Spirit of unity for the young at heart

In the Party service center, which is also the community's civic center, residents can make use of function rooms, activity spaces and facilities free of charge.

Community-based elderly care is one of Donghu's main characteristics.

The elderly can enjoy nutritional meals for an affordable price in the canteen, and those aged 90 and above eat for free. They are provided with health checkups, can see a doctor, and buy medicines at a discount in the civic center's clinic, and minor illnesses are treated in the community.

Donghu also frequently hosts activities the elderly enjoy, like dancing, singing and calligraphy. The most popular offering is the card and board game room, which is bustling every afternoon.

Residents are encouraged to become more involved in community events by earning points for taking part in volunteer activities, which they can then exchange for daily necessities.

There are a range of activities, from free haircuts for the elderly, to chatting with them. The events are also targeted at children, who can avail themselves of after-school tutoring and take part in extracurricular training activities.

"These initiatives not only improve the daily lives of residents, but also strengthen the bonds between neighbors of different ethnic groups. They can share ideas and get to know each other better by interacting," Zhang says.

When Mamatjan Bilal, a member of the Uygur ethnic group, moved to the community three years ago, he quickly became friends with his neighbor Liu Han after they started playing basketball together.

"Our families often dine together and sometimes make dumplings. Our wives and preschool daughters share close friendships as well," he says.

Guo Yukun has lived in the community for over a decade. The 58-year-old often takes her 3-year-old grandson to the civic center's indoor playground.

"The community's environment and infrastructure have improved greatly over the past year. This has made life better for seniors, and has increased our happiness through a variety of engaging activities," Guo says.