Pesigned by XISUI Design, Cishan Tribe is a 3,200-square-meter cultural-themed children’s playscape located on the sloped plaza in front of Handan MixC One Mall in Hebei Province, China. The project fuses ancient civilization with contemporary play, transforming the 8,000-year-old Cishan culture—one of the earliest Neolithic settlements in China—into a vibrant public space where heritage and imagination meet.

Aerial Close-up, Relationship of Four Key Installations
Photo credit: FOLOR Studio

Project Overview

Cishan Tribe is a public children’s activity space rooted in the cultural origins of Handan, a city with over 3,100 years of urban history. Drawing inspiration from the Neolithic Cishan culture, known as one of the cradles of Chinese agriculture and animal domestication, the project transforms heritage motifs into playful, educational environments that reflect life in the ancient Cishan tribe.

Egg-Hatching Chicken Installation and Tribal Wooden House
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Entrance View
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Millet Arch Sculpture and Back of Egg-Hatching Chicken Installation
Photo credit: FOLOR Studio

Rendering
Photo credit: XISUI Design

Background and Challenges

The site is situated two kilometers east of Handan East Station, as part of the green plaza before the MixC One Mall commercial complex. The project was initiated by the same developer with the goal of creating a free, open outdoor space for the public—an area that could enrich urban life while boosting the commercial district’s vitality and foot traffic. Handan is significant in Chinese history as the location of the Wu’an Cishan site, where millet and domestic chickens were first discovered. The design challenge was to incorporate this rich historical narrative into a contemporary public playscape—merging storytelling with functionality, and balancing cultural representation with child safety, inclusivity, and aesthetic unity.

Egg-Hatching Chicken Installation
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Relationship with Surroundings of Walnut Seat & Running Tripod Bowl
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Side View from the Sunken Square
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Side View from the Sunken Square at Dusk
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Distant Aerial Perspective, Venue, Mall, and Skyline Interconnection
Photo credit: FOLOR Studio

Design Features

Inspired by symbols of the Cishan culture, the design integrates motifs such as domed wooden huts, millet, chickens, and walnuts into the play facilities. Natural materials including raw wood, wood-plastic composites, and stone were used to evoke primitive textures, allowing children to feel as though they have stepped back into an ancient tribe while playing.

Key installations include

• Egg-Hatching Chicken Installation : A multifunctional play structure combining slides, tunnels, climbing nets, and observation decks. The design draws inspiration from a hen hatching eggs, symbolizing nurturing and the cultural continuity of Handan—one of the earliest centers of poultry domestication.
• Millet Arch Sculpture : A sculptural gateway representing the birthplace of millet cultivation, incorporating specimen recognition and kaleidoscope functions.
• Walnut Seat : A large seating installation symbolizing the origin of walnuts in the Central Plains, equipped with hammock nets, photo spots, and multiperson seating.
• Running Tripod Bowl : A spinning playground installation inspired by Neolithic tripod pottery excavated from the Cishan site, allowing children to experience the dynamics of motion and gravity.
• Tribal Wooden House : A dome-structured pavilion featuring swings, climbing nets, ropes, and shaded seating, reflecting the architectural character of ancient Cishan dwellings.

Climbing Tube and Slide in the Egg-Hatching Chicken Installation
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Back of Egg-Hatching Chicken Installation
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Swing in the Tribal Wooden House
Photo credit: FOLOR Studio

Well-Shaped Whirl
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Crawling Net and Lifting Rings in the Tribal Wooden House
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Significance and Impact

Cishan Tribe goes beyond a simple playground—it integrates culture, education, and recreation. By immersing children in an environment inspired by 8,000-year-old traditions, the space cultivates curiosity, cultural awareness, and imagination. The project also enhances the urban experience of Handan by creating a free, inclusive public destination that bridges history and modern life, contributing to the cultural vitality of the city. Through thoughtful storytelling and design, Cishan Tribe has established itself as a new cultural and social landmark, inviting both residents and visitors to engage with Handan’s deep-rooted heritage in a playful and educational way.

Side View from the Main Road
Photo credit: FOLOR Studio

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Running Tripod Bowl
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Children in Motion on the Running Tripod Bowl
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

Walnut Seat Hammock Experience
Photo credit: Yihao Hu, XISUI Design

About XISUI Design

Founded in 2018 in Shanghai by Hu Yihao and Peng Yang, XISUI Design specializes in landscape and architectural design with a focus on children’s spaces, immersive installations, and conceptual environments. The studio’s multidisciplinary team includes landscape architects, architects, installation artists, structural engineers, and parametric designers, pursuing innovation through digital design, construction technologies, and new materials. XISUI Design has received numerous international accolades, including four Architizer A+ Awards, three gold prizes from the AHLA Asian Habitat Landscape Awards, and two BLT Built Design Awards. The firm was listed among Architizer’s “100 Best Architecture and Design Firms in China” in both 2024 and 2025. Guided by the values of “Advance, Happiness, and Originality,” XISUI Design aims to create spaces that convey emotion, culture, and care for life—environments where people of all ages and backgrounds can connect through design.