It's one of the world's most dynamic cities and has been for a long time. The Europeans identified Shanghai as the place to do business and dominate China when the country was weak. It was a stronghold of the Mao Zedong communists in the early days of the revolution. Its present ambition is to surpass Singapore and Hong Kong and become the leading financial centre of the region. Shanghai is an interesting and exciting place.
The city is growing at a prodigious rate. Take a train to the outskirts and you will pass vast housing developments. People are streaming in from China's interior to join in the prosperity. Some are coming as "guest workers" and living in dormitories. Many are coming to settle and put down roots.
Old residential areas in the centre are being ripped down to make way for luxury high-rise apartments. We spoke to a young lady whose family home was recently placed under a compulsory purchase order by the Shanghai administration. Like others before them, they would receive a luxury apartment in return. Her parents planned to lease the apartment and live off the rental income.
Their experience contrasted with that of people we met in Chongqing. There the authorities were requisitioning land needed to house people displaced by the Three Gorges Dam. Owners were complaining bitterly that they were being swindled.
There is a lot of history in Shanghai. Among its ancient buildings are the Longhua Pagoda, Jade Buddha Temple and the tomb of Lu Xun. Qiboa Ancient Town and Zhujajiao Water Town are well worth a visit. I've heard both criticised as "theme parks". That may be true but it doesn't prevent them from being very good theme parks.
The Nanjing Road and Huaihai Road are famous for their fashion houses and restaurants. Walk down the former and you will get to The Bund. The latter leads to the former "French Concession".
The Bund is where the Europeans and Americans had their business houses. Today the buildings fly the Chinese flag. Interestingly, you do not see the flag flown much in China. Nor do you see many statues of political leaders. The flags in the Bund are a proud reminder that the buildings are now firmly in Chinese hands and the days of foreign subjugation are gone.
The foreign presence in Shanghai was not entirely bad for the city. The foreigners brought prosperity and were opposed to the "Boxers" who were a conservative bunch in league with the oppressive Manchu Dynasty. When the British and French put down the "Boxer Rebellion" and sacked the Manchu imperial pleasure palace, a lot of people in Shanghai were content with the outcome, even if they didn't like the way it was achieved.
The foreigners had "Concessions" of land upon which they built small towns for their nationals. The British and American Concessions have been swallowed up by recent development but large parts of the French Concession remain untouched. Its restaurants and bars were favourite venues for young revolutionaries in the early days of communism. Perhaps that's why it is so well preserved ... I don't know.
I do, however, know something about the attractive, white-barked trees that line the boulevards of the French Concession. They are now found throughout China and widely believed to be French. That's something of a misconception. The trees are native to North America and were introduced into France two hundred years ago … France is full of them.
Shanghai Photos:
