"Bathtub Time in Shanghai Garden Community"
In the heart of the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, there are many quiet and vibrant corners. Garden Community is one of them. Here, green trees provide shade, winding paths meander, and red-brick villas and modern apartments are scattered in an orderly manner, as if time has slowed down here. In this community, there is a surprising and heartwarming phenomenon: almost every household has a bathtub, and each bath holds a unique life story.
In the early morning, sunlight filtered through the gaps between the paulownia leaves and fell on the balcony. Aunt Wang was filling the cast-iron bathtub with warm water. This is an old-fashioned enamel bathtub with some peeling edges, but it is the "old mate" she has been using since her wedding year. She said, "Taking a hot bath every day makes my muscles and bones more flexible and I feel energetic all day long." In the fast-paced Shanghai, she guards her own slow-paced life in this way.
Turning the corner of the building, the young designer Xiao Chen was adjusting his set of smart constant-temperature bathtub. The cylinder is embedded in a marble countertop, surrounded by scented candles and green plants, with rose petals floating on the water surface. He smiled and said, "The work pressure is huge. Taking a bath at home is the only time to relax." The bathtub is the space where I have a conversation with myself. In his eyes, the bathtub is not only a tool to wash away fatigue, but also an expression of a certain attitude towards life.In the home of Li Bo, an elderly person living alone on the third floor, the bathtub has been transformed into a sitting bath aid. His children specially installed anti-slip handrails and a constant temperature system for him. "Getting old, taking a bath has become a problem, but with this bathtub, I can still maintain my dignity." " Li Bo's words carried a hint of stubbornness and dignity. In this community, the bathtub is not only a pleasure but also carries family affection and care.
The most touching thing is that every weekend, the parent-child activity corner in the community always holds a "Family Bathtub Painting Day". Children are drawing colorful patterns on the abandoned old bathtubs - some are painted as ocean worlds, and some as fairy tale castles. These bathtubs have been transformed into small flower beds or children's playgrounds, becoming part of the community's public space. A mother said, "We don't want the bathtub to be just a private space. It can also serve as a bridge connecting neighborhood emotions."
In Shanghai Garden Community, bathtubs are no longer merely bathroom fixtures. It is a microcosm of the life philosophy of three generations, a gentle fortress for urbanites to fight against anxiety, a witness to family warmth, and an integral part of community culture. Each bathtub holds a pool of warm water and also a peaceful period of time that belongs to a Shanghainese family.
As night fell, thousands of lights came on. By a certain window, a wisp of water vapor rose, blurring the glass but clarifying the outline of life. Here, what the bathtub holds is not only water, but also the poetry and warmth of life.
The young couple Xiaolin and Xiaowen on the seventh floor turned the bathtub into a "love corner". In their small-sized apartment, the bathroom has been meticulously renovated: a dark grey marble bathtub is set in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. When night falls, they light scented candles, pour half a glass of red wine, and snuggling up to take a bath, watching the city lights outside the window pour down like a starry river. No matter how busy you are with work, as long as you take a bath together, all the grievances and exhaustion will dissolve in the water. Xiaowen said with a smile. For them, the bathtub is the gentlest "buffer zone" in marriage.
In the Zhou family's home in Unit Three, the bathtub bears a heavier yet more tender responsibility. After suffering a stroke, Lao Zhou had difficulty moving around. His son specially modified a barrier-free lift bathtub for him, which was equipped with a constant temperature system and anti-slip design. "Dad used to love taking baths the most. We can't let him lose even this bit of happiness." " Every weekend, the son would fill water for his father and gently help him into the bath. The gentle ripples on the water reflect the silent deep affection between father and son. Here, the bathtub is not merely a tool for cleaning; it is also a container for dignity and filial piety.
What's more interesting is that the property management of the community has also launched a "bathtub renovation plan". The abandoned old bathtub was claimed by the residents, painted with colorful pictures and planted with green plants, turning it into a decoration for the community garden. Some were painted in the shape of little whales and became photo spots for children. Some are padded with soft materials and filled with books, becoming "shared reading corners". Director Wang of the property management said, "We want the private bathtub to also serve as a bond connecting the neighbors."
Even so, there is a tradition of "bathtub night Chat" circulating in the community. Every summer night, residents bring out small stools and sit around the fountain in the central garden - which is actually a water feature installation transformed from three old bathtubs. Everyone was sipping chilled plum soup while chatting about daily life. Children were playing by the water, and the elderly were gently fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans, as if they had returned to that era when neighbors were familiar with each other and warmth was flowing.