Shanghai 上海

Sunrise on pudong By [k10D KO]. Sourced via Flickr under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Shànghǎi (上海) has long been the international gateway for trade with China. Situated near the mouth of the Yangtze River, the longest navigation in China and the third largest river in the world, the city has a prosperous history. During the 18th century, Shanghai contained many foreign concessions and trading centers making the city vibrant and culturally diverse. Shanghai grew to become the largest city in China. A title that has only recently been lost to Chongqing. However, the cities success has also brought it misery. The Japanese occupation of China in the 1930's and early 1940's saw Shanghai become a focus of much fighting as the two countries jostled for control of this strategically and economically important city.

Shanghai is situated on the banks of the Huang Pu River, a tributary of the Yangtze. The old city is to the north of the Huang Pu. The old riverside area, know as 'The Bund', contains many fine buildings form the colonial period of the late 18th Century and early 19th Century. One could easily mistake this area for a city in Europe. Opposite the Bund on the strip of land between the Huang Pu and the East China Sea, is the new city of Pudong. The creation, in 1990, of Pudong as a special economic development zone has brought a great deal of wealth to Shanghai.

Tourist Attractions

Shanghai is one of the best tourist cities in China. The choice, quantity and quality of the attractions here is exceptional. Most attractions are quite central and can easily be reached by subway bus or by foot. Shanghai has a high quality public transport system that is easy for tourists to navigate. The two main areas for tourists are the centre of the city in Huangpu district and the opposing side of the river in Pudong district. Here are the densest concentrations of tourist attractions.

Below is a list of tourist attractions in Shanghai:

Shanghai Wild Animal Park (上海野生动物园; Shànghǎi yěshēngdòngwùyuán): 178 Liugong Avenue (South), Nanhui district, Shanghai, China. 上海市南汇区南六公路178. Out in the southeast suburbs of Shanghai. Near Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Phone: +86 21 61180000. One of Shanghai's two zoos, the Wildlife park covers 153 hectares. It contains over 10,000 animals representing 200 different species. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAAA on China's national tourism scale. Entry is 120 RMB, half price for kids.

Oriental Pearl TV Tower (上海东方明珠广播电视塔; Shànghǎi Dōngfāng Míngzhū Guǎngbō Diànshì Tǎ): No. 1 Century Avenue, Shanghai, China. 世纪大道1号. Metro line 2 (Lujiazui Station). Phone: +86 21 58791888. Constructed between 1991 and 1995, this is currently the 3rd tallest tower in the world and the tallest in Asia at 468 meters. It is located on the tip of Pudong district, directly across the water from the famous Bund. It's situation gives stunning views in every direction—Especially at night. There are four levels within the tower: The highest at 350 meters is small and the curved glass spoils any photography. The larger two level sphere has platforms at 263 meters and 259 meters. The upper floor houses a 350 seat revolving restaurant and lower level is the best for photography as its viewing platform is open to the air. The lowest level at 90 meters contains some space related attractions. In the base of the tower is Shanghai Municipal Museum which is entered separately. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAAA on China's national tourism scale. 9am - 9pm 70 yuan (sight-seeing hall), 85 yuan (to the second sphere), 135 yuan (to the space module).

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall (上海城市规划展示馆; Shànghǎi chéngshìguīhuá zhǎnshìguǎn): 100 Renmin Avenue, Huangpu, Shanghai, China. 上海市黄浦区人民大道100号. By bus No.574,No.71, No.123,No.46, No.123, tunnel bus NO.6 No.934, or by subway line No.1 and No.2 Phone: +86 21 63184477, 63722077. Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall provides information about the current and future development of the city of Shanghai. Within the Hall there are models of the current city. There are also displays of future projects that show the cities ideas for developing in the future. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale. Tue-Thur 9:00am to 5:00pm. Fri-Sun 9:00am to 6:00pm. Close on Mondays except during national holidays. Entry is 30 RMB. Audio guides cost 40 RMB.

Gongqing Forest Park (上海共青森林公园; Shànghǎi gòng qīngsēn lín gōngyuán): 2000 Jungong Road, Yangpu, Shanghai, China. In the north of the city beside the Huangpu River. Phone: +86 21 65740586. A very large country park with lakes and forests in the northern suburbs of Shanghai. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

Zhujiajiao Town tourist area (上海朱家角古镇旅游区; Shànghǎi Zhū Jiājiǎo gǔzhèn lǚyóuqū): Zhujiajiao, Qingpu, Shanghai, China. Just under an hour's drive out west from the centre of Shanghai. Zhujiajiao is an old traditional Chinese town full of old buildings lining the sides of the many canals of the area. Tourists can walk along the ancient streets, relax in a old tea house or take one of the tourist boats that scull along the canals. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale. Free entry.

Yuyuan Garden (上海豫园; Shànghǎi yù yuán): 218 Anren Road, Huangpu, Shanghai, China. 上海市黄浦区安仁街218号. Phone: +86 21 63260830. A classical Chinese garden tucked in the heart of Shanghai. Now surrounded by a maze of tourist orientated "old style" shops and restaurants. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale. Open from 8:30am until 5pm daily. Entry is 40 RMB for adults and 30 RMB for students with ID.

