Expats experience rural life in Pudong

A total of 42 expats from 12 countries took part in a series of activities marking the Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival in Haishen village, Pudong New Area, Shanghai on Sept 26.

They visited the village's historical museum and admired paddy field pictures celebrating the 30th anniversary of the development and opening-up of Pudong.

The expats also tried their hands at making Chinese knots and dough figurines, and admired the rural autumn scenery by bicycle.

Officials explained that since 2018, Pudong has prioritized improving the living environment in its rural revitalization efforts and has carried out evaluations on the courtyards of locals.

To date, 143,200 households have received star-ratings in recognition of their beautiful courtyards, with 1,731 earning five-star ratings.

During the activity, expats visited the five-star household of villager Chen Kejuan and were treated to a feast of rural dishes.

"It was my first time experiencing rural life in Pudong. It was amazing!" said Aisa, an expat living in Zhangjiang Science City.