Collision and coexistence
After leaving the library, I headed to the Xiong'an New Area ZGC Science Park, home to many high-tech companies focused on artificial intelligence, robotics and drone applications.
As soon as I entered, I was struck by a large drone hovering high in the sky, steadily spraying cleaning solution onto a high-rise building's glass wall — a safe and efficient alternative to traditional high-altitude cleaning, which can be dangerous. In Xiong'an, drones handle it with ease.
Inside the park's technology exhibition hall, I experienced a variety of cutting-edge products.
First, I tried a smart health scanning device. Standing in front of a large screen for just 10 seconds, I received a detailed health report on my phone, including blood pressure, heart rate, heart and brain function, skin condition, and more. I learned that this device is mainly used for pre-shift health checks for bus drivers to ensure public transportation safety.
The exhibition hall also features several robotic arms with "brains" and "eyes". These can perceive, recognize, and operate flexibly. With a voice command, one arm can quickly and accurately pick out a designated toy from a pile of mixed items. I told it to find an elephant toy; within seconds, the arm located it, gently picked it up, and placed it in the designated spot — smooth and precise, impressive and surprising.
In truth, Xiong'an's technological innovation is not confined to places like libraries or science parks. It subtly permeates every corner of daily urban life.
The most obvious feature is the city's smooth traffic. There are traffic lights everywhere, but I encountered almost no red lights — no frustrating stop-and-wait. Local drivers told me that all traffic lights use an adaptive smart control system that automatically adjusts timing based on real-time vehicle and pedestrian flow, efficiently managing traffic throughout the city.
Driverless taxis are a common sight on the streets. Apollo Go (Luobo Kuaipao) driverless cars have already been deployed on a large scale in Xiong'an, becoming a regular choice for residents and tourists alike.
On my way back to the hotel, I ordered a driverless car through my phone. In two minutes, the car arrived at the exact pickup point. I unlocked it by entering a door code. The car seats up to three passengers and is equipped with a massage seat and voice-activated music. The entire ride was smooth and stable.
The most surprising part was the price: 3 yuan for a 2-kilometer ride. I took it several more times, for its worry-free convenience.
Just a 10-minute walk from my hotel sits the Xiong'an Urban Computing Center. Every night at 8 pm, when its lights come on, the building resembles a giant green eye staring out over the city. This is the super brain of this futuristic city.
In fact, Xiong'an has a digital twin that grows alongside the city itself. It is powered by sensors embedded in buildings, bridges, electrical boxes, and more, all feeding real-time data back to the computing center. Xiong'an's Eye, as it is called, can optimize how the city runs.
In the shopping mall near my hotel, smart facilities are everywhere: a robotic barista in the cafe precisely brewing each cup of pour-over coffee, and a patrol robot gliding through the corridors 24 hours a day.
The curiosity written all over my face gave me away as a tourist, while local residents barely noticed. This is just their everyday life.
I stepped out of the mall, and in just a few minutes' walk, I entered a completely different world. Hidden behind the Xiong'an Urban Computing Center is Yuerong Park, where nine traditional Chinese gardens of distinct styles are scattered across the grounds — small bridges, flowing water, pavilions, and towers — every inch steeped in classical Chinese aesthetics.
Walking the entire park takes two to three hours. What makes it fascinating is that the park is also equipped with autonomous tour carts: scan a code, set your route, and a voice guide accompanies you along the way.
There are many such large parks in Xiong'an. Outside the park gates, the city hums with cutting-edge technology and modern life. Inside, all is quiet, with traditional Chinese gardens. This collision and coexistence of tradition and the future is what gives Xiong'an — a city of tomorrow — its most distinctive and memorable character.
