Moments in March丨Shanghai Daily & JING’AN News

Spring into action

Spring is in full swing, and Jing'an is bursting with energy. From global pop-ups and floral displays to cultural showcases, the district's spring festival blends fashion, tradition and innovation. Explore the events and celebrate the sunny season.

Head out and spring into action

Doraemon

A towering 12-meter Doraemon and nearly 100 life-sized statues transformed Anyi Road into a whimsical spectacle on March 8, giving fans a surprise pop-up with beloved characters like Nobita Nobi, Shizuka Minamoto, Takeshi Gouda and Suneo Honekawa.

But this was just the beginning. The "100% Doraemon & Friends Tour" is set to make its Chinese mainland debut at Jing'an Kerry Center from March 29 to May 5, marking the robotic cat's long-awaited return to the city after the "100 Doraemon Secret Gadget Expo" in 2013.

Organized by Jing'an Kerry Center, AllRightsReserved, and Fujiko Pro, the exhibition will immerse visitors in Doraemon's world, blending nostalgia with interactive fun.

Date:March 29 - May 5

Free-entry zones:

• "Doraemon Blue Carpet" – Anyi Rd

• "Giant Manga Zone" – Atrium, L1, Jing'an Kerry Center

Ticketed areas:

• "Doraemon Outdoor Exhibition" – North Gate 5, Jing'an Kerry Center

• "Manga Art Exhibition Hall" – South Plaza, Jing'an Kerry Center

• "Doraemon Sculpture Park" – South Plaza, Jing'an Kerry Center

• "100% Cinema" – Anyi Road entrance, Jing'an Kerry Center

Ticket Platform:Maoyan

Ticket Information:

• Adult Ticket (Weekdays): 130 yuan

• Adult Ticket (Weekends & holidays): 150 yuan

• Child Ticket (Weekdays): 100 yuan

• Child Ticket (Weekends & holidays): 120 yuan

Jing’an Huazhao Festival

The first-ever Jing’an Huazhao Festival is in full swing, transforming Daning Park into a vibrant spring wonderland.

It honors the traditional flower goddess’ birthday, blending cultural heritage with modern experiences.

A breathtaking 12,000-square-meter tulip field greets visitors, while cherry blossoms, crabapples and magnolias reach peak bloom, creating a picture-perfect spring scene.

At the heart of the festival is a 1-kilometer cultural experience route, where guests can explore folk performances, craft markets, poetry-inspired tea gatherings and a hanfu (traditional Chinese attire) showcase. An interactive hanfu dressing experience is availed, allowing visitors to try on traditional Chinese outfits and walk alongside 12 “flower goddesses.”

Adding fun, the festival is divided into three themed weeks on flower goddess, sports and romance.

Date:Through March 30
Venue:Daning Park
Admission:Free

Rolife

This month, Shanghai Suhewan MIXC World teams up with trendy toy brand Rolife for a spring celebration that combines romance, elegance and creativity.

The "Spring into Spring" event brings Rolife's artistic vision to life with an exhibition, interactive experiences and a creative market. The highlight, "Blooming Dreams" exhibition, takes place at the historic Tianhou Palace, inviting visitors on a dreamlike journey with three characters, Nanci, Wowen and Charline.

Beyond the exhibition, Rolife offers hands-on activities like kite-making and traditional printmaking, fusing cultural heritage with modern creativity.

In the commercial complex, the pedestrian bridge features Rolife's beloved character, Nanci, which has quickly become a popular photo spot.

Date:Through March 30
Venue:Shanghai Suhewan MIXC World
Admission:Free

Nanjing Road ‘wonderland’

This spring, Van Cleef & Arpels collaborates with French artist Alexandre Benjamin Navet to transform Nanjing Road W. into a paradise.

The street will be transformed with brilliant art pieces inspired by Navet’s bold, colorful illustrations. His unique style, filled with vitality and vibrant colors, manifests itself as sculptures, arches, benches and pergolas, resulting in an immersive floral fantasy.

Stroll from Plaza 66, through Shanghai Centre and to Rose Garden, stopping at quirky installations such as the “Blossoming Garden” and “Floral Kiosk,” or visit the “Enchanting Library” for nature-inspired stories. To get a hands-on experience, book an art session to delve deeper into the season’s charm.

TAO Dance Theater, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels’ Dance Reflections, will perform on April 12 and 13.

Date:Through May 5
Venue:Nanjing Rd W.

Cultural, tech innovation drives Daning

The Daning Functional Area, one of Jing’an’s four core zones, is strategically located in northern Shanghai.

It spans 10.92 square kilometers from the Yujingpu River in the east to the Pengyuepu River in the west, with the Inner Ring Road (Zhongshan Road N. part) to the south and the Middle Ring Road (Wenshui Road portion) to the north.

A prime example of urban living and industrial integration, Daning features 28 major office buildings and 39 industry parks, offering 1.9 million square meters of office space and over 610,000 square meters of commercial space.

The area houses 15 multinational firms and six global service providers’ regional offices, with 15 landmark buildings generating over 100 million yuan (US$13.83 million) in annual tax income. As an innovation and business hub, it has top high-tech parks and incubators.

Daning’s success is due to its pleasant environment, efficient transportation, extensive amenities and top-notch services.

At the heart of Daning sits Daning Park, the largest ecological park in central Puxi. The 680,000-square-meter urban getaway has lush vegetation, tranquil lakes and well-designed landscapes. The park’s artistic rockery adds to its charm, but its true standout is a stunning beach — made from thousands of tons of imported white sand — bringing a touch of the seaside to the city.

Since 2015, the park has hosted tulip, lotus and plum blossom festivals in its lush green spaces. This year, the area hosts the first Jing’an Huazhao Festival, a more elaborate cultural experience featuring floral displays, traditional practices and lifestyle events.

The park also features a 5km smart track, where runners can track health metrics through IoT-enabled devices.

A twin “cross” network connects Daning to Pudong and the Yangtze River Delta via the Inner Ring Road and North-South Elevated Road, and Metro Line 1 and the under-construction Metro Line 20 provide rail service.

Daning Music Plaza, Jiuguang Center, and Life Hub @ Daning are among the many commercial amenities in the zone. Shanghai’s 10th People’s Hospital, Shanghai University, Jing’an Sports Center and Shanghai Circus World form a “15-minute social life circle” for locals.

Daning is integrating ecological, cultural and sports resources to become a new cultural and tourism landmark and help Shanghai become a global consumer hub.

The zone provides customized, full-lifecycle services to enterprises. Daning exceeded its investment goals last year with 2,265 industry-trend-aligned initiatives.

Daning’s development is propelled by the convergence of cultural and technological innovation.

In cultural sectors like film and eSports, Daning has attracted 384 companies, including industry leaders such as Bona, iQiyi, Riot Games and Hero Esports. Local businesses created blockbuster films like “Dying to Survive” and the TV series “Blossoms Shanghai.”

Since prioritizing technological innovation in 2021, Daning has focused on integrated circuits, chip design, digital security and smart healthcare, hosting 502 technology companies.

Daning is building an ultra-high-definition (UHD) audio-visual industry cluster to create a worldwide UHD ecosystem. This will assist Daning in becoming a UHD innovation hub and support Jing’an’s global UHD industry hub goals.

Daning also plans to build a regional TTO (Technology Transfer Office) platform to commercialize medical and health technologies. The first “Life and Health Fusion Innovation and Transformation Center” in the zone will expedite life and health research and development, encouraging patent conversion and high-quality industry growth in Jing’an.

编辑：徐悦琳

资料：区新闻办、上海日报

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