Shanghai situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China, is the largest city of the P.R.C and it contains the most striking blend of oriental and western cultures and of the past and present in China, and one of the most populous cities in the world.
Widely regarded as the citadel of China's modern economy, the city also serves as one of the nation's most important cultural, commercial, financial, industrial and communications centers. Before the formation of Shanghai city, Shanghai was part of Songjiang County, a fishing town. The importance of Shanghai grew radically in the nineteenth century, as the city's strategic position at the mouth of the Yangtze River made it an ideal location for trade with the West. After the Opium War, Shanghai was forced by the European powers to open as a"treaty port". From that time on aggressors from many countries began to flock in and the city became known as a notorious "paradise for adventurers".
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. Pudong, or the newer part of urban and suburban Shanghai on the east bank of the Huangpu River, which eight of the districts govern suburbs, satellite towns, and rural areas further away from the urban core.
By the 2000, the population of Shanghai Municipality was 16.738 million, including the floating population, which made up 3.871 million. Since the 1990, the total population has increased by 3.396 million, as males accounted for 51.4%, females for 48.6% of the population. 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.
Tall old European-style buildings stand alongside low Chinese structures and ancient temples. Modern ocean-going vessels sail past junks. If you look carefully, you can still see the old names of banks and big foreign companies chipped into the stonework or written in faded paint on the facades of the western buildings that now house government offices. Old people still occasionally refer to the present-day People's Park as "The Race Course".
Cultural activities include theater groups, film studios, a symphony orchestra, the ballet. Opera companies acrobatics and even a circus.
Because of the years of foreign influence, Shanghai, the first to open a disco for foreign visitors, is perhaps China's most cosmopolitan city. It also offers the tourist art and history museums tracing China's growth through the ages, and magnificent examples of Chinese architecture in its temples and buildings.

1. The Bund
Your first wish on your tour of Shanghai will no doubt be to take a stroll along the Bund, or Zhongshan Road, and through the small parks along the river's edge. Here you will see citizens of Shanghai at rest, exercising, reading or practicing musical instruments.
You may want to lean on the sea wall and watch the bustle of the river traffic, one of the most interesting river scenes you will see anywhere in the world: a blending of wind and machine power on a very congested waterway. You will be fascinated by the navigating man oeuvres of diverse crafts.
Across the avenue from the river wall, the tall buildings that once housed the foreign mansions, clubs and banks are now occupied by state trading corporations, hotels, and one of the largest friendship stores in the country.

2. Nanjing road
Nanjing road is Shanghai's busiest street. It starts at the Bund, south of the Peace Hotel, and runs west. It is the city's main shopping area with department stores, small shops, restaurants, theaters and cinemas. To the south of Nanjing Road is the Renmin (People's) Park. To the west you can see the Municipal Library, which was built in 1849.

3. Shanghai Museum (People's Square)

The Shanghai Museum was originally housed within the City Library on Nanjing Road until 1995. This spectacular building is now the centerpiece of People's Square. The Museum is a harmonious combination of square shapes and circular ones, epitomizing the Chinese traditional concept which imagines heaven as round and earth as square.
The design is also in keeping with Feng Shui principles and this perfectly symmetrical building is said to resemble a large Chinese cooking pot with two handles protruding from either side. In the evenings, smoke bellows out of the vents in the building, making the museum literally appear to be simmering away in the center of the city.
As well as embodying the modern spirit of the city, the museum also houses a great permanent collection and hosts various exhibitions throughout the year. Even if you are not a big museum fan, this place is worth a visit. The displays are well presented and labeled in English and Chinese and it's an excellent indication of the cultural wealth existing in the city.The museum boasts over 120,000 pieces, including bronze, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ancient Chinese coins, jade furniture, and western art.

4. Yu Yuan
The Mandarin's Garden, as it is translated, was originally designed in the 16th century by the provincial governor, Pan Yunduan, in honor of his father, Pan En, who was himself a government minister. Construction took over 20 years. It is ingeniously laid out to imitate the style of imperial gardens in Beijing, and to create the feeling of spaciousness within a small area.
Yu Yuan is a garden within a garden. Divided into two parts, the outer garden contains pavilions, rock gardens and ponds, and leads to the inner garden, which is a smaller version of the outer one, consisting of many closely-packed pavilions. It suffered extensive damage over the years, but was restored in 1956.
Not only is it distinguished by its beautiful grounds, in southern Chinese style, but Yu Yuan has political significance as well. In the outer garden, you will find a small museum, called the Beautiful Spring Hall, which was built to commemorate the Society of Little Swords. One of the loveliest spots in the Garden, it was used as the Society's headquarters during the 1853 Upspring.

