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Shanghai

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Asia

   Shanghai (上海)

         A section of Shanghai's Pudong, east bank of Huangpu River.

   Location in the People's Republic of China
   Shanghai is highlighted and pointed to on this map

   Basic Information
   Origin of name: 上 shàng - on/above
   海 hǎi - sea
   市 shì - city
   "City on the Sea"
   Abbreviation: 沪 Hù and 申 Shēn
   Area: 6,340.5 km² ( 31st)
   Population ( 2005): 17,780,000 ( 25th) Municipality
   9,838,000 Urban Area, 2001 est.
   Density ( 2005): 2804/km² ( 1st) Municipality
   GDP ( 2004):
    - per capita CNY 745.0 billion ( 7th)
   CNY 42,800 ( 1st)
   HDI ( 2005) 0.909 ( 1st) — high
   Major nationalities ( 2000): Han - 99%
   Hui - 0.4%
   City flower: Yulan magnolia
   (Magnolia denudata)
   Elevation: 0 - 103.4 m
   Coordinates: 31°10′N 121°28′E
   Postal code: 200000 - 202100
   Area code: +86/21
   License plate prefixes : 沪A, B, D, E
   沪C (outer suburbs)
   ISO 3166-2: cn-31
   Time zone : UTC+8
   Website : www.shanghai.gov.cn
   Government
   Administration Type: Municipality
   CPC Shanghai
   Committee Secretary: Han Zheng (acting)
   Mayor: Han Zheng
   County-level divisions: 18 Districts and 1 County
   Township-level divisions: 220 Towns and Villages

   Shanghai (Chinese: 上海; pinyin: Shànghǎi ; Shanghainese: /zɑ̃'he/),
   situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China, is the
   largest city of the People's Republic of China and the eighth largest
   in the world. Widely regarded as the citadel of China's modern economy,
   the city also serves as one of the most important cultural, commercial,
   financial, industrial and communications centers of China.
   Administratively, Shanghai is a municipality of the People's Republic
   of China that has province-level status. Shanghai is also one of the
   world's busiest ports, and became the largest cargo port in the world
   in 2005.

   Originally a sleepy fishing town, Shanghai became China's most
   important city by the 20th century and was the centre of popular
   culture, vice, intellectual discourse and political intrigue during the
   Republic of China. Shanghai once became the third largest financial
   centre in the world, ranking after New York City and London, and the
   largest commercial city in the Far East in the late 19th century and
   early 20th century. After the communist takeover in 1949, Shanghai
   languished under heavy central government taxation and much of its
   bourgeois elements were purged. Following the central government's
   authorization of market-economic redevelopment of Shanghai in 1992,
   Shanghai quickly surpassed early-starters Shenzhen and Guangzhou, and
   has since led China's economic growth. Some challenges remain for
   Shanghai at the beginning of the 21st century, as the city struggles to
   cope with increased worker migration, and a huge wealth gap. However,
   these challenges aside, Shanghai's skyscrapers and modern lifestyle
   mark the pinnacle of China's recent economic development.

Origin of name

   The two Chinese characters in the name "Shanghai" (see left) literally
   mean "on"/"top" and "sea". The local Shanghainese pronunciation of
   Shanghai is /zɑ̃.'he/, while the Standard Mandarin pronunciation in
   Hanyu Pinyin is Shànghǎi. The earliest occurrence of this name dates
   from the Song Dynasty (11th century), at which time there was already a
   river confluence and a town with this name in the area. There are
   disputes as to how the name should be interpreted, but official local
   histories have consistently said that it means "the upper reaches of
   the sea" (海之上洋). However, another reading, especially in Mandarin, also
   suggests the sense of "go onto the sea," which is consistent with the
   seaport status of the city. The more poetic name for Shanghai switches
   the order of the two characters, i.e., Haishang (海上), and is often used
   for terms related to Shanghainese art and culture. In the West,
   Shanghai has also been spelled Schanghai (in German), Sjanghai (in
   Dutch), Xangai (in Portuguese) and Changhaï (in French), but since the
   1990s the Hanyu Pinyin spelling of "Shanghai" has become universal in
   the West. In Japanese, Shanghai is written using the same two Chinese
   characters (上海), and the Japanese pronunciation Shanhai (シャンハイ) is an
   approximate of the Mandarin pronunciation.

