Spring outing diary

Dear partner,  

I hope this message finds you well. We are writing to share with you a delightful chapter from our corporate life - the recent spring outing of Oriental Shimao. Our team embarked on a three-day cultural immersion through Jiangsu's most poetic landscapes, and we thought you might enjoy hearing about this tapestry of Chinese heritage that continues to inspire our work.  

**Day 1: Painting in Yellow - Xinghua's Canola Sea**  

We commenced our journey at the UNESCO-listed Qianhuaduo Canola Fields in Taizhou, where 1,200 acres of golden blossoms formed a living mosaic across the waterlands. Drifting through labyrinthine waterways by traditional flat-bottomed boat, we witnessed how centuries-old agricultural wisdom transformed wetlands into this "Golden Ocean". The afternoon brought us to the timeworn flagstone alleys of Taizhou Old Street, where teahouse steam mingled with spring drizzle - a perfect embodiment of the Jiangnan region's misty allure.  

**Day 2: Yangzhou - Where Poetry Meets Architecture**  

Our exploration of Yangzhou (a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy) began at Slender West Lake, its willow-fringed causeways shimmering through rainfall like an ink-wash painting come alive. Next, we marveled at He Garden - hailed as "the Grand Finale of Private Gardens" - where 1.5km of veranda corridors connected European-style glazed windows to traditional moon gates, each whispering tales of late Qing Dynasty merchant princes. The spiritual highlight came at Daming Temple, where we paid respects at the Hall of Wealth, offering prayers for prosperous partnerships.  

**Day 3: Nature's Manuscript - Qintong Wetlands**  

The final day unfolded at Jiangsu's largest freshwater wetland. At Qintong National Wetland Park, elevated wooden boardwalks carried us through reed forests where endangered saurus cranes nest. The Wetland Museum revealed how 6,000 years of human-nature symbiosis shaped this ecological treasure. We concluded in Qintong Ancient Town, its Ming-Qing era water lanes and "Eight Scenic Wells" reminding us how commerce and culture have flowed through these waterways since the Tea Horse Road era.  

This journey through China's "Land of Fish and Rice" has not only strengthened our team bonds but reinvigorated our commitment to creating spaces that honor heritage while embracing innovation. Just as the He Garden harmonized Eastern and Western architectural philosophies, we remain dedicated to building bridges between tradition and modernity in all our projects.

Should your travels ever bring you to these regions, it would be our pleasure to help curate your own Jiangnan experience. We're currently compiling a photo album of this expedition and would be delighted to share it with you.