The "63 Year Old" and "1-Year Old" Cities of a Wisteria Tree | Source | Wisteria
Author: Xinhua Daily Telegraph reporter Wang Yongqian, Yang Jinzhi, Zheng Juntian
In early summer, wisteria is in full bloom. In Heping Park, Hongkou District, Shanghai, a wisteria tree, less than one year old, blooms for the first time after moving to a new home. Mai Yupei, who is over seventy years old, came to this tree with his wife Zheng Weifen, who had been with him for 63 years. They admired clusters of purple flowers hanging from the branches and exclaimed, "It's really not easy for the old tree to move to a new home!"
Mai Yupei and his wife often visit the wisteria trees in Peace Park. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Xiang
Two years ago, when they learned that their Shikumen neighborhood was about to be relocated, Mai Yupei and his wife were both happy and worried. "While it's good to have a new house, I can't bear to leave behind my 'old friend' who has been with me for many years," they said. "When I was pregnant with my daughter, this tree bloomed for the first time and was a witness to our happiness," Zheng Weifen said.
Mai Yupei's old house is located on Wusong Road in Hongkou District, with only about 20 square meters. "At that time, the only one in our family who could see sunlight was the wisteria growing in the courtyard. We were worried that it wouldn't live well because the living space was too narrow, and we were also worried that it would grow too well, because it would crawl into other people's homes and alleys, squeezing out their living space." Mai Yupei spoke of the "small tree" he planted when he was 12 years old, which was full of emotion. "Over 60 years have passed, and I watched it grow day by day. It used to be only over 1 meter tall, less than a finger thick, but now it is surrounded by two vines and climbing straight to the roof. Every April or May, the wisteria flowers bloom, which is really beautiful."
Mai Yupei climbs over 5 meters high to the roof every year to trim branches. Later on, when his health was not good, his wife climbed up to trim branches. However, when his wife's legs were not sharp, she asked her neighbors to help with the pruning. Everyone loves this wisteria tree. It has not only experienced the ups and downs of the Mai Yupei family, but also witnessed the joys and sorrows in the old alley.
I heard that the old house was going to be relocated, and my daughter, who is abroad, called me overseas. The first question was, "What should we do with our wisteria?" The wisteria tree was already a part of the old wheat family, and they couldn't bear to abandon it. But the new house is a high-rise building, and wisteria cannot move with it. So, with the idea of giving it a try, Old Man Mai Yupei wrote a "People's Letter" to the relevant department, hoping to find a new home for Ziteng.
At the end of 2021, Xing Qi, a staff member of the Greening Management Center in Hongkou District, Shanghai, received this unusual letter of help and was immediately moved by the deep emotions between the words. But implementing tree transplantation is not easy. Not only do we need to complete the relevant procedures, but we also need to carefully select the site to ensure the survival of this wisteria with well-developed roots.
"The feelings of this elderly couple towards the tree are very empathetic. After we went to the site to investigate the condition of the tree, we worked with relevant departments to select a site for the wisteria, and ultimately chose to transplant it to Peace Park because it is most conducive to its growth. We also specifically found a space suitable for climbing vines," Xing Qi said.
Wisteria has gone through a winter's test and has welcomed a new life. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Xiang
In order to move the wisteria, people were nervously and orderly preparing. In October 2022, wisteria was finally transplanted successfully. Under the careful care of the maintenance personnel, the wisteria that moved to Peace Park experienced a winter's test, and this spring it sprouted and welcomed new life. Mai Yupei and his wife bid farewell to their humble abode and moved into a new two bedroom apartment. "Now, it has changed from our family's tree to everyone's tree, and we will often come to see it," Zheng Weifen said with a smile on her face.
"The small things of the masses are all of great concern to us," said Chen Chao, project manager of the First House Acquisition Office in Hongkou District, Shanghai. The old renovation is known as the "number one difficulty in the world", and the difficulty lies in doing mass work. To find the key from the doors of ordinary people's homes to the door of their hearts, the key is to put oneself in the shoes of others, empathize with oneself, and use one's heart and strength to the fullest, and it will be a natural outcome.
Guarding an old vine, leaving behind a trace of memories. This story of "old vines rebirth" shows people the efforts made by Shanghai in balancing historical landscape protection and urban organic renewal. In 2021, Shanghai passed legislation through the National People's Congress and introduced the Shanghai Urban Renewal Regulations, which not only ensure that urban renewal creates a high-quality life for citizens, but also preserve urban memories and express people's emotions.
After a drizzle, the old vine bloomed with new flowers, and this vibrant vitality carried the longing of a family, reflecting the warmth of a city. Mai Yupei and his wife once again supported each other, gently caressing the branches of their "old friend" and telling the story of their new home. There is a new charm in the new, and an old flavor in the old. The city is an organic and living organism, and urban renewal can never forget its roots and soul. The old look is replaced by a new one, and the old tree is adorned with spring flowers, together depicting a living animation of the people's city for the people.