   Shanghai's abbreviations in Chinese are Hù (沪) and Shēn (申). The former
   is derived from the ancient name Hu Du (沪渎) of the river now known as
   Suzhou Creek. The latter is derived from the name of Chunshen Jun
   (春申君), a nobleman of the Chu Kingdom (楚国) in the 3rd century B.C. whose
   territory included the Shanghai area and has locally been revered as a
   hero. Sports teams and newspapers in Shanghai often use the character
   Shēn (申) in their names. Shanghai is also commonly called Shēnchéng
   (申城, "City of Shēn").

   The city has had various nicknames in English, including "Paris of the
   East", "Queen of the Orient", "Pearl of the Orient", and even "The
   Whore of Asia" (a reference to widespread corruption of vice, drugs,
   and prostitution in the 1920s and 1930s).

History

Pre-19th century

   Before the formation of Shanghai city, Shanghai was part of Songjiang
   county (松江縣), governed by Suzhou prefecture (蘇州府). From the time of the
   Song Dynasty (960-1279), Shanghai gradually became a busy seaport,
   outgrowing its original political jurisdictions. For instance,
   Songjiang (淞江) today is one of 18 districts within Shanghai.
   1888 German map of Shanghai
   Enlarge
   1888 German map of Shanghai

   A city wall was built in AD 1553, which is generally accepted as the
   start of the city of Shanghai. However, before the 19th century,
   Shanghai was not considered a major city of China. Therefore, compared
   to most other major Chinese cities today, there are few ancient Chinese
   landmarks to be found in the city. The few cultural landmarks to be
   found are very ancient and typically date to the Three Kingdoms period
   of Chinese history. This is mostly due to the fact that present-day
   Shanghai is within the historic cultural centre of the Wu Kingdom
   (222-280).

   During the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai became an
   important regional port for the Yangtze and Huangpu rivers. It also
   became a major seaport for the nearby Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces,
   although overseas commerce was still forbidden at that time. A
   historically important area of this era is Wujiaochang (五角场) (now in
   the Yangpu District), the foundation of the city centre. Around the end
   of the Qianlong era, Shiliupu (十六铺) (now in the Huangpu District)
   became the largest port in East Asia.

19th to early 20th century

   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 in the early-19th century, British forces
   temporarily held Shanghai. The war ended with the 1842 Treaty of
   Nanjing, which saw the treaty ports, Shanghai included, opened for
   international trade. The Treaty of the Bogue signed in 1843, and the
   Sino-American Treaty of Wangsia signed in 1844 together saw foreign
   nations achieve extraterritoriality on Chinese soil, which officially
   lasted until 1943 but was essentially defunct by the late 1930s. From
   the twenties to the late 30s Shanghai was a so-called ' sin city'.
   Gangsters wielded a great deal of power and ran casinos and brothels.

   The Taiping Rebellion broke out in 1850, and in 1853 Shanghai was
   occupied by a triad offshoot of the rebels, called the Small Swords
   Society. The fighting destroyed the countryside but left the
   foreigners' settlements untouched, and Chinese arrived seeking refuge.
   Although previously Chinese were forbidden to live in foreign
   settlements, 1854 saw new regulations drawn up making land available to
   Chinese. Land prices rose substantially.
   Jiujiang Road, Shanghai, 1920s
   Enlarge
   Jiujiang Road, Shanghai, 1920s

   1854 also saw the first annual meeting of the Shanghai Municipal
   Council, created in order to manage the foreign settlements. In 1863,
   the British settlement, located along the western bank of the Huangpu
   river to the south of Suzhou creek (Huangpu district), and American
   settlement, located on the western bank of the Huangpu river and to the
   north of Suzhou creek (Hankou district) joined in order to form the
   International Settlement. The French opted out of the Shanghai
   Municipal Council, and instead maintained its own French Concession,
   located to the west of the International Settlement. This period saw a
   large influx of migrants from Europe and North America, who called
   themselves " Shanghighlanders".

   The Sino-Japanese War fought 1894- 95 over control of Korea concluded
   with the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which saw Japan emerge as an additional
   foreign power in Shanghai. Japan built the first factories in Shanghai,
   which were soon copied by other foreign powers to effect the emergence
   of Shanghai industry. Shanghai was then the biggest financial city in
   the Far East. Under the Republic of China, Shanghai was made a special
   city in 1927, and a municipality in May 1930. The Japanese Navy bombed
   Shanghai on January 28, 1932, nominally in an effort to crush down
   Chinese student protests of the Manchurian Incident and the subsequent
   Japanese occupation. 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. In the Second Sino-Japanese War, the
   city fell after the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, and was occupied until
   Japan's surrender in 1945. The International Settlement was occupied on
   8 December 1941 with opposition from only the one remaining British
   gunboat stationed in the port and some Chinese irregulars.

