Shenzhenwan Science and Technology Ecological Garden is the place that best symbolizes the spirit of modern Shenzhen - the harmonious combination of advanced technology and nature. This unique garden, located in the Nanshan district, was created as an experimental project to demonstrate how technological innovation can support ecological development. Walking through the alleys of the garden, one can admire smart irrigation systems that collect rainwater and optimize water use, as well as solar panels that power lighting and small educational installations. According to local guides, the garden was designed by a team of researchers from the nearby University of Technology, who wanted to create a living laboratory for sustainability.

One of the garden's most fascinating features is the so-called 'Innovation Path,' an interactive trail showcasing Shenzhen's history of technological development, from simple agricultural tools to advanced biotechnology. Each station on this path includes an educational component that engages visitors through sensory experiences - you can touch different materials, hear the sounds of nature amplified by special microphones, or see how plants respond to different stimuli. Particularly popular among families with children is the section devoted to renewable energy sources, where the youngest can run small wind turbines or photovoltaic panels with their own hands.

In contrast to futuristic Shenzhenwan, Lizhi Park (Lychee Park) offers a more traditional Chinese garden experience. Established in 1982, it is one of the oldest parks in the city and is named after the lychee trees that once covered the area. According to local legend, the trees were planted by Ming Dynasty farmers who believed their fruit brought good luck and prosperity. Today, several century-old specimens of these trees can be found in the park, given special care as living monuments to the region's history.

Lychee Park is famous for its picturesque ponds, traditional pavilions and bridges that create an atmosphere of tranquility and contemplation. Particularly noteworthy are the 'Four Seasons Gardens' - four carefully designed sections of the park, each representing a different season through an appropriate selection of vegetation and architectural elements. The spring garden is filled with flowering plum and cherry trees, the summer garden with lush bamboos and lotus ponds, the autumn garden with maples with reddening leaves, and the winter garden with evergreen pines and cypresses. This concept, deeply rooted in the Chinese philosophy of harmony with nature, allows visitors to experience the full cycle of nature in one place.

A slightly less well-known but equally fascinating site is Lianhuashan Park (Lotus Mountain Park), which rises on a hill in the heart of Futian District. Its name comes from the shape of the hill, which from a bird's eye view resembles a lotus flower - a symbol of purity and enlightenment in Buddhist culture. At the top of the hill is a monumental six-meter statue of Deng Xiaoping - the architect of the economic reforms that transformed Shenzhen from a fishing village into a metropolis. The statue was unveiled in 2004, the centennial of the politician's birth, and depicts him in a distinctive hand-waving gesture, symbolizing the welcoming of a new era of prosperity.

The viewing platform at the monument offers panoramic views of the city center, including the impressive complex of government buildings and the Civic Center, whose red lotus-shaped roof echoes the park's name architecturally. Few people know that beneath the park is an extensive system of retention basins that helps manage rainwater during monsoon rains, protecting surrounding neighborhoods from flooding. This piece of infrastructure, invisible to the eye, is an example of how modern Shenzhen is integrating environmental solutions with public spaces.

The Lotus Mountain Park is also home to the Shenzhen History Museum, which presents the city's remarkable transformation in an interactive way. Particularly moving is the 'Yesterday and Today' photography exhibition, which juxtaposes photos of the same locations taken in the 1980s and today. The contrast between the humble fishing shacks and the skyscrapers that have taken their place is a telling testimony to the unprecedented pace of the city's development.

Each of these parks offers a unique experience, but what they have in common is that they are places where residents and tourists can find respite from the intense rhythm of metropolitan life. While Shenzhenwan Science and Technology Ecological Garden attracts innovation and sustainability enthusiasts, Lizhi Park is ideal for lovers of traditional Chinese garden aesthetics, and Lianhuashan Park offers a combination of historical reflection and outdoor physical activity. All three sites are easily accessible by an extensive public transportation network, making them excellent starting points for exploring Shenzhen's green spaces.

Splendid China Folk Village is much more than a simple theme park - it is a living open-air ethnographic museum showcasing the richness and diversity of China's ethnic cultures. Established in 1989, the park covers an impressive 30 hectares and is divided into two main zones: 'Splendid China' (Splendid China), featuring miniatures of famous Chinese monuments, and 'Folk Culture Village' (Folk Culture Village), showcasing the traditional homes and customs of China's 56 officially recognized ethnic groups.