5. Xi join park (Shanghai zoo)
This zoo is situated in a western suburb of Shanghai near the airport and occupies an area of nearly 200 acres. The birds and animals on display here represent over 300 species and number more than 2.000. Among them are such rare Chinese birds and animals as the giant panda, golden monkey, red-crowned crane, northeastern tiger, Asian elephant and Chinese alligator. There are also rare specimens from other parts of the world.

6. Pudong
The area that has changed most dramatically in the city in recent years is the eastern bank of the Huangpu River, the district known as Pudong. Only ten years old this year, Pudong symbolizes everything that is new and exciting about Shanghai. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower, is a recent construction, which heralded the beginning of the Special Economic Region over the river. Development here is occurring at an incredible rate.
The International Conference Center has been completed recently, just in time for the Fortune 500 conference which attracted literally thousands of investors to the city. Shanghai-s Wall Street is also over here and hundreds of commuters make the trip under the river every day to work. The Jinmao Tower, the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world, now soars above even the TV Tower, skyscrapers are shooting up all over the place, and what were empty fields only one year ago, are now homes to offices and luxury hotels. Work on what is planned to be the tallest building in the world, the Shanghai World Financial Center is due to begin any day.
The area also however, epitomizes all that is dangerous about this chameleon of a city. Over seventy percent of the brand new office space constructed lies empty and the cost of living here is shooting up. The gap between the rich and poor is huge, unemployment is high and pollution in the city is choking Shanghai residents.
And yet, after spending a little time in the city, the overall feeling is clearly optimistic. Shanghai residents have a very strong minded and almost arrogant approach to their city. They know it is advanced, economically rich and an exciting place to be. This city has achieved so much already and looks like continuing to do so well into the 21st century.

7. Shanghai Grand Theatre (People's Square)
Located in the northwest of People's Square is the Shanghai Grand Theatre. This dazzling new building was designed by a French architect who came up with a complete design scheme including materials and lighting. The building seems to be made almost entirely from glass and the reflections of artificial and natural light are simply stunning.
The structure of the Grand Theatre is simple but smooth and compliments the flush lines of the museum and the polished look of the Exhibition Hall at the opposite end of the Square. The roof of the building is an upturned arc, resembling a treasure bowl and said to symbolize Shanghai's openness and progressive spirit.
The main theatre auditorium provides a stage for artists from throughout the world and it is always worth checking it out to see who is performing. The Theatre has played host to various Chinese stars and more recently, to western operas, plays and musicians.
There is a good restaurant in the Theatre, Maxim's of Paris and a bar at the top of the building which affords great views over the Square. The Grand Theatre box office is underneath and to the west of the building itself.

8. Shiji Gongyuan (Century Park)

Known throughout the world as "Pearl of the Orient" Shanghai is a modern and fast paced city, rich in history, culture and with a wealth of areas and sites just waiting to be explored. One of the nicest aspects of Shanghai is that the crowds here are much more manageable than in a city like Beijing. This is largely because there are no great ancient sites which people flock to. Rather, this is a city to be walked, wandered, explored and discovered in your own time and, in your own style.
One approach however, is to investigate Shanghai's former Concession areas and the wealth of treasures they hold. What make Shanghai particularly attractive are the many different styles of architecture and design throughout the city. Shanghai was once divided up into different "Concessions" or districts and the boundaries of these areas still remain today. The famous, Bund was home to the "British Public Park" and this boulevard has a plethora of colonial structures to visit, all reminders of Shanghai's days of decadence.
The Japanese and the French Concessions too, are fascinating areas to explore. The French quarter is a particularly charming district to wander, and there are many former residences to look at and discover something about old Shanghai and the people who lived here. The area known as the "Chinese City" is also worthy of a visit. Take a break from the tourists around the Yuyuan and do some serious antique shopping or just lose yourself amidst the old alleys and streets.
But perhaps most of all today, Shanghai is a spectacularly modern city. The pace of development here is unbelievable. Currently, seventeen percent of the world's cranes are in the city and developers boast that the city is changing at a rate incomparable to anywhere else in the world ever. The newest area of the city, Pudong, has just celebrated its 10th anniversary and is almost unrecognizable from the way it was when development began here. Two of the most impressive city structures can be found here, the Jinmao Tower and the Oriental TV Tower.

