Escape the city’s hustle and bustle,
While still enjoying its comforts.
···
Building Block Commune
Nestled in the secluded mountains and wilderness,
Sleep under the starlit sky,
Wake up with the morning light,
Listen to the gentle babble of the stream,
And the soft song of the cuckoo.
Three to five friends gather during their leisure time,
Sharing stories about the world, sipping tea, and playing chess.
As night falls, the candlelight is lit,
With singing, dancing, and joyful conversations over drinks.
Imagine a life like the Peach Blossom Spring,
Far from the smog and crowded traffic of the city,
A scene that holds great appeal for those weary of urban life.
Yet, while we yearn for nature wholeheartedly,
Many hesitate,
Reluctant to give up the conveniences the city provides.
Driven by their longing for mountain life,
Four friends turned their dreams into reality,
Carving out a valley
To create a poetic utopia to call home.
Located in Yanqing, about 80 kilometers from downtown Beijing,
These four friends—
Xu Huaizhe, Tian Chao, Yue Liang, and Zhang Xiaoyin—
Rented 2,500 acres of mountainous forest land,
With a lease extending until 2047.
One of them, Xu Huaizhe,
Renovated a stone house in Huairou Mountain Village, which once overlooked the Great Wall through lush greenery.
However, he could not prevent the villagers
From replacing the stone houses with unappealing red brick buildings.
So he gathered a few old friends—
Architect Yue Liang,
Home designer Zhang Xiaoyin,
And former Fortune 500 executive Tian Chao,
Sharing his vision of building an ideal community.
To their surprise, these partners quickly resonated with the idea and joined forces.
In early spring of 2015,
They arrived eagerly,
While the snow had not fully melted,
The grass and trees were just coming back to life,
And the natural beauty of the world around strengthened their resolve.
Before beginning construction,
The group agreed on some core principles:
The community should not only be well-designed,
But also harmoniously integrated with nature,
Environmentally friendly, comfortable, and not abruptly disconnected from reality,
Close to the city, yet still a refuge.
Yue Liang and Zhang Xiaoyin took charge of the design,
While Tian Chao, with his executive experience,
Handled overall coordination,
And construction began immediately.
Early on, to prepare the groundwork,
They reused broken stones from an abandoned quarry.
For suitable screws and materials,
They often traveled dozens of kilometers to find them.
To integrate the valley’s stunning scenery into the design,
They personally removed weeds, diverted streams, and stacked stones,
Calculating precisely where buildings should be placed
To perfectly frame views of mountains and water from every doorway.
While their ideal vision was beautiful,
Building a community forcefully in an empty valley
Was no easy task.
Without traditional building permits,
They chose container designs,
Not only for their mobility,
But also because they cause no environmental damage,
Saving significant hassle.
The first building, Room 1,
Transformed from a plain container into a charming home,
With outdoor platforms and rooftop terraces of equal size—
A rare luxury in urban areas, yet energy-efficient here.
The interior exudes a strong Nordic vibe,
Featuring a tea area in the bedroom,
And a dedicated reading nook.
The kitchen and bathroom are fully equipped,
With carefully selected custom furniture.
Throughout the valley,
A series of neatly arranged containers
Resemble childhood building blocks,
Inviting nature lovers to reconnect with their inner child.
While embracing nature,
Life here is far from ascetic.
They refuse discomfort,
Ensuring that living in nature is also comfortable and convenient,
Which has always been their guiding principle.
Thus, this utopia is filled with delightful surprises,
Not to mention the delicious, rare delicacies gathered from the surrounding mountains and forests.
They also drink filtered mountain spring water,
Safe for direct consumption.
Enjoy an outdoor bathtub,
Bathing while admiring the natural surroundings.
Winter cold is no concern here,
Thanks to underfloor heating and ground source heat pump systems.
Waste is treated using biological enzyme decomposition to produce organic fertilizer, minimizing pollution.
Public spaces under construction include a Building Block Library,
Ren Xiong’s children’s playground filled with laughter,
A barbecue area open during July and August,
And unique features like the Starry Cottage and a large tree house.
Indoors, the rooms are equipped with smart devices,
Including fingerprint door locks, indoor Bluetooth speakers,
Projectors, and automatic screens,
While outdoor decks feature automatic sunshades.
The dense forest supports various wildlife,
Including pheasants, wild ducks, and birds,
Which frequently visit the area.
A dedicated vegetable garden,
Maintained without pesticides and enriched with farmyard manure,
Ensures the commune’s organic vegetable self-sufficiency.
After months of hard work from early spring to late autumn,
The friends finally moved into their coveted natural sanctuary.
Perhaps inspired by the clear blue sky
And the whispering streams,
The friends continuously refined and enhanced the community’s design.
Many friends expressed interest in joining,
So the Building Blocks Commune Management Committee
Planned 20 locations within the valley,
Opening them up to members wishing to live in “container villas.”
Upon announcing this,
They received countless inquiries,
Yet moving in is not easy,
With strict requirements.
Prospective residents must be recommended by friends and interviewed,
Ensuring they love and respect nature,
Share similar values and a sense of community.
They have always insisted on one thing:
Only neighboring with like-minded people.
Leaving behind the city’s chaos,
Choosing a valley retreat,
Gazing up at the stars,
Lowering your eyes to the clear stream,
In dreams, hearing the emerald lotus bloom.
Perhaps this is life as it was meant to be—
Holding a cup of tea, reading a book,
Reflecting calmly, organizing one’s thoughts,
Rooted in simplicity,
And born from pure tranquility.
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