Shanghai Qingpu | Wabi-Sabi Aesthetics Hidden by the Waterside

In February, Shanghai sheds its winter chill and hustle and bustle. By the water streets of Hemu Village in Zhao Xiang Town, dappled tree shadows intertwine with shimmering waves. A wooden door separates the city from the countryside—this is "Qian Yuan Hou Yuan" (Front Yard Back Yard), a hidden space where mid-century wabi-sabi aesthetics blend seamlessly with rustic charm. - Two Yards Coexist, Elegance Intertwined ▪️ Front Yard: A Realm of Wabi-Sabi 🎋 Swaying tree shadows, green bricks and black tiles, a few bamboo chairs sit quietly under the trees. Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting mottled light and shadows on the micro-cement walls. The rough texture contrasts with the delicate light, interpreting the imperfection and poetry of wabi-sabi aesthetics. 🤵🏻 The owner, with a focus on "low-density relaxation," blends mid-century furniture with local farmhouse structures, creating a hidden restaurant and bookstore. ▪️ Back Yard: A World of Rustic Charm 🥬 Step into the back yard, where adorable pets coexist with vegetable plots. Sip a cup of tea, read a book, 🐑 feel the gentle caress of the spring sun on a corner of the farm, where the warmth of life resonates with the sounds of nature. 🍵 The "Bamboo Hidden Tea Space" deep in the back yard's bamboo forest further brews the fragrance of tea and the charm of bamboo into a flowing poem. - Stay | Sleep into the Poetic Dwelling of the City 🚪 24 Rooms, 24 Life Narratives 🏠 24 guest rooms transformed from 4 farmhouses, based on mid-century style, embellished with Nordic minimalism and wabi-sabi blank space. 🛏️ Inside the rooms, micro-cement walls and retro warm lights pour down, soft cotton bedding envelops the tranquility of the countryside. Dine | Heye Restaurant: Shunde Cantonese Cuisine 🥙 The restaurant blends wabi-sabi aesthetics with rustic charm. The environment is designed with a mid-century and Nordic minimalist tone, where green plants and rustic decorations complement each other. Heye specializes in Shunde Cantonese cuisine, using high-quality ingredients to restore the authentic flavors of Shunde. ☕️ In addition, guests can also experience Cantonese morning tea. Drinks | Garden Coffee and Bamboo Forest Tea Banquet 🥒 "Garden Coffee" is a wonderful dialogue between the countryside and the city—the aroma of freshly ground coffee wafts over the vegetable plots. Sit in the garden, savor your coffee, and immerse yourself in nature. 🍵 In the Bamboo Hidden Tea Space, the tea master brews tea using ancient methods, accompanied by ethereal and soothing music and the sound of the bamboo forest wind. As the tea smoke curls upwards, your body and mind are released. - ▪️ The Owner's Philosophy "The countryside should not be torn down and rebuilt, but should coexist with nature." The owner uses the power of design to revitalize old farmhouses, creating a pet paradise and fruit and vegetable picking area. Urban dwellers can rediscover the meaning of "slow living" here, feeling the richness of nature in relative stillness. - From the mid-century wabi-sabi of the front yard to the rustic charm of the back yard, from the leisure of a cup of coffee to the depth of a cup of tea, this is not an escape, but a return—allowing your body and mind to anchor in the folds of the countryside. - ▪️ Accommodation Guide 🏠 B&B | Qian Yuan Hou Yuan (Front Yard Back Yard) 📍 Address | No. 369, Hemu Village, Zhao Xiang Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai 🚗 Surroundings | 5-minute walk to Hemu Riverside Market, 15-minute drive to Panlong Ancient Town