Sheshan National Forest Park (上海佘山国家森林公园; Shànghǎi Shé Shān guójiā sēnlín gōngyuán): Waiqingsong Highway, Songjiang, Shanghai, China. Out of the city proper. About 40 minutes drive west-south-west of the city. Phone: +86 021 57651160. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

Shanghai Zoo (上海市动物园; shànghǎishì dòngwùyuán): Changning, Shanghai, China. Many bus routes pass the zoo including numbers 57, 48, 91, 519, 709, 739, 748, 806, 807, 809, 911, 925, 936, 938, 941, 945. Phone: +86 21 62687775. Shanghai zoo is one of the best zoos in China. It is located in the west suburbs of the city, near Hongqiao Airport. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale. Open November to February from 7:00 until 17:00. In March and October from 7:00 to 17:30 and in summer, April till September, from 6:30 until 17:30. Entry tickets are 40 RMB per person.

Shanghai Museum (上海博物馆; Shànghǎi bówùguǎn): 201 Renmin Avenue, Shanghai, China. 地铁1号线, 地铁2号线, 地铁8号线. By bus No.574,No.71, No.123,No.46, No.123, tunnel bus NO.6 No.934, or by subway line No.1 and No.2 Phone: +86 21 63723500. Shanghai Museum is a free to enter museum which contains exhibits of Chinese historic and cultural artifacts as well as precious works of art, poetry and calligraphy. The exhibition is divided into several halls on each floor, around a central stair hall. Each hall covers a particular topic such as pottery, jade, coins and money, traditional art works, military and so on. The displays are signed in both Chinese and English and audio guides are available. Each display is informative and tells the history in an easy to understand way. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale. 9:00am to 5:00pm every day. There is a daily limit on visitor numbers. Entry to the museum is free.

Shanghai Century Park (上海世纪公园; Shànghǎi shìjì gōngyuán): Century Avenue (South) Pudong Xinqu, Shanghai, China. Has it's own stop on subway line No.2 though the stop for the Science museum might be more convenient. The line No.7 terminus is also near the park. Phone: +86 21 58331188. Century Park is a very large garden park with lakes sited at the end of Century Avenue in Pudong. It is next door to the Science and Technology museum and the Imax cinema. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

Shanghai Science and Technology Museum (上海科技馆; Shànghǎi kējì guǎn): Pudong District, Shanghai, China. The museum is served by the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum station on Shanghai Metro Line 2. Bus: Tunnel (Bus) Line No.4. DongZhou Line, Bus No. 640、794、788、984、638、987 or 983. Phone: +86 21 68622000*6888. This attraction covers 98,000 square metres with 12 different exhibits. Over 50% of its visitors are children. The musium covers all types of science and technology. Also within the complex is an IMAX cinema. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale. Open from 9am to 5:15pm. It is closed Mondays (except holidays). Adults are 60RMB. School students with ID are 45RMB. Children below 1.2m tall are 20RMB and people over 70 years old with ID are free.

Shanghai World Financial Center (上海环球金融中心; Shànghǎi huánqiú jīnróng zhōngxīn): 100 Century Avenue, Pudong, Shanghai, China. Subway line No.2. Phone: +86 21 68776868. Just completed in 2008, this is the second highest building in the world after Taipei 101. It has a 3 level public observation area on floors 94, 97 and 100. The highest observation level being 474 metres above the ground. Also within the building will soon be the Park Hyatt Shanghai hotel which will be the highest hotel in the world, pipping the Grand Hyatt Shanghai in the Jin Mao building next door. The lower floors also contain a shopping mall. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale. The observation area opens at 8am and closes at 11pm. Last entry is at 10pm. Adults cost 100RMB for the 94 floor, 110RMB for 94+97 floors and 150RMB for 94+97+100 floors. People over 70 and students under 18 are 70, 80 and 100RMB respectively. Children below 140cm tall are 50, 55 and 75RMB respectively and Children below 80cm tall are free.

Jinmao Tower (金茂大厦; Jīn Mào Dàshà): 88 Century Boulevard, Pudong District, Shanghai, China. Metro line 2 in Pudong, near the World Financial Center At 412 metres and 88 stories high, this was until 2007, the tallest building in China and among the top 10 tallest buildings in the world. The top floor contains an observation area and a restaurant. It can be accessed for 50 RMB. This is both higher than the Oriental Perl's view platform and better value for money when adding in the cost of the food. The tower contains the Grand Hyatt Shanghai hotel which starts on the 57 floor. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale. The top observation deck on floor 88 costs 70RMB. There is a bar in the hotel on floor 87 with drinks starting at a similar price. After 10pm the bar charges a 120RMB+5% service charge.

Confucian Temple215 Wenmiao Road, Huangpu, Shanghai, China 上海市黄浦区文庙路215号. Phone: +86 21 63771789.

Shanghai Art Museum

Shanghai Natural History Museum

C. Y. Tung Maritime MuseumHuashan Road, Xuhui, Shanghai, China Xin Zhong Yuen Building within Jiao Tong University. On subway line No.1 and bus routes 4, 72, 113, 806, 840, 911, 926, Phone: +86 21 62933035, 54740000 ‎. C.Y. Tung was the son of a Shanghai merchant family. He became rich as a shipping magnate. He had a massive shipping empire. The museum serves two purposes. The first is to tell the maritime history of China. This part of the exhibition takes up the ground floor of the building. The second part tells the history of C.Y. Tung and his company. This display is on the second floor of the building.

Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (上海海洋水族馆; xi shuāng bǎn nà zhōu měng jǐng lái lǚ yóu jǐng qū): No. 1388 Lujiazui Ring Road, Pudong, Shanghai. 上海市浦东新区陆家嘴环路1388号. Subway line No. 2 at Lu Jiazui Station. Tourist bus routes No.82, 85, 119, 792, 792B, 795 and 796 go past this site. In Pudong near the river front, beside the Oriental Tower. Phone: +86 21 58779988. Get up close to fish and other sea creatures. This centre has a large number of exhibits form China and throughout the world. Opens from 9am to 6pm. Late opening to 9pm during May week, October week and July/August holidays. Entry is 120RMB for Adults, 80RMB for Children under 140cm tall and 70RMB for people over 70 years old.

Shanghai History Museum (上海市历史博物馆; Shànghǎi Shì Lìshǐ Bówùguǎn): 1 Century Avenue Pudong Xinqu, Shanghai, China. Below Oriental Perl Tower in Pudong. Subway line No.2. Phone: +86 21 58791888. This museum consists of a number of recreations of Shanghai city scenes from the pre-city farmhouse, through colonial periods. 35 RMB

The Bund (外滩; Wàitān): Zongshan Road, Huangpu, Shanghai, China. At the east end of Nanjing Road in Huangpu district. The Bund is the river side embankment in the Huangpu district of Shanghai. It was here that the foreign powers first set up their concessions in Shanghai, turning the one quite fishing town into a major world trading hub. The foreigners brought with them their own culture and lifestyle. The rich merchants build offices, hotels and other buildings along the Bund. These new buildings were built in a colonial style, borrowed from the west. Examples of Art-deco and other styles popular in the early 1900's are prominent. The old Bund buildings contrast strongly with the new super high skyscrapers found on the other side of the water in Pudong. The Bund is one of the best places to view the Pudong skyline. Open all hours. No entry fee applies.

Huangpu River CruiseMany boats provided cruises, both long and short, along the Huangpu River. The can be found at many locations along the Bund waterfront or Pudong waterfront. As well as the proper cruises, there are passenger ferries that ply along and across the water. The views from the passenger ferries is every bit the same as the more expensive cruise boats.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen Former Residence and Memorial Hall7 Xiangshan Avenue, Luwan district, Shanghai, China. 上海市卢湾区香山路7号.

Museum of Contemporary Art231 Nanjing Road (West), Huangpu, Shanghai, China On the edge of the People's Square on Nanjing Road. Nearest subway is the People Square station on lines No.1 and 8. Phone: +86 21 63279900 ‎. Museum of Contemporary Art is located on Nanjing Road in Shanghai at the northwest corner of the People's Square.

Bund Sightseeing TunnelZhongshan Road, The Bund, Huangpu, Shanghai, China or 98号 Fenghe Road, Pudong Xinqu, Shanghai, China. On the Bund waterfront in Puxi or below the Oriental Pearl Tower in Pudong. Signposted as "pedestrian transit tunnel." Completely and utterly wacko. Whoever thought this up must have been high on something or other. The is essentially a subway tunnel that links the Puxi, Bund, side of the Huangpu river, with the Pudong new district on the other side. Travellers ride in small cars on tracks. The journey lasts about 5 minutes. During this time you are bombarded with lights, strange music, noises and manikins. It is quite surreal and more than a little psychedelic. Like something out of a 70's prog-rock concert. Open from 8:00am to 10:00 pm in winter or to 10:30pm in summer. 45 RMB one way or 55 RMB return. Half price for kids.

Former Residence of Zhou Enlai in Shanghai73 Sinan Avenue, Shanghai, China. Within the old French Quarter. Take bus No.36, 986, 932, 786, 96 and get off at the Sinan Road. Phone: +86 21 6473 0420. Zhou Enlai was a major figure within the Communist Party in China. During the revolution, he was second only to Mao Zedong within the Party. He is often pictured by Mao's side in new reels and photographs of the time. In the 1960's, Zhou was the Premier of China. He also held positions as Foreign Minister in the 1950's. During the short period between the end of World War II in 1945 and the beginning of the Second Chinese Civil War in 1948, Zhou Enlai was in charge of arranging the Communist Parties affairs in Shanghai. The house in which he, and the other Communist Party members, worked and lived is now a museum. 9am-11.30am & 1pm-5pm daily. Entry is just 2 RMB.

History

The importance of Shanghai grew radically in the 19th century, as the city's strategic position at the mouth of the Yangtze River made it an ideal location for trade with the West. During the First Opium War (1839–1842), British forces temporarily held Shanghai. The war ended with the 1842 Treaty of Nanjing, opened the treaty ports, Shanghai included, for international trade. The Treaty of the Bogue signed in 1843, and the Sino-American Treaty of Wangsia signed in 1844 together allowed foreign nations to visit and trade on Chinese soil, the start of the foreign concessions.

In 1854 the Shanghai Municipal Council was created to manage the foreign settlements. In 1860-1862, civil war had been two times invaded Shanghai(Battle of Shanghai (1861)). In 1863, the British settlement, located to the south of Suzhou creek (Huangpu district), and the American settlement, to the north of Suzhou creek (Hongkou district), joined in order to form the International Settlement. The French opted out of the Shanghai Municipal Council, and maintained its own French Concession, located to the south of the International Settlement, which still exists today as a popular attraction. Citizens of many countries and all continents came to Shanghai to live and work during the ensuing decades; those who stayed for long periods — some for generations — called themselves "Shanghailanders". In the 1920s and 1930s, almost 20,000 so-called White Russians and Russian Jews fled the newly-established Soviet Union and took up residence in Shanghai. These Shanghai Russians constituted the second-largest foreign community. By 1932, Shanghai had become the world's fifth largest city and home to 70,000 foreigners. In the 1930s, some 30,000 Jewish refugees from Europe arrived in the city.

