Because "poetry brushing the streets" has become brilliant, a very "light" small road in the center of Shanghai | poetry | road
"The wind/stole coffee/wanted to run away/but was caught by my nose" is a poem posted on the window of a coffee shop; "A flower/coming to work/earning the love of passersby and loved ones" is a poem posted on the door of a flower shop... Danshui Road, a small street in the city center, has recently become a checkpoint for the "Road Life Festival" in Huangpu District.
Amateur poets on "Little Red Book" have created unique poems for this path, scattered in various corners of the block. "Danshui Road 'Poetry Brushes the Street'" quickly became popular among young people through the network dissemination power of 'Little Red Book'. Young people rushed over and casually filmed large films on the streets. In just a few hundred meters, over 30 small shops have also seen a surge in business. During the 10 day period of the event, the revenue of the small shops has at least doubled. A bookstore owner said. A "Road Life Festival" that drives consumption has brought revenue to the shop owners and confidence in their operations. During the journalist's interview, it was found that there were many stories behind this "poetry street brushing" activity.
Young people have captured all the poems along the way
August 13th is Sunday and also the last day of the Huangpu District Road Life Festival. The popularity of checking in on Tamsui Road remains undiminished.
At around 1 pm, it is the hottest time, but it cannot stop the enthusiasm of young people for shopping. The reporter saw that on Danshui Road, many young people in fashionable clothes walked under the wutong in twos and threes. They took photos and checked in at the street blocks under the shadow of trees and at the entrance of shops with a sense of design. Poetry lists are scattered in the neighborhood, hanging at the entrance of small shops, pasted on display windows, painted on walls, and some even hung under the windows of residents, all of which are essential scenery for young tourists.
In a flower shop, several young girls were selecting flowers, and the shop owner enthusiastically recommended the gorgeous full sky stars to them. On the transparent glass facing the neighborhood, the flower shop is adorned with a small poem called "Joyful Blossom": "People who love the blooming of flowers/their lives/are definitely worth liking.". A few girls were holding flowers and taking photos in front of the poem.
At the entrance of a bookstore, four seats were placed under the transparent glass window, making it one of the hottest check-in points on the street. Almost everyone passing by has to sit in their seat and leave a photo. It turns out that there is a poem called "Sharing" pasted on the glass window behind the seat: "This book is great/I ordered a cup of coffee/I want it to be read as well.".
A household living along the street also has a poem hanging under the iron railing of the glass window: "If I had a big shirt, I would use my big body to embrace the world.". This poem is called "Big Clothes".
Even the clothes drying pole on the roadside has its own poem: "In the washing machine, spinning around, just for sunbathing at this moment.".
"Very interesting!" A young girl told reporters that she came to Tamsui Road to check in today and captured all the poems here. "I've been in Shanghai for so many years, and this is the first time I've been slowly strolling down a small street like this."
The shop owner said, "It's the first time I've seen Danshui Road so lively."
The business of small shops along the street has visibly improved: a noodle restaurant is still queuing up at 1:30 pm, and it is said that business is even better in the evening market; Cafes and bookstores are filled with people, and more people choose to take out coffee or drinks while strolling, drinking, and taking photos, feeling very comfortable.
"We have been here for almost a year, and it's the first time we've seen Danshui Road so lively!" said Qian Qian, the manager of the bookstore "ENSIE IN WONDERLAND" on Danshui Road. During the event, the bookstore's revenue at least doubled.
Although Danshui Road is one step away from Xintiandi, it has never been very eye-catching. One side of the path was relocated due to old renovations last year, and residents have moved away, leaving behind a row of cement walls temporarily. On the other side of the path is the easternmost starting point of the Hengfu Historical Area in Shanghai, with around 30 small shops. Behind the shops are the century old neighborhood of Fengyuli and others.
The bookstore "ENSIE IN WONDERLAND" opened on Tamsui Road in September last year. The shop owner is an online blogger with millions of followers. The small shop has put a lot of effort into design and exhibition. Although the area inside is not large, the owner's attention can be seen from the well-designed bookshelves, beautiful flowers, and various exquisite decorations. The small shop window has retreated more than half a meter towards the interior, creating a row of seats under the window. Many customers like to order coffee and sit in this row of seats to enjoy the scenery.
Both the owner and the manager like the atmosphere of Danshui Road: "Under the wutong tree is the place with the most Shanghai style. Most of the shops on Danshui Road are leisure oriented, with bookstores, coffee shops, tea shops, flower shops, tailor shops, clothing shops and some light restaurants, which are very suitable for slow tasting." The manager, Cixi, said that Danshui Road was also "slow and leisurely" in the past, and few people came to visit it.
Due to factors such as the epidemic, the turnover rate of small shops on Danshui Road has reached over 70% since last year, and most of the businesses left behind and newly opened are not doing well. "We have always hoped that through some means, more consumers can discover Danshui Road and discover us!" said the owner of a flower shop.
