An aerial photo shows volunteers in orange vests forming a "human wall" to guide visitors and maintain order at a busy intersection near West Lake during the holiday. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

During the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, Hangzhou's West Lake scenic area in East China's Zhejiang province welcomed about 5.12 million visits.

At one of the city's busiest intersections — Yan'an Road and Pinghai Road — rows of volunteers once again formed the "most beautiful human wall", a signature sight that has ensured pedestrian safety for the past decade.

The "human wall" initiative, launched in 2015, deploys volunteers at key intersections during major holidays to guide visitors and maintain order. This year marks its 10th anniversary and the debut of an upgraded gate-style formation, replacing the original X-shaped formation.

The new layout, proposed by 22-year-old volunteer Li Yicheng from Zhejiang Gongshang University, strengthens control at the corners of the intersection. "In the past, some pedestrians would rush through as the light was about to turn red, creating safety risks," Li explained. "Now, by adding five or six volunteers at each corner to 'close the gate' five seconds before the countdown ends, we can prevent people and vehicles from crossing paths."

The program also welcomed its first call-and-respond volunteer service team, which encourages both residents and visitors to take part in co-creating a more civil and orderly urban environment.

The first 100 founding members were selected after rounds of evaluation for their volunteer experience and emergency response skills. They include university students, veterans, community workers, and 18 international students from Morocco, Kenya, Russia, Zambia, and Pakistan.

Among them were Victoria Potselueva from Russia and Mumba from Zambia, both studying at Zhejiang University of Technology.

"Volunteers make people feel safe and enjoy a better holiday experience in Hangzhou," said Potselueva. "Many visitors are not familiar with the city, so our service can really help them," added Mumba.

International students in Hangzhou join the volunteer service. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]