Changzhou (常州) is more than a city (市 – shì) in Canadian terms. It is a union of five administrative districts consisting of towns, villages and rural settings contains of about three and a half million people (rén – 人). Changzhou city (Chángzhōushì – 常州市) itself has about two million people as official residents. This picture which I took in September, 2006, features Changzhou’s City Hall (shìzhèngfǔ – 市政府), a tall modern structure of twin towers situated behind the People’s Square (rénmín guǎng chǎng – 人民广场). City Hall is in the XinBei district (Xīnběiqū – 新北区) not too far from the apartment in which we live in Sunshine Gardens (YángGuāng HuāYuán – 阳光花园).
This is a scene from Yingchun Walking Street, a promenade that stretches for a few blocks paralleling the main street, Yanling XiLu. With the development of many modern shops along the main street, Yingchun Walking Street has fallen into disrepair. In a way, this makes for a different experience as locals with less money are more apt to shop on this promenade than in the main shopping mall of NanDaJie. Often one can see small sidewalk enterprises selling anything from old coins to old fashioned fast food staples.
Next to the NanDaJie Shopping Centre is People’s Park (rénmín gōngyuán – 人民公园), a favourite place for many of the elders in the city to gather in order to play cards or to watch their grandchildren play. Though not nearly as large as many of the parks in the city, it is definitely a park that is treasured.
It’s downtown area.Lots of people like getting together to have fun.In your contury,The Bar is where people most like to go.