--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We proposed Tiananmen Square - this very…" description: "\"We proposed Tiananmen Square - this very empty political square in the city centre - should turn green. Maybe in the future, this space could become a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09a/ma-yansong-9334_change_we-proposed-tiananmen-square-this-very-e_299668.jpg" --- # We proposed Tiananmen Square - this very empty political… ![“We proposed Tiananmen Square - this very empty political square in the city centre - should turn green. Maybe in the future, this space could become a very human and open urban space. And if that happens, I think that all the cities around China will follow to change.” quote by Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09a/ma-yansong-9334_change_we-proposed-tiananmen-square-this-very-e_299668.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09a/ma-yansong-9334_change_we-proposed-tiananmen-square-this-very-e_299668.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09a/ma-yansong-9334_change_we-proposed-tiananmen-square-this-very-e_299668.jpg) > “We proposed Tiananmen Square - this very empty political square in the city centre - should turn green. Maybe in the future, this space could become a very human and open urban space. And if that happens, I think that all the cities around China will follow to change.” [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The proposal suggests turning Tiananmen Square into a green, human‑focused urban space, hoping it will inspire similar transformations across Chinese cities. **In simple terms:** Turn Tiananmen Square green to inspire citywide change. Key Takeaway Promote green, inclusive public spaces. Themes urban design environment public space city planning innovation Mood optimistic visionary Type inspirational strategic When to use this quote - municipal planning - community events - landscape architecture - policy advocacy Key Concepts sustainability human‑centered design urban renewal civic identity Questions to Reflect On - How can heritage be respected while greening spaces? - What incentives encourage other cities to follow? A Different Perspective Changing a historic political site may face cultural resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Tiananmen square](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiananmen-square/) ## Related quotes > [“Talking just adds to the noise pollution in the world. If we were really serious about going green, then maybe we'd all just be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/talking-just-adds-to-the-noise-pollution-in-the-world-if-we-were/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [For the first time, you can actually see the losers turn green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/for-the-first-time-you-can-actually-see-the-losers-turn-green/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) > [When we turn green with jealousy,we are ripe for trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnpaul/when-we-turn-green-with-jealousy-we-are-ripe-for-trouble/) Johnpaul > [Forget a bio, there's no need. Just hit that blue button and make it turn green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forget-a-bio-there-s-no-need-just-hit-that-blue-button-and-make-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tiananmen Square is a sensitive topic because many things happened there. The idea of turning the plaza into a forest makes many people feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/tiananmen-square-is-a-sensitive-topic-because-many-things-happened/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [ “The \[Tiananmen\] Gate was built during the Ming Dynasty and used by Emperors for making public appearances and proclamations. The Gate, like Tiananmen Square,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-tiananmen-gate-was-built-during-the-ming-dynasty-and-used-by/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“He took over, and he said: 'If I have to shoot 200,000 students to save China from another 100 years of disorder, so be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/he-took-over-and-he-said-if-i-have-to-shoot-200-000-students-to-save/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [“When I heard about the ease with which the Four had been removed, I felt a wave of sadness. 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Tiananmen Square was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-same-thing-will-happen-in-china-that-happened-in-chile-political/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [If you go to Tiananmen Square, or go to any public area in China, you will hear my music at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-g/if-you-go-to-tiananmen-square-or-go-to-any-public-area-in-china-you/) [Kenny G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-g/) > [“Austere government buildings lined the edges, standing in the square an individual felt like a speck of dust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-vetta/austere-government-buildings-lined-the-edges-standing-in-the-square/) Sylvia Vetta > [I think the only way that the U.S. human spaceflight program is going to get really revitalized, really put sort of an Apollo level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-hammel/i-think-the-only-way-that-the-u-s-human-spaceflight-program-is-going/) [Heidi Hammel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-hammel/) > [The virtual world is a 'public square' much more vast than Tiananmen Square. And you can't send in the tanks to crush the netizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-cohen/the-virtual-world-is-a-public-square-much-more-vast-than-tiananmen/) [Jared Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-cohen/) ## More by Ma Yansong > [China is a place where you can experience two very contrasting things coexisting. First, the rich, cultural history of the country - and, second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/china-is-a-place-where-you-can-experience-two-very-contrasting-things/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [I don't like to talk about sustainability, because sometimes I see green buildings that don't appear any different from those in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/i-don-t-like-to-talk-about-sustainability-because-sometimes-i-see/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [Architects think that beauty is a crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/architects-think-that-beauty-is-a-crime/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [When I graduated from high school, I thought I wanted to make science fiction movies, so I applied to film school, but I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/when-i-graduated-from-high-school-i-thought-i-wanted-to-make-science/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [If we're talking about the urban landscape as an advanced, forward-thinking art form, there must be some intellectual thinking involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/if-we-re-talking-about-the-urban-landscape-as-an-advanced-forward/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [In traditional cities like Beijing, Nanjing, and Hangzhou, nature was a very important part of urban planning - not only as a landscape but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/in-traditional-cities-like-beijing-nanjing-and-hangzhou-nature-was-a/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [I think where traditional values are concerned, Chinese people see nature as very symbolic. It's a form of culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/i-think-where-traditional-values-are-concerned-chinese-people-see/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [In China, it's very easy to make architecture special because anything you design will look different, as most parts of the city are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/in-china-it-s-very-easy-to-make-architecture-special-because-anything/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [The way we do our architecture is to show that we can come up with our own solutions. We don't just take orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/the-way-we-do-our-architecture-is-to-show-that-we-can-come-up-with/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [I would say that many architects are very logical. They start their process from analysis and from rational processes to try and find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/i-would-say-that-many-architects-are-very-logical-they-start-their/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [Although we're architects, we believe we do culture; architecture is culture, and the topics we tackle will always arise a broader debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/although-we-re-architects-we-believe-we-do-culture-architecture-is/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [I treat my projects as art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/i-treat-my-projects-as-art/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [To allow millions of people to live together on limited land, we have to go to the sky; we have to build a high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/to-allow-millions-of-people-to-live-together-on-limited-land-we-have/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [A door handle is very symbolic to me. It is the first object that one will interact with before entering a new space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/a-door-handle-is-very-symbolic-to-me-it-is-the-first-object-that-one/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) > [When we talk about a city, we need to talk about what the future is. Whats the ideal scenario in the future?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-yansong/when-we-talk-about-a-city-we-need-to-talk-about-what-the-future-is/) [Ma Yansong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) [Explore all 73 Ma Yansong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-yansong/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We proposed Tiananmen Square - this very empty political square in the city centre - should turn green. 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