Transformation of Old Factory Area into Cultural and Creative Industry Park, Woodcarving, Ceramics, Art Exhibition... On the earliest privately-owned economic community plot in Shanghai, Mafengjing | Reporter | Community
Drive to Qingpu Liantang, follow the Old Zhufeng Highway all the way west, and reach the junction of Yuhuitang and Maihuojing, where a large area of rice fields comes into view. That is Dongshe Village, on the left side of the rolling rice waves, where a cultural and creative industrial park called "Atemai" is located. Walking in, there is a unique cave inside: there is a pottery classroom, a woodworking workshop, a unique water bamboo leaf weaving studio, and even a super large children's playground.
"You look up," Hu Yiyi, the general manager of Shanghai Atema Cultural Development Co., Ltd., told reporters in the children's playground. Unlike most children's parks with flat roofs, this children's park has a sloping roof and a skeleton supported by large I-beams - here, it used to be a factory building of thousands of square meters.
30 years ago, the location of Atemai Cultural and Creative Industry Park was one of the key areas for private enterprise investment in China. The first private economic development zone in East China, the Shanghai Fumin Private Economic Development Zone, was located there. In recent years, with the renovation of the Liantang 198 plot, Liantang Town, Fumin Development Zone, and related enterprises in the region have also been continuously promoting land reduction and the transformation of old factory buildings. After years of idle production, a wire rod factory in Yuhuitang has finally found a new positioning and transformed into a cultural and creative industrial park.
"Not only the factories and factories are undergoing transformation, but the development direction and ideas of our village are also undergoing transformation. With the construction of a demonstration village for rural revitalization, various cultural and tourism sites in the village are mutually draining with the Atemaiyuan district, bringing new vitality to rural development." said Chen Yingchun, Secretary of the Dongshe Village Party Branch and Director of the Village Committee.
Transformation and upgrading of internet celebrity "economic communities"
"Where we are now, there used to be an internet celebrity economic community," Chen Yingchun said to reporters as he walked in the Atemaiyuan district. "The Fumin Economic Community is within the current scope of Dongshe Village."
In 1992, the cadres and masses in the Zhengdian area of Qingpu County boldly innovated and established the first private economic development zone in East China - Fumin Economic Development Zone. On July 28th of that year, the Liberation Daily reported on this matter under the title of "Development Start of Zhengdian Private Enterprise Investment Zone", stating that "the leaders of Zhengdian Township in Qingpu County hope to turn the development zone into Shanghai's" Little Wenzhou ".".
At that time, private economic communities referred to the "community concentration" model of providing production and business premises, housing, as well as infrastructure such as water, electricity, and communication for private enterprises, and providing services during the application and operation process of enterprises. "The development of Fumin Economic Community expanded the market town scale in the then steaming lake area, and the economy began to develop at a high speed. In the 1990s, a Shebang natural village alone had more than 1500 immigrants, nearly 1000 more than the registered residence population. Farmer houses were also easy to rent, and almost every household had rental income," Chen Yingchun told reporters.
However, with the gradual transformation of the extensive manufacturing industry in the suburbs of Shanghai and the gradual reduction of 198 industrial land in the city, the development model of "economic communities" has also reached the transformation threshold. Up to now, "economic communities" are mostly service institutions dispatched by the government to engage in investment promotion work, and "enriching the people" is no exception. In May 2021, Shanghai Fumin Economic Development Zone moved to the vicinity of Dianshanhu Avenue Station on Line 17 of the rail transit system, using two floors for investment promotion and office. As for the large area of land and factories in Dongshe Village, they have been included in the scope of reduction.
"The factory has moved, the land has been reduced, and the villagers' rental income has also decreased. Although the village has become much quieter, what should be done next? The transformation case of the factory building of Shanghai Yusheng Special Wire Co., Ltd. has inspired us," Chen Yingchun told reporters.
Xu Chunhua, Vice President of Shanghai Yuke Industrial Investment Co., Ltd., told reporters that Shanghai Yusheng Special Wire Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the group, is engaged in wire and cable manufacturing. It entered the Fumin Economic Community in the 1990s. Around 2004, the company relocated its production business to the Liantang Industrial Park, leaving the original factory area idle. "Later, we attempted to transform towards the direction of cultural and creative industries, and transformed the old factory area into a cultural and creative industrial park, which is now known as the Atemai Cultural and Creative Industrial Park."
A new selling point is the elusive "industrial flavor"
On a day at the end of July, an art exhibition was taking place in the exhibition hall on the second floor of Atema Cultural and Creative Industry Park. The theme of the exhibition is "Metaphors of Transformation", showcasing a new work by artist Chen Qingyong. In addition to painting on cloth and paper, the artist also uses ancient blue bricks as the canvas, cleverly blending historical and modern, Eastern and Western elements, making many visitors linger.