During World War II

   Chinese Nationalist defenders in the 1937 Battle of Shanghai against
   the invading Japanese army, start of full-scale war.
   Enlarge
   Chinese Nationalist defenders in the 1937 Battle of Shanghai against
   the invading Japanese army, start of full-scale war.

   Shanghai had been a centre for refugees as early as 1919 when large
   numbers of White Russians fleeing revolution and civil war took up
   residence there. Russians comprised the second largest foreign
   community in Shanghai (after the Japanese) and played a important role
   in the economy and policing of the International Settlement until the
   end of World War II.

   During World War II, Shanghai became again a centre for refugees from
   Europe. It was the only city in the world that was open unconditionally
   to the Jews at the time. As a result, approximately 32,000 Jews, who
   like the other foreign communities termed themselves "Shanghailanders,"
   settled in this fascinating Chinese city. However, under pressure from
   their Nazi allies, the Japanese ghettoised the Jewish refugees in late
   1941 in what came to be known as the Shanghai ghetto, and hunger and
   infectious diseases such as amoebic dysentery became rife.
   Nevertheless, the Japanese government refused Nazi requests to deport
   the Jewish population.

Communist rule

   On May 27, 1949, Shanghai came under communist control and was one of
   the only two former Republic of China (ROC) municipalities not merged
   into neighbouring provinces over the next decade (the other being
   Beijing). It underwent a series of changes in the boundaries of its
   subdivisions, especially in the next decade.

   After the communist takeover in 1949, most foreign firms moved their
   offices from Shanghai to Hong Kong. During the 1950s and 1960s,
   Shanghai became an industrial center and centre 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 not
   permitted to initiate economic reforms until 1991.

   Political power in Shanghai has traditionally been seen as a stepping
   stone to higher positions within the PRC central government. In the
   1990s, there was what was often described as the politically
   right-of-centre " Shanghai clique," which included the president of the
   PRC Jiang Zemin and the premier of the PRC Zhu Rongji. Starting in
   1992, the central government under Jiang Zemin, a former Mayor of
   Shanghai, began reducing the tax burden on Shanghai and encouraging
   both foreign and domestic investment in order to promote it as the
   economic hub of East Asia and to encourage its role as gateway of
   investment to the Chinese interior. Since then it has experienced
   continuous economic growth of between 9–15% annually.

Politics and Administration

Politics

   Shanghai municipal government building.
   Enlarge
   Shanghai municipal government building.

   Shanghai has been a political hub of China for many years. Many of
   China's top government officials in Beijing are known to have risen in
   Shanghai in the 1980s on a platform that was critical of the extreme
   leftism of the Cultural Revolution, giving them the tag " Shanghai
   Clique" during the 1990s. Many observers of Chinese politics view the
   more right-leaning Shanghai Clique as an opposing and competing faction
   of the current Chinese administration under President Hu Jintao and
   Premier Wen Jiabao. Shanghai's top jobs, the Party Chief and the
   position of Mayor, have always been prominent on a national scale. Four
   Shanghai mayors eventually went on to take prominent Central Government
   positions, including former President Jiang Zemin and former Premier
   Zhu Rongji. The top administrative jobs are always appointed directly
   by the Central Government.

   The current Shanghai government under Mayor Han Zheng has openly
   advocated transparency in the city's government. However, in previous
   years a complicated system of relationships between Shanghai's
   government, banks, and other civil institutions has been under scrutiny
   for corruption, motivated by faction politics in Beijing; these
   allegations from Beijing did not go anywhere until late 2006.

   In September 2006, the Shanghai Communist Party Chair Chen Liangyu and
   a number of his followers were removed from their positions after a
   probe into the city's pension fund. Over a hundred investigators, sent
   by the Central Government, reportedly uncovered clues of money
   diversion from the city's pension fund to unapproved loans and
   investments. Chen Liangyu, a member of former President Jiang Zemin's
   Shanghai Clique, was seen as a major rival of President Hu Jintao and
   Premier Wen Jiabao. Chen's abrupt removal is viewed by many Chinese as
   a political maneuver by Hu Jintao to further secure his power in the
   country. See the article on Chen Liangyu for more information regarding
   his dismissal.

