Here stands \u521b\u4e1a\u697c. It pulses with the vibrant spirit of Shanghai. Shanghai is a city that has risen to become a world finance and cultural center.
Shanghai’s transformation is impressive. China desired to become an international hub. Businesses thrive here. They offer opportunities to China’s middle class and foreigners. Shanghai is known as “The Pearl of Asia”. It is also known as “The Paris of the East”.
\u521b\u4e1a\u697c stands as a testament to Shanghai’s modern ambitions. It is a city that never sleeps. Shanghai is the world’s largest city by population within an administrative area. In 2014, the population was 24 million people. The Shanghai metro has 393 stations. It spans 400 miles. It connects major attractions. This makes navigation easy.
Shanghai boasts a fantastic blend of history and modernity. In the mid-19th century, Shanghai was a colonial territory. It was divided into British, U.S. and French concessions. Many Chinese lived in the foreign concessions. This blending of cultures brought a variety of architectural styles. It also brought a fascinating history.
The best times to visit Shanghai are spring and autumn. Summers have temperatures in the 90s °F. Winter temperatures hover around freezing. Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures and clearer air.
Let’s delve into the history of Shanghai. Until 1842, Shanghai was a small fishing town. After the Opium Wars, the British coerced the Chinese. They made Shanghai a treaty port. It had a self-governing British district.
The two Chinese characters in the city’s name mean “Upon-the-Sea”. During the Song Dynasty, Shanghai was upgraded from a village to a market town in 1074. Shanghai became one of the most important sea ports in the Yangtze Delta region. Emperor Kangxi reversed the Ming Dynasty prohibition on ocean-going vessels in 1684.
Shanghai drew international attention in the early 19th century. This was due to its nearness to the mouth of the Yangtze River. The British occupied the city during the First Opium War. The war ended with the 1842 Treaty of Nanjing. This allowed the British to set up treaty ports.
Citizens of many countries came to Shanghai to live and work. Those who stayed for long periods called themselves “Shanghailanders”. Shanghai has been known by the English nicknames “Pearl of the Orient” and “Paris of the East”.
In the 1920s and 1930s, almost 20,000 White Russians fled the Soviet Union. They took up residence in Shanghai. By 1932, Shanghai had become the world’s fifth largest city. It was home to 70,000 foreigners. In the 1930s, some 30,000 Jewish refugees arrived.
Some 200,000 Chinese workers helped turn Shanghai into a manufacturing city. Even in the foreign concessions, about 90 percent of the residents were Chinese.
The city’s nightlife centered around cabarets and dance halls. Du Yuesheng was one of Shanghai’s most notorious figures. By the 1930s, Chiang Kai-shek put him in charge of the “Bureau of Opium Suppression”.
Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese from 1937 to 1945. It was the only city in the world that did not require a visa. In May 1949, the People’s Liberation Army took control of Shanghai.
Jiang Zemin was China’s leader from 1990 to 2003. He was made party chief in Shanghai in 1985. In 1991 Deng Xiaoping allowed Shanghai to initiate economic reform.
Shanghai’s tourism industry generates more than 14% of the city’s GDP. Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China. The Shanghai Metro is the longest metro system in the world.
As you stand before \u521b\u4e1a\u697c reflect on Shanghai’s dynamic journey. From a small fishing town to a global hub. It is a city that continues to evolve. \u521b\u4e1a\u697c is now part of this continuing story.