An activity of "making something out of nothing"
A new opportunity has arrived. Not long ago, by chance, the person in charge of Huaihai Middle Road Street learned that the jurisdictional unit "Xiaohongshu" was preparing for the "Road Life Festival" in Huangpu District, selecting several roads in Huangpu District to hold related activities, with the aim of promoting Shanghai's small roads to citizens and tourists, and attracting more small shops.
"In the initial planning, 'Xiaohongshu' considered curating a dining trip, but Danshui Road was not in this style, so it was not on the initial list of 'Xiaohongshu' considerations. The relevant person in charge of the Huaihai Middle Road Street Management Office told reporters, 'We want to help the street side shops on Danshui Road, and also make the fireworks on Danshui Road stronger. We actively strive to negotiate with' Xiaohongshu 'repeatedly, and can we create some' road life festival 'related activities on Danshui Road in another form.'"
Danshui Road is a small road that Huaihai Middle Road Street has been focusing on since last year. "Danshui Road is a small road known as the 'source of balance and restoration'. Along the street are small shops, and behind them are residential buildings, recording the history of the city. There is a collision of new and old. We hope to present this road in an orderly and prosperous state through block governance and the autonomy of the 'smallest unit'." said Lu Xiaojun, Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Huaihai Middle Road Street.
Under the leadership of the neighborhood party committee, Danshui Road has established five autonomous alliances, including the Shop Alliance and the New Employment and New Business Group Alliance, relying on the Western District Governance Committee. "Xiaohongshu" is the jurisdictional unit of the western block of Huaihai Middle Road Street. The block governance committee has built bridges multiple times. After multiple ideological collisions and on-site inspections with the project leader and representatives of the shop alliance, everyone came up with the idea of using "poetry brushing the street" to present the unique style of Danshui Road.
How will poetry brush the streets? Are small shop owners willing to participate?
Han Haolin, a staff member of the comprehensive law enforcement team of the Western District Governance Committee, walked door-to-door into the small shop and asked the shop owners for their opinions. Many shop owners expressed willingness to participate and provided many suggestions.
The relationship between business and residence becomes the key to the implementation of activities
Like many small roads in wutong District, Danshui Road is a mixed street of business and residence. Behind the small shop, and even upstairs, there are residents' homes. "A bamboo pole extends outward and pokes into the neighbor's window.". Organizing activities on Danshui Road will inevitably increase the flow of people and have a certain impact on the daily lives of residents. Can residents agree?
There was a serious commercial residential conflict on Danshui Road for a period of time. "A few years ago, some bars on this road often stayed open until midnight, playing loud music, and many customers were still standing outside drinking and chatting. Residents were often disturbed all night long." Su Zhichun, the president of the Fenglin Lane Management Association in the Fushi residential area, lived in Fengyu for more than 60 years, witnessing the chaos of the light water road. "At that time, the relationship between residents and small shop owners was very tense."
Afterwards, with the spontaneous adjustment of the Tamsui Road business model, there were gradually fewer bars, and more coffee shops and light restaurants came in, which had a relatively less impact on the lives of residents. "But the past commercial residential relationship has been continued, and there is always some distance between residents and small shop owners," said Liang Qiong, Secretary of the Party General Branch of the Fushi Residential Area.
In April of this year, under the leadership of the neighborhood party committee and the residential area party branch, representatives of the merchant alliance and members of the lane management committee sat down and had a candid conversation: asking residents to provide opinions and asking small shop owners to provide ideas.
"Unexpectedly, these aunties and uncles understand us quite well. One aunt also said, 'It's not easy for you to open a shop. I was quite moved by it.'" A flower shop owner said, and the ideas proposed by the residents were also quite reasonable. For example, some residents have pointed out that the sidewalk is less than two meters wide, and sometimes customers like to park their shared bicycles on the sidewalk, causing inconvenience for residents to walk. Can the shop guide them to park their shared bicycles on the sidewalk of the relocated land on the opposite side. "We expressed on the spot that we are willing to accept these suggestions." After this communication, the commercial residential conflict gradually resolved. On some special festivals, merchants take out flowers, coffee, drinks, etc. to send their heartfelt wishes to their neighbors, aunts, and uncles.
This time, Danshui Road is going to hold a poetry street activity, and the neighborhood committee cadres and members of the lane management committee are soliciting opinions from the residents. The vast majority of the residents agree. Su Zhichun told the street to coordinate relevant functional departments and neighborhood committees, rely on the neighborhood governance committee, implement governance plans, further optimize non motorized vehicle parking management for foreseeable large passenger flow, and reduce the impact of high pedestrian flow and other issues on residents' lives.
The "Poetry Street Brushing" activity on Danshui Road has come to an end, but the smoke and smoke that has risen again on this road have not dissipated. The warm neighborhood micro renewal and store micro renovation plan is being promoted
