"I hope that everyone who watches this short video can calm down, take a deep breath before feeling the green of Hangzhou." This is a warm wish from Yang Yi, one of the creators of "Hangzhoufeel·The Green City" video, which won the "Best Advanced Short Video Award" at the Hangzhoufeel Creative Short Video Contest last week.Yang believes that Hangzhou is incredibly rich in content, with not only its five thousand years of history but also countless scenic spots and numerous people's stories. Finding a small yet meaningful focal point among so many elements to represent Hangzhou became the main direction for their filming team. They eventually focused on the theme of "green."

Last May, singer Eason Chan praised Hangzhou's greenery during his concert in the city: "I've always been looking forward to coming to Hangzhou. It is truly beautiful here, with the entire greenbelt and the canal. Hangzhou has done an excellent job, and it should be proud. Next time, I hope to come not for work, but for tourism."

For the creators of "Hangzhoufeel·The Green City," green not only creates a strong visual impact but also serves as a theme with broad implications. "It can be a color, it can represent environmental protection, or it can symbolize people's attitude toward life," says Yang.

Once the theme was confirmed, Yang and the team listed the scenes they wanted to capture.The footage includes the blue-green water of West Lake, the lush green tea hills, the tender green lotus pods, vegetables, and the vibrant green wheat fields in front of tall buildings. During the three days of outdoor shooting, they captured various possibilities of green. Many of these shots resonated with images found on social media platforms like Rednote.

Among the ubiquitous greens, Yang herself was particularly impressed by the city's wheat fields in the video: In her view, this scene embodies "the green that transcends the visuals": as a train passes in the distance, a girl rides her red bike through the urban wheat field, cleverly merging Hangzhou's natural and modern elements in one scene.

At present, short videos have become the fastest way for foreigners to learn about China. If you search for the "China Travel" hashtag on TikTok, more than 100,000 short videos will immediately pop up. Yang believes that internet short videos allow foreign friends to access information about China at no cost, while also providing a window for people-to-people exchanges outside of official narratives.

As to the future creative short video projects, Yang hopes to focus more on local elements of Hangzhou, such as its water and traditional drama. She also hopes to change the perception of Hangzhou as a "food desert" and introduce more authentic Hangzhou dishes beyond the famous "West Lake vinegar fish."