The Sino-Japanese War concluded with the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which elevated Japan to become another foreign power in Shanghai. Japan built the first factories in Shanghai, which were soon copied by other foreign powers. Shanghai was then the most important financial center in the Far East.

Under the Republic of China (1911–1949), Shanghai's political status was finally raised to that of a municipality on July 14, 1927. Although the territory of the foreign concessions was excluded from their control, this new Chinese municipality still covered an area of 828.8 square kilometers, including the modern-day districts of Baoshan, Yangpu, Zhabei, Nanshi, and Pudong. Headed by a Chinese mayor and municipal council, the new city governments first task was to create a new city center in Jiangwan town of Yangpu district, outside the boundaries of the foreign concessions. This new city center was planned to include a public museum, library, sports stadium, and city hall.

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service bombed Shanghai on 28 January 1932, nominally in an effort to crush down Chinese student protests of the Manchurian Incident and the subsequent Japanese occupation of northeast China. The Chinese fought back in what was known as the January 28 Incident. The two sides fought to a standstill and a ceasefire was brokered in May. The Battle of Shanghai in 1937 resulted in the occupation of the Chinese administered parts of Shanghai outside of the International Settlement and the French Concession. The International Settlement was occupied by the Japanese on 8 December 1941 and remained occupied until Japan's surrender in 1945. According to historian Zhiliang Su, at least 149 "comfort houses" for sexual slaves were established in Shanghai during the occupation.

On 27 May 1949, the Communist People's Liberation Army took control of Shanghai, which was one of only three former Republic of China (ROC) municipalities not merged into neighbouring provinces over the next decade (the others being Beijing and Tianjin). Shanghai underwent a series of changes in the boundaries of its subdivisions, especially in the next decade. After 1949, most foreign firms moved their offices from Shanghai to Hong Kong, as part of an exodus of foreign investment due to the Communist victory.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Shanghai became an industrial center and center for revolutionary leftism. Yet, even during the most tumultuous times of the Cultural Revolution, Shanghai was able to maintain high economic productivity and relative social stability. In most of the history of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Shanghai has been the largest contributor of tax revenue to the central government compared with other Chinese provinces and municipalities. This came at the cost of severely crippling Shanghai's infrastructure and capital development. Its importance to China's fiscal well-being also denied it economic liberalizations that were started in the far southern provinces such as Guangdong during the mid-1980s. At that time, Guangdong province paid nearly no taxes to the central government, and thus was perceived as fiscally expendable for experimental economic reforms. Shanghai was finally permitted to initiate economic reforms in 1991, starting the huge development still seen today and the birth of Lujiazui in Pudong.

People and Culture

The population of Shanghai is 19,213,200. The 2000 census put the population of Shanghai Municipality at 16.738 million, including the migrant population, which made up 3.871 million. Since the 1990 census the total population had increased by 3.396 million, or 25.5%. Males accounted for 51.4%, females for 48.6% of the population. 12.2% were in the age group of 0–14, 76.3% between 15 and 64 and 11.5% were older than 65. As of 2008, the population of long-term residents reached 18.88 million, including an officially registered permanent population of 13.71 million, and 4.79 million of registered long-term migrants from other provinces, many from Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang Provinces. According to the Shanghai Municipal Statistics Bureau, there were 133,340 foreigners in Shanghai in 2007. In addition, there are a large number of people from Taiwan for business (estimates vary from 350,000 to 700,000). By 2009, the South Korean communities in Shanghai also increased to more than 70,000. The average life expectancy in 2006 was 80.97 years, 78.67 for men and 82.29 for women. Average annual disposable income of Shanghai residents, based on the first three quarters of 2009, is 21,871 RMB.

Languages

Most Shanghainese residents are the descendants of immigrants from the two adjacent provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang who moved to Shanghai in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, regions that generally also speak Wu Chinese. In the past decades, many migrants from other areas of China have come to Shanghai for work. They often cannot speak the local dialect and therefore use Mandarin as a lingua franca.

The vernacular language is Shanghainese, a dialect of Wu Chinese, while the official language is Standard Mandarin. The local dialect is mutually unintelligible with Mandarin, and is an inseparable part of the Shanghainese identity. The modern Shanghainese dialect is based on the Suzhou dialect of Wu, the prestige dialect of Wu spoken within the Chinese city of Shanghai prior to the modern expansion of the city, the Ningbo dialect of Wu, and the dialect of Shanghai's traditional areas now within the Hongkou, Baoshan and Pudong districts, which is simply called "Bendihua", or "the local dialect". It is influenced to a lesser extent by the dialects of other nearby regions from which large numbers of people have have migrated to Shanghai since the 20th century. Nearly all Shanghainese under the age of 40 can speak Mandarin fluently. Fluency in foreign languages is unevenly distributed. Most senior residents who received a university education before the revolution, and those who worked in foreign enterprises, can speak English. Those under the age of 26 have had contact with English since primary school, as English is taught as a mandatory course starting from the first grade.