How did a wire factory, which used to have roaring machines and sparks flying in the workshop, become an exhibition venue for cutting-edge art exhibitions, transforming from a "bold style" to a "graceful style"?
"In summary, we have shifted from 'manufacturing' to 'display manufacturing' first, and then from 'display manufacturing' to pure cultural and creative industries. Walking in the park, you can feel a subtle 'industrial style', and we also pay attention to manual experience in some parent-child course designs. The foundation of 'industrial manufacturing' has become an advantage for us to engage in the cultural and creative industry," said Hu Yiyi.
On both sides of the children's paradise in Atmai Park, there are many workshops, including mahogany carving, ceramic ware making, carpentry workshops, bamboo shoots weaving, leather goods manufacturing, baking workshops, etc. The park has invited "old masters" in various fields from Qingpu and even the Yangtze River Delta to show the operation process of various skills to tourists through the huge french window. At the same time, there is almost a small activity room next to each workshop, where tourists can not only appreciate the skills of the "old wizard", but also get started by making a wooden stool, sewing a leather wallet, and even making a unique small ceramic bowl starting from kneading mud and pulling embryos.
"Our course activities are particularly popular among parent-child families. Look, this batch of freshly fired ceramic cups was made by a group of kindergarten children themselves, each with a different shape." Hu Yiyi pointed to a batch of light green ceramic cups that had just been fired from the kiln next to the pottery workshop. From the appearance, the production of this batch of cups is slightly rough, with each one rolling a clay stick into the shape of a mug. "But for children, having such a cup is a very unforgettable childhood memory and proof of being a 'little craftsman' once."
Hu Yiyi told reporters that during the summer vacation, on average, hundreds of parent-child families come to the park every day to experience the manufacturing of various cultural and creative products. Usually, the park also undertakes team activities from various primary and secondary schools. With the advantages of large location and multiple types of activities, many schools have chosen the location for handicraft practice activities there. "In addition, we are an industrial park that has also attracted some cultural and creative enterprises, such as e-commerce live streaming companies, to provide them with office space leasing and other services. The park is open all year round and is expected to receive 500000 visitors this year."
Mutual drainage between cultural and creative parks and village cultural and tourism sites
With the prosperity of the Atemai Park area, new ideas for rural industrial development have slowly emerged in Chen Yingchun's mind: "Parents and children who participate in activities in the park can also go to the village to row boats, pick fruits, and stay overnight. On the other hand, tourists who come to the village to experience the fun of the countryside can also go to Atemai Park area to experience the results of the transformation of the 'First City of East China'. Various cultural and tourism sites in the village attract each other, which is very beneficial to the development of the rural economy."
There are many cultural and tourism treasure projects in Dongshe Village. The 360 acre Wild Dragon Fruit Industry Base in the village, with its crispy and tender flesh and incredibly sweet Cuiguan pear, is now in its market season. Many old customers would rather drive dozens of kilometers to the orchard to pick up a few boxes of fresh fruits with dewdrops; There are also hundreds of acres of greenhouse flower bases in the village, mainly producing herbaceous flowers such as hydrangeas, which can supply customers in the Yangtze River Delta region and are also excellent places for citizens and tourists to appreciate the flower sea; In addition, Dongshe Village is also a protection and inheritance base for the intangible cultural heritage project "Stooping Meridian", which is a popular massage technique among the people. The treatment targets infants and young children with unclosed meridians, and has remarkable effects on colds, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.
"We are also designing tour routes for citizens and tourists based on the actual situation of Dongshe Village. For example, in addition to participating in activities within the park, citizens and tourists are allowed to stroll around the village, pick green crown pears, admire flowers, bake sweet potatoes in the fields, visit the solemn temple to appreciate ancient ginkgo biloba, experience the 'Portuguese scripture', etc., connecting the cultural and tourism sites within the village." Hu Yiyi said.
Chen Yingchun told reporters that Dongshe Village is currently continuously improving its infrastructure and supporting facilities, allowing more citizens and tourists to deeply experience the beauty of Dongshe. For example, the village is building a boat action line, constructing characteristic small bridges, and introducing new energy boats for tourists to ride on, allowing them to shuttle on the river and enjoy the scenery.
In addition, Dongshe Village will become the first homestay resort built with great effort by Qingpu District. "At present, we have signed an agreement with a third-party company, and the village collective and industry jointly established a rural development management committee. We have contacted more than 50 idle rural houses and signed contracts for 13 homestays. The renovation project is about to start, and we aim to operate externally on New Year's Day next year."