Transportation of Shanghai
Shanghai possesses one of the best transportation systems in China. As a major port city and the largest city in Eastern China, this is the major hub for the eastern region.
" Bus:
There are more than 1,100 bus lines in Shanghai. Buses are often packed to the hilt and at times, impossible to board. The closest thing to revolutionary fervor in Shanghai today is the rush-hour bus ambushes. Once on board, keep your valuables tucked away since pick pocketing is easy under such conditions, and foreigners make juicy targets.
Contrary to popular belief, buses are not color coded-the bus number is. Routes 1 to 30 are for trolley buses (now supplemented by regular buses). Buses 1 to 199 operate from 5 am to 11pm. Buses in the 200 and 400 series are peak-hour buses, and 300 series buses provide all-night service. Suburban and long-distance buses don't carry numbers-the destination is in characters.
The ticket prices are divided into several kinds which are according to the length of the routes and the condition of the bus, RMB1 for the routes less than 13 km long, RMB1.5 for the over-13 km long routes, RMB2 for air-con buses.
But we do not recommend you to use bus since it is crowded and often gets caught in jam. Taxi and metro are your first choices.
" Taxi:
There are 50,000 taxies running in Shanghai City. They are reasonably cheap and easy to flag down, but try to avoid the peak hours of 7 to 9 am and 5 to 7 pm. The start price is RMB10 for 3 km and RMB2 for following each 1 km. At night (23:00-5:00) the start price is RMB13 for 3 km and RMB2.6 for following each 1 km, once exceeding 10 kilometers' journey, it would be RMB3.9 for each kilometer, and the bargain is permitted, also, you could take the taxi to travel in a group.
" Ferryboat:
There are more than 20 ferry lines between Pudong and Puxi. Ticket price is RMB0.5/person, RMB1.3/bike, RMB1.5/auxiliary bike; RMB2/motorbike; freight train and truck go across the Dongtan Road-Nanjing Road, Mingshen Road-Dandong Road, and RMB10-20 for each one.
" Metro:
Nowadays, 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 still fairly smooth and convenient but getting more congested as the number of cars increases rapidly.
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.
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 in Pudong 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).

" By plane:
There are direct flights to many international cities from Shanghai. Shanghai is the only city in China to have two international airports. Pudong is the new international airport and most international airlines now fly in and out of here, and it is located 55 km from the city center.
Most hotels also supply transport to the airport. A taxi should cost approximately RMB150.
The airport for most domestic flights is Hongqiao which is older, and located in the west of Shanghai, 15 km from the city center. A taxi to Hongqiao airport from downtown should cost approximately RMB30-50.
Public bus No.925 runs to the airport from People's Square. Most domestic destinations can be reached from Shanghai.
By train:
Shanghai is at the center of an important rail network two railways intersect in Shanghai: Jinghu Railway (Beijing-Shanghai) Railway passing through Nanjing, and Hu Hang Line (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Railway and there are daily trains to Xi'an (17 hours), Beijing (14 hours), Kunming (36 hours), Guilin (26 hours), Qingdao (16-20 hours) and almost all provincial capitals from which travelers can choose further transportation to their destination. There is also a train to Kowloon in Hong Kong (26 hours).
There are also regular services to Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Wuxi. For foreigners, train tickets can be bought at the ticket booking office in the soft seat waiting room. Most hotels will also reserve seats for you although they will make a small charge for this service. The main train station (Xinkezhan) is in the north of the city.
" By coach:
Shanghai boasts the most established highway system in China. Express ways has been constructed to link all the nearby provinces.
The main long distance bus station is near the train station on Qiujiang Road. Buses from here head to Nanjing (4 hours), Wuxi, Suzhou and Hangzhou and other destinations. There is also a new bus station servicing Shaoxing, Ningbo, Yangzhou and Hangzhou.
" By boat:
Boat is a nice way to arrive or leave the city. Some of the Three Gorges boat trip ends here and there are good services by boat to Chongqing, Nanjing, Putuoshan and Wuhan. The main passenger port-Shiliupu Passenger Port is on Zhongshan Nan Road. 1 km south of the Bund, there are also several other passenger ports in Shanghai, which are usually far away from the city center.
For boats from these ports, travelers usually still have to go to Shiliupu Port first for bus transfer to those ports. As a general rule, for long distance destination this is a cheap but slow way to travel. For destination closer to the city however the train is more efficient.

Shanghai Cuisine

Shanghai cuisine, also known as Hu cai is a style of Chinese cuisine, and is a popular and celebrated cuisine among the Chinese in China. What can be called Shanghai cuisine is epitomized by the use of alcohol. Fish, crab, and chicken are "drunk" with spirits and are briskly cooked/steamed or served raw. The cuisine of this area is characterized by the liberal use of sugar to sweeten dishes. To many of these dishes, a large dose of the local rice wine vinegar is added, producing sweet-and-sour specialties. Breakfast is commonly bought from corner stalls which sells pork buns, for the best Xiaolongbao (small steamer bun). These stalls also sell other types of buns, such as Shengjian mantou (fried bun) and Guo Tie (fried jiaozi), all eaten dipped in black vinegar.
Shanghainese typical breakfast combination is youtiao, a bread-like food that is deep fried in oil until crisp and is eaten in all parts of China, wrapped in thick pancake, accompanied by Soy Milk ( DouJiang).