The most fascinating aspect of the site is the themed villages, where employed representatives of ethnic minorities demonstrate traditional crafts, perform dances and songs characteristic of their cultures. Here you can see masters from the Bai people creating batiks, Yi artisans forging silver jewelry or Miao artists making embroidered costumes. According to the park's curator, many of the skills on display here are listed as endangered on China's list of intangible cultural heritage.

A little-known fact about the Folk Village is the story of its creation - the park was created not only as a tourist attraction, but also as a documentation project to preserve knowledge of traditions threatened by the country's rapid modernization. A team of ethnographers spent more than three years traveling through the remotest regions of China and consulting with local elders to ensure the authenticity of the exhibits and cultural practices on display.

In contrast to the cultural richness of Folk Village, World Sculpture Park offers a more international and contemporary art experience. Located in the OCT (Overseas Chinese Town) district, the park is part of a larger cultural complex that also includes contemporary art museums and galleries. More than 100 sculptures by artists from around the world are spread over an area of several acres, making it one of the largest permanent exhibitions of contemporary sculpture in Asia.

The park opened in 1998 as part of an initiative to transform Shenzhen into a world-class cultural center. According to local art historians, it was one of the first attempts to introduce Western art into public space in mainland China after a period of cultural isolation. Of particular interest is the 'East-West Dialogue' section, where works by Chinese sculptors sit side by side with works by European and American artists, creating a visual conversation about differences and similarities in perceptions of form, space and meaning.

One of the most intriguing installations in the park is the 'Listening Forest,' an interactive sound sculpture consisting of metal 'trees' equipped with motion sensors and speakers. As visitors walk between these structures, they activate a variety of sounds - from the rustling of leaves and birdsong to snippets of traditional Chinese music and city noises. This installation, created by a Chinese-American art collective, symbolizes the dialogue between nature and technology, tradition and modernity - themes that define contemporary Shenzhen.

Tianshang Renjian, which can be translated as 'Heaven on Earth,' is a park complex surrounding the picturesque Xian Hu Lake in Luohu district. The site has special historical significance - according to local accounts, in the 1980s, when Shenzhen was beginning its transformation into a Special Economic Zone, Deng Xiaoping visited the site and, enraptured by the natural beauty of the landscape, called it 'a piece of heaven on earth,' which gave rise to the current name.

The park is famous for its harmonious combination of natural landscape with elements of traditional Chinese garden architecture. Particularly charming are the stone pavilions and bridges reflected in the surface of the lake, creating images as if from classic Chinese ink paintings. A little-known secret of the place is the system of hidden paths leading to the surrounding hills, offering views of the lake and the city skyline. These trails, mostly known to locals, allow you to discover wild corners of the park, where you can spot rare species of birds and butterflies.

At the heart of the park is Qingxiu Island, accessible only by boat, which houses a replica of an ancient Confucian academy. On weekends, it hosts demonstrations of traditional calligraphy and tea ceremony, led by masters of these arts. According to the park's custodian, some of the tea trees growing on the island were grown from cuttings from the legendary plantations of Mount Wuyi, famous for producing the best black teas in China.

Shenzhen Bay Park and the neighboring Mangrove Nature Reserve together form one of the most important coastal ecosystems in the region. This vast protected area, stretching along the coast of Shenzhen Bay, is a key stop on the migratory route of birds moving between Siberia and Australia. According to ornithologists working at the reserve, more than 100 species of birds can be seen here each year, including several that are threatened with extinction, such as the black-headed coot and the black-crowned warbler.

The Mangrove Reserve is particularly valuable from an ecological point of view, as mangroves - trees with distinctive aerial roots that grow in salt water - provide a natural barrier to protect the coast from erosion and the effects of typhoons that regularly hit the region. What's more, they are natural water filters, trapping pollutants and excess nutrients, helping to maintain a healthy marine ecosystem.

A little-known fact is the area's conservation history. In the 1990s, when Shenzhen was experiencing a construction boom, the area of the current reserve was to be drained and designated for commercial development. However, thanks to a campaign by local environmentalists and scientists, the city government decided to establish the reserve, recognizing the ecological value of the mangroves. Today, it is one of the few mangrove areas preserved in the Pearl River Delta, providing living proof that economic development can go hand in hand with nature conservation.

