SHANGHAI
Shanghai, with a population of over 12 million and a land
area of 3,300 square miles, is the largest city, a flourishing
commercial and industrial center in China, which contains
the most striking blend of oriental and western cultures
and of the past and present. In this city, European-style
buildings can be seen standing alongside the typical Chinese
structures and ancient temples. Modern ocean-going vessels
sail past junks along Huangpu River. |
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Shanghai was originally
a small fishing village and did not become a town until the
mid-13th century. Prior to the outbreak of the
Opium War in 1840, Shanghai had grown into a port with 500,000
inhabitants. Afterwards, Shanghai was forced by European powers
to open as a "treaty port." From that time, aggressors
from many countries began to flock in and the city became
known as a notorious "paradise for adventurers."
Carving out their own spheres of influence, they settled there
by seizing their respective "concessions," which
were characteristic of this colonial period.
The Chinese people fought against the foreign invaders taking
for several decades to become strong. During the War of Resistance
Against Japan (1937-1945), Shanghai was occupied by Japanese
troops, and was reclaimed by the nationalist army after the
surrender of Japan. The city was seized over by the People's
Liberation Army in May 1949. Since then, Shanghai has changed
from a consumer city of the past into a major modern industrial
city.
Cultural activities include theater groups, film studios,
a symphony orchestra, the ballet, opera companies, acrobatics
and even a circus. Due to many years of foreign influence,
Shanghai, the first Chinese city to open a disco for foreign
visitors, is perhaps China's most cosmopolitan city with the
fast developing trend in commerce, high technology and various
kinds of industry.
Yuyuan Garden
The Yuyuan Garden in the old downtown area is perhaps
the best example of classical gardens of Shanghai. Built
in 1559,  or
the 38th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Ming dynasty,
the garden is laid out in an intricate manner with buildings
spaced providently and courtyards mutually containing,
while all the components of the complex are cunningly
grouped to camouflage a rather camped space. As a paragon
of the south Chinese landscaping style of the Ming and
Qing dynasties, it is a unique art of ancient gardens
to all visitors here. The neighboring Yuyuan Bazaar, known
among the local citizens as "City God's Temple",
is a rising place of interest and shopping center where
visitors loitering among a cluster of shops, restaurants
and recreation facilities that invariably find themselves
making a tour of discovery of local folklore with Ming
and Qing architecture style. |
Shanghai
Museum
The Shanghai Museum is located at the People's Square
with the possession of a collection of 123,000 cultural
artifacts in
21 categories, but bronze ware, ceramics, calligraphy
and paintings in this museum are the most valuable treasure
and in its best forte. A vast collection of exhibits,
world-class architecture, and high-tech facilities explain
why the Shanghai Museum can attract visitors who come
in a constant stream from all parts of the world. |
Jade
Buddha Temple
The Yufo (Jade Buddha) Temple was built in 1882 in the
late Qing dynasty. After all those years, it remains in
perfect condition as a sanctuary of Zen Buddhism. The
temple derived its name from a jade statue of Sakyamuni
from Myanmar. It houses a 2-meter-tall (7-foot) seated
Buddha carved from a single piece of lustrous white jade.
It also has a smaller reclining Buddha and 7,000 volumes
of Tri-pitaka block prints from the Qing dynasty. The
image of the Buddha, his graceful posture, and the serene
and calm look on his face can be described in one word,
mesmerizing. |
The
Bund
The picturesque Bund, extending for 1.5 km on the shore
of the Huangpu River, is an emblem of Shanghai. A total
of 52 tall
buildings of various heights range over the river along
the western side of the Bund, looking like a museum of
modem world architecture. The wide waterfront promenade
along the eastern side of the Bund provides a captivating
view of Shanghai. When lights are turned on between 19:00
and 21:00 p.m., the Bund has the best nocturnal scene
to offer. |
Nanjing
Road
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Flanked on both sides by famed shopping centers, department
stores, specialty stores, exotic restaurants and cultural
and recreational facilities, the 5-km-long Nanjing Road
is the most sophisticated shopping and tourist complex
in Shanghai. Every day, it is thronged by more than 1
million shopping lovers and the visitors. |
The
Oriental pearl TV Tower
The "Oriental Pearl" TV Tower is a new landmark
of Shanghai, which faces the Bund across the Huangpu River
at Lujiazui,  the
busiest part of Pudong newly developed area. At a height
of 468 metres, it is the tallest TV tower in Asia. An
elevator whisks visitors to the tower's observational
deck at a height of 263 metres, where they can feast their
eyes on a panoramic view of shanghai. The tower is equipped
with tourist service facilities, including eateries, shops,
recreational centers and the famous hotel accommodation.
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People's
Square
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The People's Square, which was refurbished and expanded
in 1994, is the political and cultural center of Shanghai.
The square is home to a gigantic music fountain with several
largely occupied areas of green lawns, the Shanghai Museum
with a unique design, the magnificent City Hall, a spacious
underground shopping center, and the splendid Grand Shanghai
Theatre. A stroll on the square enables one to gain some
idea about the modern chic and refined elegance of Shanghai
and its people. |
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