120-Mu Rice Paddy Paintings on Hengsha Island, Shanghai, Enter Peak Viewing Season; Reliable Power Services Support Rural Cultural Tourism

In the golden autumn season, the 120‑mu rice‑paddy paintings at the Island Art Pasture in Fengle Village, Hengsha Township, Chongming District, Shanghai have entered their peak viewing period, attracting numerous local residents and tourists to the island. This year"s rice‑paddy paintings feature two themes for the southern and northern sections, respectively. The southern paddy highlights scientific and technological development. It incorporates contemporary elements such as space exploration and AI into the rural landscape to reflect the drive for scientific and technological self‑reliance. The northern paintings reflect the theme of the 2026 Year of the Horse. The phrase "Reunion Right Away", a play on the Chinese word for "horse", expresses wishes for a happy family reunion. The designs were laid out using high-precision BeiDou RTK positioning technology. Rice in purple-red, yellow and green was interplanted to create sharp, well-defined patterns. The viewing season will run until October.

The smooth operation of the rice paddy painting scenic area depends on stable power supply. Hengsha Island lies at the easternmost tip of the Yangtze River estuary. It is the only one of the three Chongming islands not connected by tunnels or bridges. To improve power reliability on the island, State Grid Shanghai Changxing Power Supply Company secured approval from the Chongming District Development and Reform Commission in March this year to implement a demonstration project for a terminal power-supply security microgrid on Changxing and Hengsha islands. The project strengthens the power supply capacity of the distribution network and provides more reliable power supply for all island users, including the rice‑paddy painting scenic area. "We have developed a dedicated power supply assurance plan for the rice paddy painting viewing period. We raise inspection frequency for power lines and equipment inside and around the scenic area, while emergency teams remain on standby to guarantee reliable electricity for tourists and local island residents," said Liu Sinuo, staff member of State Grid Shanghai Changxing Power Supply Company.

To support rural cultural tourism, Changxing Power Supply Company regards the construction of rural charging facilities as a key area for supporting comprehensive rural revitalisation. It maintains close communication with Hengsha Township Government, advances renovation of existing charging facilities, and lays a solid foundation for green transport on Hengsha Island. The company builds a village‑level "10‑minute green‑travel ecosystem" to deliver efficient, safe and eco‑friendly power services for new‑energy vehicle owners. During implementation, the company organizes multiple field surveys with relevant stakeholders across villages and residential compounds. It identifies charging demands, puts forward optimisation proposals and formulates tailored connection plans for each village. On matters including charging‑site planning, charging‑and‑swapping pile allocation, switch selection and operation‑and‑maintenance work, the company works closely with village and neighbourhood committees. Such collaboration ensures scientifically sound facility layout and stable high‑efficiency operation to meet the charging demands of visiting tourists. Since 2026, the applied capacity for low‑voltage business expansion and grid‑connected photovoltaic capacity on Hengsha Island have maintained steady growth, rising by 10.4 percent and 16.04 percent year‑on‑year respectively. In addition, the Communist Party Member Service Team of Changxing Power Supply Company carries out power‑safety hazard inspections at agricultural production bases and provides power‑related support for farming activities such as rice cultivation.

At present, the development of a new‑type power system for the zero‑carbon Hengsha Island has been designated as a key application scenario in Shanghai's Action Plan for Accelerated Green and Low‑Carbon Transition. As the microgrid demonstration project advances, the charging network is improved and green power is more fully utilized, reliable power services will keep providing solid support for rice paddy painting tourism, ecological agricultural development and rural cultural‑tourism revitalisation on Hengsha Island.