Shenzhen Central Park, located in the heart of the Futian business district, is a prime example of China's modern approach to the design of public spaces. Opened in 2004, the park was designed as a multi-functional recreational space to serve the diverse needs of metropolitan residents. The 33-acre area features carefully designed activity zones ranging from peaceful contemplative gardens, playgrounds and sports fields to an open-air amphitheater where concerts and performances are regularly held.

One of the park's most innovative features is a rainwater management system that has been integrated into its landscape. A series of interconnected ponds, streams and wetlands not only create picturesque scenery, but also act as a natural filtration and retention system, reducing the risk of flooding during heavy monsoon rains. According to environmental engineers, the system is capable of capturing and treating up to 80% of rainwater falling on the park, significantly reducing the burden on the city's storm sewer system.

An interesting fact about Central Park is that its design was selected in an international competition, in which more than 40 architectural teams from around the world participated. The winning concept, by a Chinese-American design bureau, was praised for its skillful combination of elements of traditional Chinese garden art with modern ecological solutions. A particularly interesting element of the project is the 'Garden of the Five Senses' - a sequence of spaces designed to stimulate all the senses through an appropriate selection of plants, materials, sounds and smells.

Shenzhen Bay Park Liuhuashan, also known as Six Flowers Park, is a relatively new addition to the city's green space system. Opening in 2019, the park is part of an ambitious project to revitalize Shenzhen's bay coast. Its name comes from the six hills covered with flowers that make up the site's distinctive landscape. Each hill has been planted with a different species of flowering trees and shrubs, creating a spectacular display of colors that change with the seasons.

The park's most distinctive feature is the 'Rainbow Bridge' - a 500-meter-long pedestrian bridge with an organic, undulating shape that rises above the park, offering panoramic views of the bay and city skyline. The bridge was designed by a team of young Chinese architects who were inspired by the shape of sea waves and traditional Chinese calligraphy. At night, the structure is illuminated by dynamic, color-changing LED lights, which are powered by solar energy collected during the day by photovoltaic panels integrated into the bridge's railings.

A little-known aspect of the park is its role in climate change adaptation research. The park includes an experimental research station where scientists from Shenzhen University test various plant species for their resistance to rising temperatures, soil salinity and extreme weather events. The results of these tests are being used in the design of new green spaces in the city, as well as in developing strategies for adapting existing parks to changing climatic conditions.

It's also worth mentioning the future of Shenzhen's green spaces, which looks extremely interesting. The city is in the process of implementing an ambitious 'Shenzhen 2035' plan, which calls for every resident to have access to a park or recreational area within 500 meters of their residence by 2035. The plan also includes the creation of 'green corridors' linking existing parks and nature reserves to allow wildlife and plants to migrate between different urban ecosystems.

One of the most ambitious projects under the plan is the Shenzhen Natural History Museum, whose construction began in 2021 in the Pingshan district. Designed by the renowned architectural firm 3XN, the building, which has an organic shape resembling a hill overgrown with vegetation, is to be not only a place to display natural history collections, but also a center for environmental education and biodiversity research. According to plans, the museum is expected to be completed in 2025 and will be the largest of its kind in southern China.

Another groundbreaking project is the Shenzhen Zero Carbon Park, which is expected to be China's first zero carbon urban park. Located in the Longgang district, the park will use the latest technologies in renewable energy, water recycling and sustainable construction. The centerpiece of the park is to be the 'Pavilion of the Future,' an interactive education center where visitors will be able to learn about the challenges of climate change and explore solutions they can apply to their own lives.

Mission Hills Ecological Sports Park is another innovative project that combines sports recreation with environmental protection. The sprawling 220,000-square-foot complex offers not only traditional sports fields and courts, but also ecotourism trails, butterfly and bird gardens, and interactive educational installations dedicated to ecology. The park is also home to Shenzhen's largest rain garden, which collects and treats rainwater before it is used to irrigate green spaces.

All in all, Shenzhen's green spaces are a fascinating example of how a city with extremely intensive urban development can simultaneously care for the environment and the quality of life of its residents. From traditional Chinese gardens to modern ecological parks to ambitious projects of the future, Shenzhen shows that technological and economic development can go hand in hand with care for nature. For travelers interested in sustainable tourism, the city offers a unique experience of watching one of the world's most dynamic metropolises try to strike a balance between progress and environmental protection.