Religion

Due to its cosmopolitan history, Shanghai has a rich blend of religious heritage as shown by the religious buildings and institutions still scattered around the city. Taoism has a presence in Shanghai in the form of several temples, including the City God Temple, at the heart of the old city, and a temple dedicated to the Three Kingdoms general Guan Yu. The Wenmiao is a temple dedicated to Confucius. Buddhism has had a presence in Shanghai since ancient times. Longhua temple, the largest temple in Shanghai, and Jing'an Temple, were first founded in the Three Kingdoms period. Another important temple is the Jade Buddha Temple, which is named after a large statue of Buddha carved out of jade in the temple. In recent decades, dozens of modern temples have been built throughout the city.

Shanghai is also an important center of Christianity in China. Churches belonging to various denominations are found throughout Shanghai and maintain significant congregations. Shanghai has the highest Catholic percentage in Mainland China (2003). Among Catholic churches, St Ignatius Cathedral in Xujiahui is one of the largest, while She Shan Basilica is the only active pilgrimage site in China. Shanghai has the highest Catholic percentage in Mainland China (2003). The city is also home to Muslim, Jewish, and Eastern Orthodox communities. A predominant religion in Shanghai is Mahayana Buddhism, and Taoism is also followed by many Shanghai residents.

Education

While Beijing and Hong Kong are considered the educational centers of China, Shanghai is also home to some of the country's most prestigious universities, including Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University.

Architecture

Shanghai has a rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles. The Bund, located by the bank of the Huangpu River, contains a rich collection of early 20th century architecture, ranging in style from neoclassical HSBC Building to the art deco Sassoon House. A number of areas in the former foreign concessions are also well preserved, most notably the French Concession. Despite rampant redevelopment, the old city still retains some buildings of a traditional style, such as the Yuyuan Garden, an elaborate traditional garden in the Jiangnan style.

In recent years, a large number of architecturally distinctive, even eccentric, skyscrapers have sprung up throughout Shanghai. Notable examples of contemporary architecture include the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre in the People's Square precinct and Shanghai Oriental Arts Center.

One uniquely Shanghainese cultural element is the shikumen (石库门) residences, which are two or three-story townhouses, with the front yard protected by a high brick wall. Each residence is connected and arranged in straight alleys, known as a lòngtang (弄堂), pronounced longdang in Shanghainese. The entrance to each alley is usually surmounted by a stylistic stone arch. The whole resembles terrace houses or townhouses commonly seen in Anglo-American countries, but distinguished by the tall, heavy brick wall in front of each house. The name "shikumen" literally means "stone storage door", referring to the strong gateway to each house.

The shikumen is a cultural blend of elements found in Western architecture with traditional Lower Yangtze (Jiangnan) Chinese architecture and social behavior. All traditional Chinese dwellings had a courtyard, and the shikumen was no exception. Yet, to compromise with its urban nature, it was much smaller and provided an "interior haven" to the commotions in the streets, allowing for raindrops to fall and vegetation to grow freely within a residence. The courtyard also allowed sunlight and adequate ventilation into the rooms.

The city also has some beautiful examples of Soviet neoclassical architecture. These buildings were mostly erected during the period from the founding of the People's Republic in 1949 until the Sino-Soviet Split in the late 1960s. During this decade, large numbers of Soviet experts poured into China to aid the country in the construction of a communist state, some of them were architects. Examples of Soviet neoclassical architecture in Shanghai include what is today the Shanghai International Exhibition Center. Beijing, the nation's capital, displays an even greater array of this particular type of architecture.

The Pudong district of Shanghai displays a wide range of supertall skyscrapers. The most prominent examples include the Jin Mao Tower and the taller Shanghai World Financial Center, which at 492 metres tall is the tallest skyscraper in mainland China and ranks third in the world. The distinctive Oriental Pearl Tower, at 468 metres, is located nearby toward downtown Shanghai. Its lower sphere is now available for living quarters, at very high prices. Another tall highrise in the Pudong area of Shanghai is the newly finished Development Tower. It stands at 269 meters.

Also in Pudong, a third supertall skyscraper topping the other Shanghai buildings called the Shanghai Tower is under construction. With a height of 632 metres (2074 feet), the building will have 127 floors upon planned completion in 2014.

Culture

Because of Shanghai's status as the cultural and economic center of East Asia for the first half of the twentieth century, it is popularly seen as the birthplace of everything considered modern in China. It was in Shanghai, for example, that the first motor car was driven and the first train tracks and modern sewers were laid. It was also the intellectual battleground between socialist writers who concentrated on critical realism, which was pioneered by Lu Xun (zh:鲁迅), Mao Dun (zh:茅盾),Nien Cheng and famous French novel the Man's Fate, and the more "bourgeois", more romantic and aesthetically inclined writers, such as Shi Zhecun (zh:施蛰存), Shao Xunmei (邵洵美), Ye Lingfeng (葉靈鳳) and Eileen Chang (zh:张爱玲).

Besides literature, Shanghai was also the birthplace of Chinese cinema and theater. China’s first short film, The Difficult Couple (難夫難妻, Nanfu Nanqi, 1913), and the country’s first fictional feature film, An Orphan Rescues His Grandfather (孤兒救祖記, Gu'er jiu zuji, 1923) were both produced in Shanghai. These two films were very influential, and established Shanghai as the center of Chinese film-making. Shanghai’s film industry went on to blossom during the early Thirties, generating Marilyn Monroe-like stars such as Zhou Xuan. Another film star, Jiang Qing, went on to become Madame Mao Zedong. The talent and passion of Shanghainese filmmakers following World War II and the Communist revolution in China contributed enormously to the development of the Hong Kong film industry. Many aspects of Shanghainese popular culture ("Shanghainese Pops") were transferred to Hong Kong by the numerous Shanghainese emigrants and refugees after the Communist Revolution. The movie In the Mood for Love, which was directed by Wong Kar-wai (a native Shanghainese himself), depicts one slice of the displaced Shanghainese community in Hong Kong and the nostalgia for that era, featuring 1940s music by Zhou Xuan.

