Zhao Kai, 76, has been living in the Embankment Building on the bank of the Suzhou Creek for more than 40 years. In the early 1980s, he was proud to have moved into this building, which was one of the few buildings with elevators then in Shanghai. But at the same time, he avoided mentioning the Suzhou Creek outside his window because the water was dirty and smelly, and the river banks on both sides were noisy.

Since the 1990s, the government has been gradually improving the environment of Suzhou Creek. Especially in the past five years, Suzhou Creek has been integrated into the overall planning and development of Huangpu River. The 42-kilometer waterfront line of Suzhou Creek within the city's central area has been fully completed and opened to the public. Suzhou Creek, once a smelly place, has now become a real "back garden" for people to enjoy.