One night in early April, Chen and his friends experienced a special five-a-side football match. "This is the first time I play football on the rooftop of a food market. The experience is fresh and great."
This "sky football field" is hidden atop Wentian Market in Xiaolan Town, Zhongshan.
"Last year, taking the opportunity of the 'Xiangshan New Street Market' renovation scheme, we introduced sports and recreational projects, hoping to fully utilize the rooftop space and boost the vitality of the market," said the head of Wentian Market.
The rooftop sports facilities include five-a-side football fields, pickleball and basketball training courts, and etc. The football field that was put into use at the beginning of this year has quickly become popular among football fans.
Wentian Market has adopted a novel "sports+consumption" operation model, integrating sports and consumption scenarios. This has attracted a large number of young people and brought more customers to the market. It also provides an innovative sample for the transformation and upgrading of traditional food markets.