Shanghai boasts several museums of regional and national importance. The Shanghai Museum of art and history has one of the best collections of Chinese historical artifacts in the world, including important archaeological finds since 1949. The Shanghai Art Museum, located near People's Square, is a major art museum holding both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The Shanghai Natural History Museum is a large scale natural history museum. In addition, there is a variety of smaller, specialist museums, some housed in important historical sites such as the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

The Shanghai School (海上画派, Haishang Huapai, which is shortened to 海派, Haipai) is a very important Chinese school of traditional arts during the Qing Dynasty and the whole of the twentieth century. Under efforts of masters from this school, traditional Chinese art reached another climax and continued to the present in forms of the "Chinese painting" (中国画) or guohua (国画) for short. The Shanghai School challenged and broke the literati tradition of Chinese art, while also paying technical homage to the ancient masters and improving on existing traditional techniques. Members of this school were themselves educated literati who had come to question their very status and the purpose of art, and had anticipated the impending modernization of Chinese society. In an era of rapid social change, works from the Shanghai School were widely innovative and diverse, and often contained thoughtful yet subtle social commentary. The most well-known figures from this school are Qi Baishi (齊白石), Ren Xiong (任熊), Ren Yi (任伯年), Zhao Zhiqian (赵之谦), Wu Changshuo (吴昌硕), Sha Menghai (沙孟海, calligraphist), Pan Tianshou (潘天寿), Fu Baoshi (傅抱石) and Wang Zhen (Wang Yiting) (王震). In literature, the term was used in the 1930s by some May Fourth Movement intellectuals, notably Zhou Zuoren and Shen Congwen, as a derogatory label for the literature produced in Shanghai at the time. They argued that so-called Shanghai School literature was merely commercial and therefore did not advance social progress. This became known as the Jingpai (Beijing School) versus Haipai (Shanghai School) debate.

Songjiang School (淞江派) is a small painting school during the Ming Dynasty. It is commonly considered as a further development of the Wu School, or Wumen School (吴门画派), in the then cultural center of the region, Suzhou. Huating School (华亭派) was another important art school during the middle to late Ming Dynasty. Its main achievements were in traditional Chinese painting, calligraphy and poetry, and especially famous for its Renwen painting (人文画). Dong Qichang (董其昌) is one of the masters from this school.

Shanghai's parks offer some reprieve from the urban jungle. Due to the scarcity of play space for children, nearly all parks have a children's section. Zhongshan Gongyuan in Downtown Shanghai is famous for its monument of Chopin, the tallest statue dedicated to the composer in the world. Built in 1914 as Jessfield Park, it once contained the campus of St. John's University, Shanghai's first international college; today, it is known for its extensive rose and peony gardens, a large children's play area, and as the location of an important transfer station on the city's metro system. One of the newest is in the Xujiahui District, Xujiahui Gongyuan, built in 1999 on the former grounds of the Great Chinese Rubber Works Factory and the EMI Recording Studio (today's glamorous La Villa Rouge restaurant), with entrances at Zhaojiabang Lu and in the west at the intersection of Hengshang Lu and Yuqin Lu. The park has a man-made lake with a sky bridge running across the park, and offers a pleasant respite for Xujiahui shoppers.

Other Shanghainese cultural artifacts include the cheongsam (Shanghainese: zansae), a modernization of the traditional Chinese/Manchurian qipao (Chinese: 旗袍; fitting. This contrasts sharply with the traditional qipao which was designed to conceal the figure and be worn regardless of age. The cheongsam went along well with the western overcoat and the scarf, and portrayed a unique East Asian modernity, epitomizing the Shanghainese population in general. As Western fashions changed, the basic cheongsam design changed, too, introducing high-necked sleeveless dresses, bell-like sleeves and, the black lace frothing at the hem of a ball gown. By the 1940s, cheongsams came in transparent black, beaded bodices, matching capes and even velvet. And later, checked fabrics became also quite common. The 1949 Communist Revolution ended the cheongsam and other fashions in Shanghai. However, the Shanghainese styles have seen a recent revival as stylish party dresses. The fashion industry has been rapidly revitalizing in the past decade, there is on average one fashion show per day in Shanghai today. Like Shanghai's architecture, local fashion designers strive to create a fusion of western and traditional designs, often with innovative if uncontroversial results.

Shanghai has hosted a number of world events, including the 2007 Summer Special Olympics and a Live Earth concert. The Shanghai International Film Festival is annually held in the city. The city will be the host of the Expo 2010 World's Fair between May and October 2010. Shanghai is also home to a number of professional sports teams, including Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League, the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, China Dragon of Asia League Ice Hockey and the Shanghai Golden Eagles of the China Baseball League. The city has also hosted the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit every year since 2004.

Industry

Shanghai is often regarded as the center of finance and trade in mainland China. Modern development began with the economic reforms in 1992, a decade later than many of the Southern Chinese provinces, but since then Shanghai quickly overtook those provinces and maintained its role as the business center in mainland China. Shanghai also hosts the largest share market in mainland China.

