{"id":6737,"date":"2026-09-22T02:20:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T01:20:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/mandarinchinese\/?p=6737"},"modified":"2026-09-23T13:46:40","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T12:46:40","slug":"happy-global-car-free-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.qub.ac.uk\/mandarinchinese\/2026\/09\/22\/happy-global-car-free-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy Global Car-free Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Global Car-Free Day (22 September), Queen\u2019s alumnus Dr Zhidong Cui joined the University\u2019s celebration from Changchun, China, reflecting on his cycling experiences, family life in Belfast, and the special romance of riding together along the River Lagan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On reading Queen\u2019s University news about a cycling event in Belfast for the World Car-Free Day, it immediately brought back memories of cycling along the River Lagan with Molly and Liam. Belfast\u2019s changeable weather often gave us sunshine, rain and sometimes even double rainbows. Those windy, rainy and rainbow-filled rides remain among my warmest family memories.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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I am far from a professional cyclist and I have never worried about whether a bike is a road bike or a mountain bike. As long as the wheels roll, the journey can begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I came to Changchun to study at Jilin University in 1995 and have lived here ever since. After thirty years, I thought I knew the city well. Cycling proved me wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riding slowly with the breeze, I discovered places I had never noticed before: Nanxi Cultural and Tourism Town, the Yitong River walkways, Light and Shadow Island, Moon Bay and North Lake Park. Places that were once unknown to me suddenly came alive with greenery, architecture, children\u2019s laughter, basketball courts and evening lights.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n