With the acceleration of opening to the outside world, the economy of Shanghai is getting developed on a daily basis. Most of 500 world famous enterprises who have invested in China have chosen Shanghai as their headquarters. More and more foreigners, who speculate on Chinese economic growth, or who are fond of Chinese culture and oriental culture, come to Shanghai working, traveling or studying.
The ex-president of the United States, George W. Bush who firstly visited Shanghai in 1975, said that Shanghai has already renewed to be one of the most prosperous cities in China. When he shortly stayed in Shanghai, he told the world-renowned magnates in business circles that the miraculous change and dreamlike development of Shanghai in all aspects has showed the success, creativity, and versatility of Chinese people, Shanghai’s local government, and China’s great leaders. He also uttered excitedly, “it is so unbelievable that I do not know how to depict my visiting experiences on the way from Pudong International Airport to the downtown Shanghai for the American people, and I totally believe such kind of impression and feeling I have is shared by many others who also visited this changing city. Shanghai people truly deserved to be proud of their own home. ”
Shanghai, as the center of Chinese economy and the largest port around the world after 1978; it is also characterized by its vitality and prosperousness drawing more and more eyes, particularly to those foreigners who are fond of oriental culture and China. It also functions as the window for foreigners wanting to learn more about China and a bridge connecting the outside world. In summary, if a traveler wants to visit China, Shanghai undoubtedly is his/her first priority other than some other typical cities in China.
Shanghai is located in the alluvial plain of Yangtze River, renowned for the river named Shanghaipu, the anabranch of Wusong River. In the era of Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C), Shanghai was under the control of Wu. At the days of Warring States(475-221B.C), some local fisherfolk invented the halieutics tools named as Hu, and then called this region as Hudu. Furthermore, in order to guard against pirates, the local government built ramparts along the coast, therefore shanghai was called Hu for short. Shanghai was reputed as the convenient ferry in Yangtze River and Eastern Ocean, the well-marked Center in southeastern China. Another saying goes like this, “if you want to learn two-thousand-year history of China, please visit Xian. If you want to learn one-thousand-year history of China, Please visit Beijing. If you are interested in one-hundred-year history of China, please visit Shanghai.” As the mirror of the modern China, Shanghai possesses the rich and massive historical records, and added a more particular aurola as the birthplace of Chinese Communist Party.
1. A Brief History of Shanghai
Shanghai, which literally means the “City on the Sea”, lies on the Yangtze River delta at the point where China’s main waterway completes its 5,500-km (3,400-mi) journey to the Pacific. Until 1842, Shanghai’s location made it merely a small fishing village. After the first Opium War, however, the British named Shanghai a treaty port, opening the city to foreign involvement.
The village was soon turned into a city carved up into autonomous concessions administered concurrently by the British, French, and Americans, all independent of Chinese law. Each colonial presence brought with it its particular culture, architecture, and society.
Although Shanghai had its own walled Chinese city, many native residents still chose to live in the foreign settlements. Thus began a mixing of cultures that shaped Shanghai’s openness to Western influence. Shanghai became an important industrial center and trading port that attracted not only foreign businesspeople (60,000 by the 1930s) but also Chinese migrants from other parts of the country.
The Paris of the East became known as a place of vice and indulgence. Amid this glamour and degradation the Communist Party held its first meeting in 1921. In the 1930s and 40s, the city weathered raids, invasions, then outright occupation by the Japanese. In 1943, at the height of World War II, most foreigners had fled and the concessions had been ceded to the Japanese, bringing Shanghai’s 101 years as a treaty port to a close. Despite the war’s end, fighting continued as Nationalists and Communists fought a three-year civil war for control of China. The Communists declared victory in 1949 and established the People’s Republic of China, after which the few remaining foreigners left the country. Closed off from the outside world with which it had become so comfortable, Shanghai fell into a deep sleep. Fashion, music, and romance gave way to uniformity and the stark reality of Communism.
Over the decades, from 1950 to 1980, a one Five Year Plan after another was marked by periods of extreme famine and drought, reform and suppression. Shanghai’s industries soldiered on during these years; the city remained the largest contributor of tax revenue to the central government. Its political contribution, however, had far greater ramifications: the city was the powder keg for the Cultural Revolution and the base of operations for the infamous Gang of Four, led by Mao Zedong’s wife, Jiang Qing. The so-called January Storm of 1967 purged many of Shanghai’s leaders, and Red Guards in Shanghai fervently carried out their destruction of the “Four Olds”: old ways of idea, living, traditions, and thought.
