens. Shenyang is my second hometown, which carries my pursuit for a better life. I am very happy to live in such a beautiful and green home.” said Wang.