Name: Shanghai

Chinese name: 上海

Status: Autonomous Municipality

Population: 24,151,500 inhabitants (2013)

Area: 6,340 km²

China's largest city, Shanghai stands out for its Western architecture, testimony to a rich past under European occupation. These colonial remnants make Shanghai an exceptionally popular tourist destination worldwide. A trip to Shanghai guarantees an exceptional experience immersed in a modern, thriving Chine.

History

As you can observe strolling along the Bund or through the streets of the old French Concession, Shanghai bears the unmistakable imprint of Western influence. At the mouth of the Yangzi, it occupied an ideal location for a trading port. When the British opened their concession in 1842 following the First Opium War, it was merely a small fishing and weaving village. The English presence transformed everything.

The French settled in 1847, an international concession was established in 1863, and the Japanese arrived in 1895. The city was divided into autonomous concessions, not subject to Chinese law. By 1853, Shanghai had surpassed all Chinese ports. In the 1930s, the city boasted 60,000 foreign residents and was Asia's largest international port.

Thriving on opium trafficking, silk and tea trade, it attracted major international financial firms, which commissioned sumptuous palaces. One of the most celebrated, Jardine Matheson & Company, acquired its first foreign parcel in 1848 and quickly rose among leading business enterprises.

Shanghai also became synonymous with exploitation and vice: its countless opium dens, underground gambling halls and brothels controlled by gangs formed the center of local life. American, French, Italian, British, and Japanese military personnel patrolled the territory.

Following the blow dealt to communists by Chiang Kai-shek in 1927, the Guomindang cooperated with foreign police, gangs, and Chinese and foreign industrialists to suppress all labor unrest. Exploited workers, condemned to starvation and misery, sold into slavery, excluded from the privileged life and parks created by foreigners, Shanghai's poor formed fertile ground for revolutionary ideals. The Chinese Communist Party was founded here in 1921 and, after numerous setbacks, "liberated" the city in 1949.

The communists destroyed slums, detoxified hundreds of thousands of opium addicts, and eliminated child labor and slavery. Later, during the Cultural Revolution, Shanghai became the political base of the Gang of Four.

The long period of malaise ended abruptly in 1990, with announcements of development projects for Pudong, on the east bank of the Huangpu. Since then, Shanghai has striven to become a leading financial center and strengthen its emerging economy. The modern skyscrapers of Lujiazui seem to defy the austere buildings of the Bund, witnesses to another era on the opposite side of the Huangpu.

A booming economy, influential leaders, and unwavering optimism have allowed Shanghai to far surpass other Chinese cities. Nothing would please central authorities more than to see Shanghai, the success of communist Chine, dethrone Hong Kong, the former colony, and become the pioneering city.

Shanghai remains hampered by a past it mistrusts while simultaneously claiming it, and none can predict what the city will resemble in 20 years. Yet, as the Chinese expression goes, "jiude buqu, xinde bului" (if the old does not depart, the new will not come).

Despite all the hype surrounding it, Shanghai is not a truly international metropolis. Curiously devoid of creative energy, this city transforming before your eyes can seem provincial and inward-looking.

Today

Nicknamed the "Paris of the Orient", Shanghai is a land where strong European influence prevails among memories still rooted in the communist revolution. Shanghai still emanates a sultry atmosphere brimming with vitality inherited from its past, when adventurers, gamblers, traffickers, gangsters, and businessmen gathered to satisfy their thirst for freedom.

Relatively recent, the city compensates for its youth with newfound panache and unwavering confidence. Like Hong Kong, Shanghai merits discovery as either an introduction or epilogue to your trip to Chine.

After decades of decline, the city's spectacular rise and transformation fuel every conversation. No other Chinese city has reversed its decline with such acumen. An embodiment of modern Chine while remaining unique, Shanghai has captivated travelers worldwide by immersing them in colonial past remnants omnipresent along the Bund.

While it cannot rival the historical heritage of Beijing or Xi'an, it testifies more than any other city to a past profoundly marked by the West. The Bund, the French Concession, and Shanghai Museum are remarkable sites you must absolutely discover. The neon lights of Lujiazui, across the Huangpu, also merit a look, even if the new Pudong district leaves you unmoved.

Shanghai today represents a tourist destination in its own right and ranks among Chine's most popular.

Climate

Shanghai begins the year in cold winter, when temperatures can plummet below freezing and the weather turns gray, hazy, and humid. Spring from April to mid-May and autumn from late September to mid-November constitute the best periods. While summer corresponds to peak tourist season, the heat and humidity make it uncomfortable, with temperatures climbing to 40°C in July and August. The scorching days that strike unexpectedly at late summer's end are affectionately dubbed the Autumn Tiger. In short, expect to shiver in winter, sweat in summer, and carry an umbrella in all seasons.

Shanghai is a very well-connected city. It offers air and rail connections with all Chinese cities. Boats travel up the Yangzi, others follow the coast, and buses serve neighboring provinces.

Airplane

International flights, primarily with China Eastern, link Shanghai to most neighboring metropolises and capitals. Flights connect to most major Chinese cities including Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Guilin, and Xi'an.

Boat

Boat travel is a very useful transport option to reach Shanghai from destinations along the Yangzi. Numerous ferries go to Shanghai, both day and night.

Bus

Shanghai has several long-distance bus stations. From major Chinese cities, day and night buses connect to one of Shanghai's numerous stations. Buses are generally comfortable, but depending on your departure city, the journey can prove very lengthy.

Train

Shanghai sits at the intersection of the Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing-Hangzhou rail lines and consequently offers direct connections to numerous Chinese cities.

Train tickets are easily purchased at departure station ticket windows or with help from your hotel or local agencies. You'll have a choice between different prices and seat types: hard or soft seats, hard or soft berths.

Shanghai is not a walker's paradise with its road infrastructure, countless construction sites, and omnipresent traffic.

Prefer the metro, which proves far more intuitive than crowded local bus lines.

Taxis are also an easy way to get around, but expect to get stuck in traffic, especially during rush hours (8-9 a.m. and 4:30-6 p.m.).

Languages

With 13 million speakers, Shanghainese belongs to the Wu dialect, named after the ancient kingdom in present-day Jiangsu Province. If it sounds strange to those who speak Mandarin or Cantonese, it's likely because it represents a more archaic branch of the Chinese language. Moreover, its tonal system differs considerably, showing similarities with certain African languages. It also features marked Japanese sounds. Due to Mandarin's dominance and Shanghainese's lack of standardization, it constantly evolves and is no longer identical to that spoken generations ago.

What to Do in Shanghai?

• Spend a day at the Shanghai Museum devoted to over 4,000 years of art and history.
• Enjoy the view of Pudong from the Bund, Shanghai's symbol featuring varied architecture blending different European styles.
• Take a cruise on the Huangpu River and admire the breathtaking views of the Bund's architecture and Pudong's skyscrapers.
• Venture beyond the city and discover the charming Nanxun water village in Zhejiang.
• Ascend to the top of Jin Mao Tower and observe panoramic views of the city.

Explore all Shanghai attractions.