Subdivisions

   Shanghai's districts and county
   Enlarge
   Shanghai's districts and county

   Shanghai is administratively equal to a province and is divided into 19
   county-level divisions: 18 districts and 1 county. There is no single
   downtown district in Shanghai, the urban core is scattered across
   several districts. Prominent central business areas include Lujiazui on
   the east bank of the Huangpu River, and The Bund and Hongqiao areas in
   the west bank of the Huangpu River. The city hall and major
   administration units are located in Huangpu District, which also serve
   as a commercial area, including the famous Nanjing Road. Other major
   commercial areas include the classy Xintiandi and Huaihai Road in Luwan
   district and Xujiahui in Xuhui District. Many universities in Shanghai
   are located in residential areas of Yangpu District and Putuo District.

   Nine of the districts govern Puxi (literally West Bank), or the older
   part of urban Shanghai on the west bank of the Huangpu River. These
   nine districts are collectively referred to as Shanghai Proper (上海市区)
   or the core city (市中心):
     * Huangpu District ( Simplified Chinese: 黄浦区; 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 (East Bank), or the newer part of urban and suburban Shanghai on
   the east bank of the Huangpu River, is governed by:
     * Pudong New District (浦东新区 Pǔdōng Xīn Qū) — Chuansha County until
       1992

   Eight of the districts govern suburbs, satellite towns, and rural areas
   further away from the urban core:
     * 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 Island, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze, is governed
   by:
     * Chongming County (崇明县 Chóngmíng Xiàn)

   As of 2003, these county-level divisions are further divided into the
   following 220 township-level divisions: 114 towns, 3 townships, 103
   subdistricts. Those are in turn divided into the following
   village-level divisions: 3,393 neighbourhood committees and 2,037
   village committees.

   List of towns:
     * Anting, Jiading District
     * Huamu, Pudong New District
     * Pengpu, Zhabei District
     * Beicai, Pudong New District
     * Qibao, Minhang District
     * Sheshan, Songjiang District
     * Sijing, Songjiang District
     * Nanqiao, Fengxian District
     * Xinzhuang, Minhang District
     * Jiangwan, Yangpu District

Economy and demographics

   The Bund at night, the location of several major banking branches.
   Enlarge
   The Bund at night, the location of several major banking branches.

   Shanghai is often regarded as the centre of finance and trade in
   mainland China. Modern development began with economic reforms in 1992,
   a decade later than many of the Southern Chinese provinces. Prior to
   then, much of the city's tax revenue went directly to the capital,
   Beijing, with little return. Even with a decreased tax burden after
   1992, Shanghai's tax contribution to the central government is around
   20-25% of the national total (Shanghai's annual tax burden pre-1990s
   was on average 70% of the national total). Shanghai today is still the
   most populous and well developed city in mainland China.

   Shanghai is one of the world's busiest ports. In 2005, Shanghai ranked
   first of the world's busiest ports in terms of cargo throughput,
   handling a total of 443 million tons of cargo. In terms of container
   traffic, it is the third busiest port in the world, following Singapore
   and Hong Kong.

   The 2000 census put the population of Shanghai Municipality to 16.738
   million, including the floating population, which made up 3.871
   million. Since the 1990 census the total population has 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. 5.4% of the inhabitants were
   illiterate. As of 2003, the official registered population is 13.42
   million; however, more than 5 million more people work and live in
   Shanghai undocumented, and of the 5 million, some 4 million belong to
   the floating population of temporary migrant workers, a large
   proportion of whom are from Anhui Province as well as Jiangsu and
   Zhejiang Provinces. The average life expectancy in 2003 was 79.80
   years, 77.78 for men and 81.81 for women.

   Shanghai and Hong Kong have had a recent rivalry over which city is to
   be the economic centre of China. The city had a GDP of ¥46,586 (ca. US$
   5,620) per capita in 2003, ranked no. 13 among all 659 Chinese cities.
   Hong Kong on the other hand, possessed an unparalleled GDP of ¥310,021
   (ca. US$ 37,400). Hong Kong has the advantage of a stronger legal
   system, international market integration, superior economic freedom,
   greater banking and service expertise. Shanghai has stronger links to
   both the Chinese interior and the central government, in addition to 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 14
   consecutive years since 1992. In 2005, Shanghai's nominal GDP posted an
   11.1% growth to 912.5 billion yuan (US$114 billion).
   New skyscrapers amidst old residential shikumen buildings. Puxi area.
   Enlarge
   New skyscrapers amidst old residential shikumen buildings. Puxi area.

   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, colour 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 increase the quality of life
   for Shanghai's residents, quite in accordance to the "Better City -
   Better Life" theme of Shanghai's Expo 2010.

   Historically very Western in lifestyle, Shanghai is increasingly a
   critical centre of communication with the Western world. Examples
   include the opening of the Pac-Med Medical Exchange in June of 2004, a
   clearinghouse of medical data and a link between the Chinese and
   westernized medical infrastructures. In medicine and other humanitarian
   fields, China is actively seeking input of first world nations to
   improve living conditions and trade status. Arguments for and against
   modern Chinese leadership question the genuine influence the influx of
   western culture and technology will have on vast Chinese interior,
   outside of the densely populated, often visited urban centres. The
   Pudong district of Shanghai contains contemporary architecture and
   "modern"-feeling districts, in close proximity to major international
   trade and hospitality zones. Visitors to Shanghai find free public
   parks manicured to startling perfection; in distinct contrast to the
   massive industrial installations which reveal China's emerging
   environmental concerns. Shanghai's international diversity is perhaps
   the world's foremost window into the rich, historic and complex society
   of today's China.

Geography and climate

   Average temperatures (red) and precipitation (blue) in Shanghai
   Enlarge
   Average temperatures (red) and precipitation (blue) in Shanghai

   Shanghai faces the East China Sea (part of the Pacific Ocean), and is
   bisected by the Huangpu River. Puxi contains the city proper on the
   western side of Huangpu River, while an entirely new financial district
   has been erected on the eastern bank of the Huangpu in Pudong.

          Geographical coordinates: 31°13′N 121°28′E

   Shanghai experiences all four seasons, with freezing temperatures
   during the winter season and a 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees
   Fahrenheit) average high during the hottest months of July and August.
   Temperatures extremes of -10C (14F) and +41C (105F) have been recorded.
   Heavy rain is frequent in early summer. Spring starts in March, summer
   in June, autumn in September and winter in December. The weather in
   spring, although considered the most beautiful season, is highly
   variable, with frequent rain and alternating spells of warmth and cold.
   Summer is the peak tourist season, but is hot and oppressive, as the
   humidity makes it almost impossible for people not used to the
   environment to breathe properly. Clothes tend to get fairly wet after
   minutes of walking. Autumn is generally sunny and dry, and the foliage
   season is in November. Winters are typically grey and dreary, with no
   snowfall. The city has a few Typhoon spells during the year, none of
   which in recent years have caused considerable damage.

Astronomical phenomena

   The previous total solar eclipse to be seen from the centre of Shanghai
   ( 31°13.9′N 121°28.2′E) occurred on May 10, 1575.

   The next total solar eclipse that will be seen from Shanghai will be
   solar eclipse of 2009-Jul-22.

   Wikisource has an article about solar eclipses as seen from Shanghai
   from 2001 to 3000.

Transportation

   Inside a Shanghai subway car
   Enlarge
   Inside a Shanghai subway car
   Nanpu cable suspension bridge, connecting Puxi and Pudong.
   Enlarge
   Nanpu cable suspension bridge, connecting Puxi and Pudong.

   Shanghai has an extensive public transportation system, largely based
   on buses, and a rapidly expanding metro system. For a city of
   Shanghai's size, road traffic is fairly smooth and convenient.

   Shanghai has the world's most extensive bus system with nearly one
   thousand bus lines. The Shanghai Metro (subway and elevated light rail)
   has five lines (numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) at present. According to the
   development schedule of the municipal government, by the year 2010,
   another 8 lines will be built in Shanghai. Bus and metro fares run from
   ¥1 to ¥4 depending on distance (or between 12 to 50 US cents). Taxis in
   Shanghai are plentiful and market competition has driven taxi fare down
   to affordable prices for the average resident (¥11 or a little over one
   US dollar for 3 km). Before the 1990s, bicycling was the most
   ubiquitous form of transportation 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, most motorists in China were raised riding bikes and so are
   fairly careful of them. Further, the city government has pledged to add
   180 km of cycling lanes over the next few years. 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.

   Shanghai has two airports: Hongqiao and Pudong International, which has
   the second highest (combined) traffic in China, following Hong Kong
   International Airport. In cooperation with the Shanghai municipality
   and the Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co. (SMT), German
   Transrapid constructed the first commercial maglev railway in the world
   in 2002, from Shanghai's Longyang Road subway station 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 miles per hour).

   As of December 2005, Shanghai's port, including the newly opened
   Yangshan deep water port (洋山深水港), is the largest in the world. The
   Donghai Bridge (东海大桥) with a total length 32.5 km, is the longest
   cross-sea bridge of the world. It links Shanghai on the mainland to the
   Yangshan islands.
   Transrapid maglev train
   Enlarge
   Transrapid maglev train

   Two railways intersect in Shanghai: Jinghu Railway (Beijing-Shanghai)
   Railway passing through Nanjing (京沪线), and Shanghai- Hangzhou Railway
   (沪杭线 Hu Hang Line). Shanghai has two main railway stations, Shanghai
   Railway Station and Shanghai South Railway Station. A maglev train
   route to Hangzhou ( Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev Train 沪杭磁悬浮线) will begin
   construction in 2006 and is planned to be finished in 2008. 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.

   Within Shanghai itself, there are elevated roads, which appear
   expressway-like in road conditions (direction-separated lanes). Tunnels
   and bridges are used to link Puxi to Pudong.

Culture

Language

   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 Shanghainese dialect today is a mixture
   of standard Wu Chinese as spoken in Suzhou, with the dialects of Ningbo
   and other nearby regions whose peoples have migrated to Shanghai in
   large numbers 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 at
   Grade 1.

Art

   No. 4 of Hundred Thousand Scenes (十萬圖之四). Painting by Ren Xiong, a
   pioneer of the Shanghai School of Chinese art; ca. 1850.
   Enlarge
   No. 4 of Hundred Thousand Scenes (十萬圖之四). Painting by Ren Xiong, a
   pioneer of the Shanghai School of Chinese art; ca. 1850.

Songjiang School and Huating School

   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 centre 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 School

   The Shanghai School (海上画派 Haishang Huapai or 海派 Haipai) is a very
   important Chinese school of traditional arts during the Qing Dynasty
   and the whole of the 20th 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 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).

   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/haipai debate.

Modern China

   Because of Shanghai's status as the cultural and economic centre 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 (pioneered by Lu Xun and Mao Dun) and the more "
   bourgeois", more romantically and aesthetically inclined writers (such
   as Shi Zhecun, Shao Xunmei, Ye Lingfeng, Eileen Chang).
   Two women wear Shanghai-styled qipao while playing golf in this 1930s
   Shanghai advertisement.
   Enlarge
   Two women wear Shanghai-styled qipao while playing golf in this 1930s
   Shanghai advertisement.

   Besides literature, Shanghai was also the birthplace of Chinese cinema
   & theatre. China’s first short film, The Difficult Couple (Nanfu nanqi,
   1913), and the country’s first fictional feature film, Orphan Rescues
   Grandfather (Gu'er jiu zuji, 1923) were both produced in Shanghai.
   These two films were very influential, and established Shanghai as the
   centre 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 contributed
   enormously to the development of the Hong Kong film industry.

   Much 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
   (Huayang nianhua) 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.

Popular stereotypes

   Shanghainese people have often been stereotyped by other Chinese (both
   urban and rural) as being materialistic, pretentious, and disdainful of
   provincials; and at the same time, however, they are admired for their
   meticulous attention to detail, faithfulness in contract,
   professionalism, and style.

   It is a belief of many Chinese from other provinces of China that
   Shanghainese men can be very henpecked (nagged or controlled by their
   wives). Husbands in Shanghai often simultaneously play the roles of a
   bread-winner, father, cook, plumber, carpenter, etc. Interestingly,
   this view, though outmoded in the context of the modern age, is still
   one of the first things these people think of at the mention of
   Shanghai. Shanghainese people counter this stereotype with the view
   that other provinces, especially northern provinces are Androcentric.

People of other provinces

   Only very few residents are descended from original inhabitants of the
   old walled city. Nearly all registered Shanghainese residents are
   descendants of immigrants from the two adjacent provinces of Jiangsu
   and Zhejiang who moved to Shanghai in the late 19th and the early 20th
   Century. These are regions that generally speak the same family of
   dialects as Shanghainese - Wu Chinese. Much of pre-modern Shanghainese
   culture is an integration of cultural elements from these two regions.
   The Shanghainese dialect reflects this as well.

   Despite this somewhat heterogeneous origin to the Shanghainese
   population, there has been a strong sense of Shanghainese identity,
   founded upon cultural and economical superiority up to the Revolution
   and to the present day. The Revolution was a humbling experience for
   Shanghai as a whole, as it was brought into line by the Communist
   regime, whose ideology favoured grass-root agriculture and industry,
   and opposed bourgeois excesses, which Shanghai stood for in the eyes of
   many. While most in China viewed the Shanghainese as bourgeois and
   arrogant, the Shanghainese reciprocally eyed the rest of the country as
   "provincials" (乡下人; xiangwonin in Shanghainese). After the nationwide
   chaos of the Cultural Revolution and towards the 1980s, perception of
   Shanghai was greatly improved among other Chinese.

   Tensions have been refueled in the past decade by migrants from all
   over China, who do not speak the local dialect and are therefore forced
   to use Mandarin as a lingua franca. Rising crime rates, littering,
   harassive panhandling, and an overloading of the basic infrastructure
   (mainly public transportation and public schools) associated with the
   rise of these migrant populations (over 3 million new migrants in 2003
   alone) have been generating some ill will from the Shanghainese. The
   new migrants are easy to spot by the Shanghainese, and are often
   targets of both intentional and unintentional discrimination. Efforts
   have been made by the local Shanghai municipal government to provide
   adequate welfare for the migrant populations in Shanghai, while also
   being cautious not to further increase the burdens of the native
   population.

Shikumen

   Renovated shikumen lanes in Xintiandi
   Enlarge
   Renovated shikumen lanes in Xintiandi

   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 behaviour. 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.

   This style of housing originally developed when local developers
   adapted terrace houses to Chinese conditions. The wall was added to
   protect against fighting and looting during the Taiping rebellion, and
   later burglars and vandals during the social upheavals of the early
   twentieth century. By World War II, more than 80% of the population in
   the city lived in these kinds of dwellings. Many of these were hastily
   built and were akin to slums, while others were of sturdier
   construction and featured all modern amenities such as the flush
   toilet.

   During and after World War II, massive population increases in Shanghai
   led many shikumen houses to be heavily subdivided. For example, the
   spacious living room is often divided into three or four rooms, each
   lent out to a family. These cramped conditions continue to exist in
   many of the shikumen districts that have survived recent development.

   The landlords who leased (subletted) the shikumen out to other families
   were called "erfangdong"(二房东), or "second landlord" as many of them
   acquired the shikumen buildings from its original owner
   ("dafangdong"大房东). These landlords families usually share the same
   shikumen building with the tenants.

Fashion

   Other Shanghainese cultural artifacts include the cheongsam
   (Shanghainese: zansae), a modernization of the traditional
   Chinese/Manchurian qipao (Chinese: 旗袍; Shanghainese: jibô) garment
   which first appeared in the 1910s in Shanghai. The cheongsam dress was
   slender with high cut sides, and tight 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 not controversial results.

Cultural sites

   Modernity meets tradition at Jing'an Temple in downtown Shanghai.
   Enlarge
   Modernity meets tradition at Jing'an Temple in downtown Shanghai.
   Xujiahui Cathedral
   Enlarge
   Xujiahui Cathedral
     * The Bund
     * Shanghai Museum
     * Shanghai Grand Theatre
     * Yuyuan Gardens
     * Jing'an Temple, first built during the Three Kingdoms period
     * Longhua temple, largest temple in Shanghai, also built during the
       Three Kingdoms period
     * Jade Buddha Temple
     * Xujiahui Cathedral, largest Catholic cathedral in Shanghai
     * Dongjiadu Cathedral
     * She Shan Cathedral
     * The Orthodox Eastern Church
     * Xiaodaoyuan (Mini-Peach Orchard) Mosque
     * Songjiang Mosque
     * Ohel Rachel Synagogue
     * Lu Xun Memorial
     * Shikumen site of the First CPC Congress
     * Residence of Sun Yat-sen
     * Residence of Chiang Kai-shek
     * Shanghai residence of Qing Dynasty Viceroy and General Li Hongzhang
     * Ancient rivertowns of Zhujiajiao and Zhouzhuang on the outskirts of
       Shanghai
     * Wen Miao Market
     * Yunnan Road
     * Flowers and birds: Jiang yi lu market
     * Cheongsam: Chang le lu Cheongsam Street
     * Curio Market: Dong Tai Lu Curio Market
     * Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe

Colleges and universities

   Shanghai is home to many of China's top and oldest universities.

National

     * Shanghai Jiao Tong University (上海交通大学) (founded in 1896)
       (Nationally ranks No.4 in 2006)
     * Fudan University (复旦大学) (founded in 1905)(Nationally ranks No.5 in
       2006)
     * Tongji University (同济大学) (founded in 1907)(Nationally ranks No.26
       in 2006)
     * East China Normal University (华东师范大学) (Nationally ranks No.32 in
       2006)
     * China Academy of Art(中国美术学院)
     * Shanghai Conservatory of Music (上海音乐学院)
     * Shanghai Theatre Academy (上海戏剧学院)
     * Shanghai University (上海大学)
     * Second Military Medical University (第二军医大学)
     * East China University of Science and Technology (华东理工大学)
     * East China University of Politics and Law (华东政法学院)
     * Donghua University (东华大学)
     * Shanghai International Studies University (上海外国语大学)
     * Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (上海财经大学)

Public

     * Shanghai Normal University (上海师范大学)
     * Shanghai Maritime University (上海海事大学)
     * Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (上海中医药大学)
     * Shanghai University of Electric Power (上海电力学院)
     * University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (上海理工大学)
     * Shanghai Fisheries University (上海水产大学)
     * Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade (上海对外贸易学院)
     * Shanghai Institute of Physical Education (上海体育学院)

Private

     * Shanghai University of Engineering Sciences (上海工程技术大学)
     * Shanghai Institute of Technology (上海应用技术学院)
     * Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce (上海立信会计学院)
     * Shanda University (上海杉达学院)
     * East-Sea University (上海东海学院)
     * China Europe International Business School (中欧国际工商学院)
     * Shanghai Sencond Polytechnic University (上海第二工业大学)

   Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.

High Schools

     * Shanghai Foreign Language School (SFLS, 上海外国语学校)
     * No.2 High School Affiliated to East China Normal University
       (华东师范大学第二附属中学)
     * High School Affiliated to Fudan University (复旦大学附属中学)
     * High School Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University
       (上海交通大学附属中学)
     * High School Affiliated to Shanghai University (上海大学附属中学)
     * Shanghai High School (上海中学)
     * Shanghai Experimental School (上海市实验学校)
     * Nanyang Model High School (南洋模范中学）
     * Shanghai Kongjiang High School(上海控江中学)
     * Shanghai Jianping High School (上海建平中学)
     * Shanghai Yangpu Senior High School (上海市杨浦高级中学)
     * Shanghai QiBao High School (七宝中学)

More Photos

   Shanghai Puxi (west bank) aerial view

   Pudong from the rear end

   Shanghai Pudong (east bank) aerial view

   Pudong seen from the Huangpu River

   A maglev train is coming out of the Pudong International Airport

   A shipside in Waigaoqiao, Shanghai Port

   Commercial advertisements at Hong Kong Plaza

   An old street (2005 photo)

   Yuyuan pagoda

   Yuyuan Gardens, water is an important aspect in Shanghainese gardens

   Tiantong Road, displays a mixture of old and new architectures in
   Shanghai

   Street and traffic in Shanghai

   Shanghai traffic (buses, cars and taxis) on a Sunday afternoon

   Yangpu Port (left) along the banks of the Huangpu River. In the
   distance is Yangpu Bridge.

   A close-up of a skyscraper in Shanghai

   The Bank of Shanghai

Sister cities

   Shanghai has city partnerships with the following cities:
     * Japan Since 1973: Yokohama, Japan
     * Japan Since 1974: Osaka, Japan
     * Italy Since 1979: Milan, Italy
     * Netherlands Since 1979: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
     * United States Since 1979: San Francisco, United States
     * Croatia Since 1980: Zagreb, Croatia
     * North Korea Since 1982: Hamhung, North Korea
     * Belgium Since 1984: Antwerp, Belgium
     * Pakistan Since 1984: Karachi, Pakistan
     * United States Since 1985: Chicago, United States
     * Canada Since 1985: Montreal, Canada
     * Germany Since 1986: Hamburg, Germany
     * Morocco Since 1986: Casablanca, Morocco
     * Sweden Since 1986: Gothenburg, Sweden
     * Norway Since 19??: Oslo, Norway
     * France Since 1987: Marseille, France
     * Brazil Since 1988: São Paulo, Brazil
     * Russia Since 1988: Saint Petersburg, Russia
     * Turkey Since 1989: İstanbul, Turkey
     * Vietnam Since 1990: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
     * South Korea Since 1993: Busan, South Korea
     * New Zealand Since 1994: Dunedin, New Zealand
     * United Arab Emirates Since 2000: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
     * England Since 2000: Liverpool, England
     * Romania Since 2002: Constanţa, Romania
     * Austria Since 2004: Salzburg, Austria
     * Republic of Ireland Since 2005: Cork, Ireland

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai"
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