Editor's Note

This year is the 21st anniversary of the opening of the Shanghai metro. The subway has facilitated more than 13 billion journeys during its 21 years, and half of Shanghai citizens cite the metro as their favored mode of transport. To commemorate the anniversary, each week the Global Times will take an in-depth look at one metro station and its surroundings. In the case of downtown stations, we will focus on points of interest within walking distance; while for suburban areas, we will cast our net a little wider.

Daduhe Road Station on metro Line 13 officially started operation on November 1, joining Shanghai's ever-expanding transportation network. It's in a modern and laid-back part of Putuo district that is ideal for a weekend outing.

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Changfeng Park

Come out from Exit 1, head south and walk along Daduhe Road for several minutes, and you will come to the beautiful Changfeng Park (189 Daduhe Road) on the left. The 366,000-square-meter park was built in 1956, and opened to the public on the National Day of 1959.

The park adheres to classical Chinese aesthetics and borrows gardening aspects from the Summer Palace in Beijing and landscaping styles from Hangzhou and Suzhou. Specific areas are dedicated to pines, bamboos and plums - popular plantations in ancient China known as the "three friends of winter." Exquisite pavilions dot the park.

At the center of the park is a 143,000-square-meter lake named Silver Mattock, offering tranquil views and a relaxing experience. Boats can be hired for 40 yuan ($6.40) per hour.

The park is particularly popular with young children on weekends since it is home to a sea world near the main entrance by the lake. The admission fee is 110 yuan for children taller than 1 meter and 160 yuan for adults. Children under 1 meter can go in for free.

The sea world is a project of Australia's Oceanus Group, and consists of an aquarium and a performance venue. The aquarium, which lies 13 meters under the Silver Mattock Lake, has more than 300 types of fish and several specific sections for species including sharks and penguins. At the performance venue, which can accommodate 2,000 people, white whales, sea lions and dolphins impress the audience with their dexterity and intelligence.

Changfeng Park is home to a sea world near the main entrance. Photos: Liao Fangzhou/GT

Jackie Chan film gallery

Just on the other side of the street stands a film gallery (88 Yunling Road East) dedicated to the Hong Kong kung fu star Jackie Chan. Chan chose the site himself. The gallery was adapted from an old factory facing demolition. It opened this April.

Outside the gallery is a spacious plaza facing Daduhe Road. The plaza showcases a set of contemporary bronzes of the Chinese zodiac that were created according to the original model of the well-known antique Chinese zodiac of the Winter Palace. Named Yaomei (Seduction), the bronzes blend East and West by adopting candy colors and streamlined outlines.

The film gallery itself covers 3,100 square meters. It consists of four major sections, namely Chan's childhood and young adulthood, early works in Hong Kong, Hollywood experiences, and devotion to charity. As many as tens of thousands of costumes, props, pictures and awards from more than four decades are displayed here. Audio and visual clips from Chan's films lend the place vigor as well as nostalgia. The gallery also has a Jackie Chan art studio that holds small-scale art performances and press meetings.

The gift shop has Jackie Chan T-shirts, caps and accessories, though they are somewhat overpriced. For example, a key chain will set you back 52 yuan and a USB drive costs 128 yuan. A limited-edition green silk scarf costs 458 yuan.

Cloud 9 Taiwanese restaurant

The area is also very convenient for recreation, shopping and dining. Two large, sophisticated malls, Shanghai Guoson Centre (588 Daduhe Road), and Parkside Plaza (196 Daduhe Road) offer a wide selection of fashion brands, restaurants and cafes, as well as KTV venues and cinemas.

 One place worth stopping by is Cloud 9, a Taiwanese restaurant on the first floor of Parkside Plaza that offers great value for money and provides quality service. The restaurant features well-known Taiwan dishes such as braised minced pork (16 yuan), rice wine chicken with basil (38 yuan), and wanton of several different fillings, including the popular choice of shrimp. Snack foods like fried squid balls (8 yuan) and almond tofu (8 yuan) are worth trying too.

Noodles in beef soup (34 yuan), a Taiwan signature dish, is available here. This mouthwatering rendition uses extremely thin, long egg noodles and rich tomato sauce that renders the soup pleasantly reddish. The soup is subtly sweet and spicy at the same time, and the beef bites prove to be very tender and delicious.

Cloud 9 also offers special set menus for children. For 28 yuan, one can enjoy a small-size wanton soup, fried potato pancakes that look like smiley faces and a soft drink.