On July 4th and 5th, the company organized all staff from Shanghai, Suzhou, Ningbo and Jiaxing to take a two-day summer trip to Shengzhou, Zhejiang Province. Despite the sweltering heat, everyone’s enthusiasm burned as brightly as the July temperatures.

We set off early in the morning by coach for Shengzhou, leaving the hustle and bustle of the city far behind. Spirits ran high along the entire journey. We passed the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, the world’s longest cross-sea bridge. Its vibrantly colored structure stood grand and magnificent, with vast mist-shrouded waters stretching to the horizon where sea and sky merged as one. Around midday, we arrived at Shengzhou International Hotel. After lunch and a short rest, we headed to our first scenic spot: the Glacier & Volcano Valley Scenic Area at South Mountain Lake. This site was once the vent of an ancient volcanic eruption dating back 1.4 million years ago and hosts China’s lowest-altitude glacial relics. The valley is dotted with massive, jagged rock formations, clear secluded pools and cascading waterfalls, transporting visitors into a fantastical primeval landscape.

That evening, we gathered for a group dinner filled with cheerful chatter and laughter. We also presented exquisite gifts and sincere best wishes to colleagues celebrating birthdays in July.

Early the next morning, we boarded our vehicles again for our second destination of the Shengzhou trip: the Hundred-Zhang Waterfall Scenic Area. Nine waterfalls surge through the Hundred-Zhang Gorge in a breathtaking display, earning it the title “Top Waterfall Cluster south of the Yangtze River”. Tucked deep within the mountains, the waterfalls are reached via winding mountain roads that offered a few thrills along the way. The scenic area features towering, steep peaks blanketed in lush vegetation. Upon entering the main gate, we climbed stone steps and caught sight of Moon Lake, a body of water as lovely as its name. Access to the Hundred-Zhang Waterfalls requires crossing this lake. Our boat drifted across its crystal-clear surface, flanked by red blossoms and green foliage clinging to the cliffs on either side — the scenery was so stunning it felt like a fairyland.

The waterfalls remain hidden behind rock faces deep in the valley, their thunderous roar heard long before they come into view. We wound through twisting, shadowy ravines, rounding bend after bend until we finally reached the iconic Hundred-Zhang Waterfall halfway up the mountain. The mighty cascade thunders down a sheer cliff more than a hundred meters high, surging forth like galloping stallions or flood dragons diving into the sea. Standing to admire the view, fine cool mist drifted over us like drizzling rain; the mesmerizing scenery made it hard to tear ourselves away. After finishing our tour of the waterfall scenic area, our trip to Shengzhou drew to a close. We returned to the hotel for lunch before setting off back to Shanghai.

Though the trip coincided with extreme summer heat, our team’s spirits never faltered. Let us look forward to next year, for another close encounter with nature!