On April 24th–25th and May 8th–9th, the company arranged group trips in batches for all Shanghai-based staff to travel to Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The refreshing and pleasant spring weather in April and May lifted everyone’s spirits, and all employees were brimming with excitement.

We departed for Hangzhou by coach early in the morning, admiring the roadside scenery along the way with great excitement. Around noon, we arrived at Hangzhou Hotel. After lunch and a short break, we headed to our first scenic spot: Xixi National Wetland Park. Together with West Lake and Xiling Seal Society, Xixi is known as Hangzhou’s “Three Xis”. It is China’s first and only national wetland park integrating urban wetland, rural wetland and cultural wetland landscapes. The charm of Xixi lies entirely in its waterways, which form the soul of the park. Water areas including rivers, ponds, lakes and marshes cover roughly 70% of the park’s total area, matching the poetic line “Each winding stream is wrapped in mist”.

That evening, we gathered for a group dinner. We chatted and laughed heartily over delicious dishes, with cheerful voices filling the air, rounding off a joyful day.

Early the next morning, we boarded vehicles for our second stop: Hangzhou West Lake. Famous both domestically and overseas for its graceful lakeside scenery and numerous historical relics, West Lake is hailed as a paradise on earth, with the well-known praise “Scenery nestles inside the city; visitors wander amid a painted scroll”. Upon getting off the bus, we were greeted by Su Causeway. Strolling along the embankment, gentle breezes brushed our faces and willow branches swayed softly, letting us fully appreciate West Lake’s unique beauty. We walked all the way to the dock and took a cruise to view Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon. Bridges connect the small islets, dotted with pavilions and terraces; golden carps swim freely in the water, creating endlessly appealing vistas around every bend. We wandered down crisscross paths to reach Flower Harbor Fish Park, whose biggest highlight is the red carp pond. Thousands of bright red carps dart and leap freely in the pond, splashing playfully. Next to the carp pond stands a peacock garden where dozens of peacocks compete to show off their elegant plumage, drawing crowds of tourists. We were fortunate to witness the magnificent sight of peacocks spreading their tail feathers.

After touring Flower Harbor Park, our Hangzhou trip drew to a close. We returned to Ouxiangju Hotel near Leifeng Pagoda for lunch before setting off back to Shanghai.

We were blessed with perfect cool weather throughout this Hangzhou excursion. Everyone enjoyed themselves to the fullest with high spirits. Let us look forward to next year, to embrace more stunning natural landscapes of our beautiful planet together.