Yet, in 1972, with the Cultural Revolution still raging, Shanghai hosted the historic meeting that would help lay the groundwork for the China of today. Premier Zhou Enlai and U.S. president Richard Nixon signed the Shanghai Communique, which enabled the two countries to normalize relations and encouraged China to open talks with the rest of the world. Twenty years later, the 14th Party Congress endorsed the concept of a socialist market economy, opening the door ever wider to foreign investment.
2. Mordernization of Shanghai
Today, Shanghai has once again become one of China’s most open cities ideologically, socially, culturally, and economically, striving to return to the internationalism that defined it before the Revolution. Shanghai’s path to this renewed prominence began in 1990 when China’s leader, Deng Xiaoping, chose it as the engine of the country’s commercial renaissance, aiming to rival Hong Kong by 2010. Having embraced competition and a market-driven economy in just a few years, it now hosts the nation’s stock market, accounts for approximately one-fifth of the country’s gross national product, and serves as the most important industrial base in the nation. Today, beauty and charm coexist with kitsch and commercialism. From the colonial architecture of the former French Concession to the forest of cranes and the neon-lighted high-rises jutting above the city, Shanghai is a city of paradox and change.
Numerous celebrities once gifted Shanghai the endless glories such as Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Madam Sun, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Li Hongzhang (the Prime Minister of the Qing Dynasty) and Chiang Kai-shek, etc. They lived or stayed in Shanghai for a certain time and left us many unforgettable stories.
Its westernized characters are unparalleled in contrast to any other city in China. It formed its own characteristics of keeping old-traditions and Sino-foreign cultural communication. The establishment of national market of the finance and securities, futures, foreign exchanges, and technology ensures its status as the center of national resource allocation; meanwhile it also quickens the internationalization of Shanghai economy. APEC meeting held in 2001 and the World Expo which is currently held inevitably prompts the further establishment of its status as one of the international business centers.
Shanghai at the present is a modernized but traditional metropolis featured in Shanghai-style Culture. Each part of prosperous Shanghai absolutely releases its distinct fascination from other cities. The unique old-style westernized architectures in the Bund and modernized skyscrapers in Pudong mutually glorify each other. The sounds of reciting psalm at cathedral of Xujiahui, the upward smoke of joss sticks at Jade-Buddha Temple, the elders playing Mahjong under the arcade, and youngsters playing football in alleys will all release you colorfulness and variety of local citizens’ daily life. The Hu Drama, burlesque playing in public theater, the symphonic orchestra, ballet in big theater, the local snacks and cuisine in some old-fashioned hotels, the refreshments from different places in Yunnan Road, French feast at Red House, KFC, tea cafe and Starbucks in Shanghai old streets, the taproom in Hengshan Road, the diversity of choices certainly deepens your understanding on Shanghai and locals lifestyle.
The Sino-foreign integration, enchantment of tradition and the preference to fashion perfect Shanghai in different aspects. The honor and dream are mixed here, the impressive architectures mostly express its passion and emotion to show itself and welcome the guests from other countries and regions in the process of modernization and globalization.
3. Shanghai World Expo 2010
Shanghai World Expo 2010 was held in Shanghai, China where grand tradition of international fairs and expositions was scheduled. The theme of the exposition was “Better City–Better Life” and signified Shanghai’s new status in the 21st century as a major economic and cultural center. It generated the largest number of visitors in the history of the world’s fairs in terms of gross numbers. The Expo was opened from May 1 until October 31, 2010. The mascot of 2010 Shanghai World Expo was Haibao. World Expo 2010 Shanghai China was also a great international gathering; the exposition strived to attract the participants of over 200 countries and international organizations and 70 million visitors from home and abroad. History would record this World Expo for its widest participation. Besides, Shanghai took global eyesight in preparing and organizing this exposition from the start, gathering the wisdom of the whole world, trying its best to gain understanding and support from various countries and people. Expo 2010 Shanghai China focused on innovation and interaction. Innovation was the soul, while cultural interaction was an important mission of the World Expositions. In the new era, Expo 2010 Shanghai China contributed to human-centred development, scientific and technological innovation, cultural diversity and win-win cooperation for a better future, thus composing a melody with the key notes of highlighting innovation and interaction in the new century. Diversities of Expo sites featured by the vivid styles of different countries for sure guaranteed the success of Shanghai 2010 World Expo.