The non-state sector has grown to generate 42 percent of Shanghai's GDP, while the reformed state-sector generates 57.5 percent of GDP.[29] Since 2005, Shanghai has ranked first of the world's busiest cargo ports throughout, handling a total of 560 million tons of cargo in 2007. Shanghai container traffic has surpassed Hong Kong to become the second busiest port in the world, behind Singapore.[30] Shanghai and Hong Kong are rivaling to be the economic center of the Greater China region. Hong Kong has the advantage of a stronger legal system, international market integration, superior economic freedom, greater banking and service expertise, lower taxes, and a fully-convertible currency. Shanghai has stronger links to both the Chinese interior and the central government, and a stronger base in manufacturing and technology.

Shanghai has increased its role in finance, banking, and as a major destination for corporate headquarters, fueling demand for a highly educated and modernized workforce. Shanghai has recorded a double-digit growth for 15 consecutive years since 1992. In 2008, Shanghai's nominal GDP posted a 9.7% growth to 1.37 trillion yuan. The Shanghai Stock Exchange is the world's fastest growing, with the Shanghai Composite Index growing 130% in 2006.

As in many other areas in China, Shanghai is undergoing a building boom. In Shanghai the modern architecture is notable for its unique style, especially in the highest floors, with several top floor restaurants which resemble flying saucers. For a gallery of these unique architecture designs, see Shanghai (architecture images).

The bulk of Shanghai buildings being constructed today are high-rise apartments of various height, color and design. There is now a strong focus by city planners to develop more "green areas" (public parks) among the apartment complexes in order to improve the quality of life for Shanghai's residents, quite in accordance to the "Better City - Better Life" theme of Shanghai's Expo 2010.

Industrial zones in Shanghai include Shanghai Hongqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone, Jinqiao Export Economic Processing Zone, Minhang Economic and Technological Development Zone, and Shanghai Caohejing High and New Technological Development Zone (see List of economic and technological development zones in Shanghai).

Geography

Shanghai sits on the Yangtze River Delta on China's eastern coast, and is roughly equidistant from Beijing and Hong Kong. The municipality as a whole consists of a peninsula between the Yangtze and Hangzhou Bay, China's third largest island Chongming, and a number of smaller islands. It is bordered on the north and west by Jiangsu Province, on the south by Zhejiang Province, and on the east by the East China Sea. The city proper is bisected by the Huangpu River, a tributary of the Yangtze. The historic center of the city, the Puxi area, is located on the western side of the Huangpu, while a new financial district, Pudong, has developed on the eastern bank.

The vast majority of Shanghai's 6,218 km2 (2,401 sq mi) land area is flat, apart from a few hills in the southwest corner, with an average elevation of 4 m (13 ft). The city's location on the flat alluvial plain has meant that new skyscrapers must be built with deep concrete piles to stop them sinking into the soft ground. The highest point is at the peak of Dajinshan Island at 103 m (340 ft). The city has many rivers, canals, streams and lakes and is known for its rich water resources as part of the Taihu drainage area.

Public awareness of the environment is growing, and the city is investing in a number of environmental protection projects. A 10-year, US$1 billion cleanup of Suzhou Creek, which runs through the city center, was expected to be finished in 2008,[25] and the government also provides incentives for transportation companies to invest in LPG buses and taxis. Air pollution in Shanghai is low compared to other Chinese cities such as Beijing, but the rapid development over the past decades means it is still high on worldwide standards, comparable to Los Angeles.

Shanghai has a humid subtropical climate and experiences four distinct seasons. In winter, cold northerly winds from Siberia can cause nighttime temperatures to drop below freezing, although most years there are only one or two days of snowfall. Summer in Shanghai is very warm and humid, with occasional downpours or freak thunderstorms. The city is also susceptible to typhoons, none of which in recent years has caused considerable damage. The most pleasant seasons are Spring, although changeable, and Autumn, which is generally sunny and dry. Shanghai experiences on average 1,878 hours of sunshine per year, with the hottest temperature ever recorded at 40 °C (104 °F), and the lowest at −12 °C (10.4 °F). The average number of rainy days is 112 per year, with the wettest month being June. The average frost-free period is 276 days.

Shanghai is divided into 19 county-level divisions, 18 districts and 1 county. The older part of the city is Puxi (literally Pu West, referring to the Huangpu River). This consists of 9 districts that make the core of Shanghai:

• Huangpu District (simplified Chinese: 黄浦区; traditional Chinese: 黃浦區; pinyin: Huángpǔ Qū)
• Luwan District (卢湾区 Lúwān Qū)
• Xuhui District (徐汇区 Xúhuì Qū)
• Changning District (长宁区 Chángníng Qū)
• Jing'an District (静安区 Jìng'ān Qū)
• Putuo District (普陀区 Pǔtuó Qū)
• Zhabei District (闸北区 Zháběi Qū)
• Hongkou District (虹口区 Hóngkǒu Qū)
• Yangpu District (杨浦区 Yángpǔ Qū)

Pudong (literally Pu East, referring to the Huangpu River), is a new area developed only recently as a special ecconomic zone. It was previously Chuansha County until 1992. Administrativly it is one district:

• Pudong New District (浦东新区 Pǔdōng Xīn Qū) — Chuansha County until 1992

The remaining 9 districts cover suburbs, satellite towns, and rural areas further away from the urban core. There is also one district for Chongming Island, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River:

