Imagine the morning of being an average desk jockey: You get up at 7:00 AM from a slumber, brush your teeth, wash your face dizzily, put on your clothes, gridding for a workday struggle in a hurry by taking a metro. Metro oftentimes carries you to your “battlefield” as though a magic track transports you to your “machining center,” day after day, back and forth. People rush in and dart out, coming in and heading to nowhere and anywhere. Metro has close ties to plenty of people worldwide and has become part of their routine life. Yet, most people dwell too long on its efficiency while rarely paying massive attention to its artistic designs.

The first Chengdu metro line, Line 1, was launched in 2010, making it the first heavy-rail transit in southwest China. Over a short span of around one decade, Chengdu has developed over 12 lines with a total length of 518.96 km (up to 2021 June) and 333 stations. It is expected to reach over 695 km in total length by 2025. Transit infrastructure development in Chengdu is fast-growing and fascinating in a way that is no longer merely a cold machine serving as a way of transportation but also a familiar sight that people will catch every time they take the metro.

Believe it or not, Chengdu has designed and built several stunningly beautiful metro lines that many people might not notice. Unlike some of the most beautiful metro stations in the world that get a bit long in the tooth, such as the Moscow Metro and the London Metro, Chengdu metro lines are futuristic, modern, and cultural. Chengdu Metro Line 5 and 18 have honorably won the MUSE Design Award in 2021. The MUSE Design Award is held by the International Awards Associate (IAA) to honor, promote and encourage global creative designs. These two lines exemplify a Chengdu-style metro design, given their distinctive characteristics and the aesthetic beauty of infusing modern energy into local traditions. While Metro Line 5 embraces more traditional Chinese cultures like the tremendous blooming flowers, the Phoenix, the Taoism, etc., Metro Line 18 is themed “City Paradise,” outlining the patterns of the space and artistic lines and geometric figures with a futuristic vibe.

The design of the Chengdu metro lines also reaches another field that is inseparable from people’s daily life—that is, music. Metro Line 8 is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, music-themed metro lines with various musical decorations ranging from traditional Chinese instruments such as erhu, pipa, guqin, cha, and xun, to Western instruments such as harp, xylophone, and oboe. Each station has one instrument as its main theme. Together with the music note and the staff, these musical instruments seem to work vividly and perform some mellow music as if they are whispering in people’s ears and bringing them peace and tranquility after a long day of work. Besides, there’s one station at Metro Line 3 that is as amazing as Line 8. Moziqiao Station has a piano stair, attracting tons of people to enjoy the music played by the station.

Last but not least is the design that incorporates nature and modern technology between Metro Line 3 and 7. As winter sneaks in, most people are still in a mood of hating to part with autumn. This metro station provides the passengers with a massive mural of the foliage view so that they can revel in the pleasing colors and patterns.

As Oscar Wilde once said, “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Finding beauty in life is a simple process that perhaps only takes a few seconds, either on the metro or on your way home. Have you noticed the beauty of the Chengdu metro stations? Or have you been touched by one detail that you find on a metro line? Please share your story with us!