As the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics drew to a close in the early hours of February 23, Beijing time, the Olympic flame was extinguished on the Apennine Peninsula, marking the end of the 25th Winter Games.

For host cities, the Olympic spotlight marks not an endpoint, but the starting line of a new journey. Post-Games legacy utilization—among the most pressing challenges facing Olympic venues worldwide—now awaits Milan's response.

At this moment, our gaze turns from Italy to China. Chongli, host district of the 2022 Winter Games, has transformed into a premier ice-and-snow destination, drawing over ten million visitors annually. What powers this post-Games success? And what lessons might it hold for the world?

Viewing Chongli through a Milan lens: this is a dialogue across eras and continents—a meditation on how Winter Olympic legacy endures. Long after the flame is extinguished, the true answer is only beginning to reveal itself.