• Baoshan District (宝山区 Bǎoshān Qū) — Baoshan County until 1988
• Minhang District (闵行区 Mǐnháng Qū) — Shanghai County until 1992
• Jiading District (嘉定区 Jiādìng Qū) — Jiading County until 1992
• Jinshan District (金山区 Jīnshān Qū) — Jinshan County until 1997
• Songjiang District (松江区 Sōngjiāng Qū) — Songjiang County until 1998
• Qingpu District (青浦区 Qīngpǔ Qū) — Qingpu County until 1999
• Nanhui District (南汇区 Nánhuì Qū) — Nanhui County until 2001
• Fengxian District (奉贤区 Fèngxián Qū) — Fengxian County until 2001
• Chongming County (崇明县 Chóngmíng Xiàn)

Transportation

Shanghai is served by two airports: The old Hongqiao (虹桥机场 IATA: SHA) and the new Pudong (浦东机场, IATA: PVG). Of the two, Pudong is the most commonly used, especially for international flights. Transfer between the two airports takes about an hour and a half so be sure to check which airport is correct for your flight in advance. 

There are several long-distance bus stations in Shanghai. They have routes to most nieghbouring cities as well as further afeild. Tickets may be bought a few days in advance and booking early is advisable.

1. Beiqu Long-distance Passenger Station - 80 Gongxing Road

2. Hengfeng Road Express Passenger Station 270 Hengfeng Road

3. Zhongshan Beilu Long-distance Passenger Transport Station 1015 Zhongshan N. Rd

4. Xujiahui Passenger Station 211Hongqiao Road

5. Pudong Tangqiao Long-distance Passenger Station 3842 Pudong S.Rd

Shanghai has an extensive public transport system, largely based on buses, trolleybuses, taxis, and a rapidly expanding metro system. All of these public transport tools can be accessed using the Shanghai Public Transportation Card, which uses radio frequencies so the card does not have to physically touch the scanner.

The Shanghai Metro rapid-transit system and elevated light rail has ten lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11) at present and extends to every core urban district as well as neighbouring suburban districts such as Songjiang, Minhang and Jiading. According to the development schedule of the municipal government, by the year 2010, another two lines (numbers 10 and 13) will be built, while extensions are also underway for lines 2, 6, 8, 9. It is one of the fastest-growing metro systems in the world—the first line opened in 1995, and as of 2009, the Shanghai Metro is the 11th busiest system worldwide. Shanghai also has the world's most extensive bus system with nearly one thousand bus lines, operated by numerous transportation companies. Not all of Shanghai's bus routes are numbered—some have names exclusively in Chinese.[38] Bus fares are usually ¥1, ¥1.5 or ¥2, sometimes higher, while Metro fares run from ¥3 to ¥9 depending on distance.

Taxis in Shanghai are plentiful and government regulation has set taxi fares at an affordable rate for the average resident—¥12 for 3 km, ¥16 after 23:00, and 2.4RMB/km thereafter. Before the 1990s, bicycling was the most ubiquitous form of transport in Shanghai, but the city has since banned bicycles on many of the city's main roads to ease congestion. However, many streets have bicycle lanes and intersections are monitored by "Traffic Assistants" who help provide for safe crossing. Further, the city government has pledged to add 180 km of cycling lanes over the next few years. It is worth noting that a number of the main shopping and tourist streets, Nanjing Road and Huaihai Road do not allow bicycles.

With rising disposable incomes, private car ownership in Shanghai has also been rapidly increasing in recent years. The number of cars is limited, however, by the number of available number plates available at public auction. Since 1998 the number of new car registrations is limited to 50,000 vehicles a year.

In cooperation with the Shanghai municipality and the Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co. (SMT), German Transrapid constructed the first commercial high speed Maglev railway in the world in 2002, from Shanghai's Longyang Road subway station in Pudong to Pudong International Airport. Commercial operation started in 2003. The 30 km trip takes 7 minutes and 21 seconds and reaches a maximum speed of 431 km/h (267.8 mph). Normal operating speeds usually reach 431 km/h, but during a test run, the Maglev has been shown to reach a top speed of 501 km/h.

Two railways intersect in Shanghai: Jinghu Railway (Beijing–Shanghai) Railway passing through Nanjing, and Huhang Railway (Shanghai–Hangzhou). Shanghai is served by two main railway stations, Shanghai Railway Station and Shanghai South Railway Station. Express service to Beijing through Z-series trains is fairly convenient. A maglev train route to Hangzhou (Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev Train) might begin construction in 2010. A high-speed railroad to Beijing is also in the works.

More than six national expressways (prefixed with "G") from Beijing and from the region around Shanghai connect to the city. Shanghai itself has six toll-free elevated expressways (skyways) in the urban core and 18 municipal expressways (prefixed with "A"). There are ambitious plans to build expressways connecting Shanghai's Chongming Island with the urban core. For a city of Shanghai's size, road traffic is still fairly smooth and convenient but getting more congested as the number of cars increases rapidly.

Shanghai has two commercial airports: Hongqiao International and Pudong International, the latter of which has the third highest traffic in China, following Beijing Capital International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport. Pudong International handles more international traffic than Beijing Capital however, with over 17.15 million international passengers handled in 2006 compared to the latter's 12.6 million passengers. Hongqiao mainly serves domestic routes, with a few city-to-city flights to Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Seoul's city airport. Hongqiao airport is about 10 kilometers west of the downtown. One of the airport's advantages is it is much closer to the city center than Pudong airport.