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This formidable port city sits comfortably at the mouth of the Yangtze River (the Yangtze River Delta), at the eastern tip of mainland China. It borders the Yangtze River estuary to the north, Hangzhou Bay to the south, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces to the west, and the East China Sea to the east. It is almost equidistant to Beijing and Hong Kong. It occupies an area of 6,340.5 square kilometers. Like Beijing, Shanghai is a municipality of China - a city with a status equal to that of a province. And as such, it is governed directly under the administration of the Chinese national government. It is divided into 16 districts, one county, plus 210 towns and subdivisions.

The name ‘Shanghai’ means ‘above the sea’ or ‘upon the sea’. The earliest record of using the name dates as far back as the Song Dynasty during the 11th century. The name is attributed to what then existed as a confluence of two rivers – Shanghai River (nonexistent today) and Huangpu River.

:: History of Shanghai
:: Climate of Shanghai
:: Demographics of Shanghai
:: Economy of Shanghai
:: Interesting Facts about Shanghai
:: Things to See and Do in Shanghai
:: Customs and Traditions in Shanghai

:: History of Shanghai

Shanghai’s relatively young history started with its promotion from being a mere village to a market town in 1074. Even then trade and commerce already defined Shanghai. Shanghai was often vulnerable to attacks and raids, especially by Japanese pirates. In 1554 during the Ming Dynasty, a wall was put up to protect the settlement. All throughout this time until the 17th century, Shanghai was mostly marshland.

In 1602 during the Wanli reign, a City of God Temple was erected. This was a source of pride for the locals since it had a special meaning. City of God Temples were only built in important cities or a prefectural capital, not in a fledgling county town. The honor was probably due to its economic importance to the dynasty. However from the Yuan Dynasty until the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai remained a county seat under the administration of the Songjiang prefecture.

During the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai was fixed as one of the most important seaports in the Yangtze Delta area, and by 1735, it became the major trade port in the lower Yangtze region. This came about through two crucial events. The first was Emperor Kangxi’s lifting of the Ming Dynasty-enforced ban on oceangoing vessels in 1684. This made trade a more regular activity in the region. Second, Emperor Yongzheng transferred the customs office of Jiangsu province from its original location in Songjiang to Shanghai, enabling Shanghai to have exclusive control over Jiangsu’s foreign trade.

During the First Opium War, Britain was desperate to extract concessions with China. Realizing Shanghai’s economic potential, British forces held it temporarily until the signing of the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. This enabled the opening of Shanghai and other “treaty ports” for international trade. This event also initiated the gradual transformation of Shanghai into a prosperous, modern city.

After 1842, Shanghai’s position only made it more vulnerable to Western influence. The local population began to open up towards more liberal ideas. Under the Republic of China, Shanghai rose to prominence when it was finally named a municipality. The 1920s-1930s was a time of great prosperity for Shanghai, although it also concealed a dark side. Triads or mobs often fought for control over specific parts of the city.

During the Sino-Japanese war, parts of Shanghai were captured by Japan in 1937. The whole of Shanghai fell into the Japanese by 1941 until their surrender in 1945. When the People’s Republic of China came into being, Shanghai became an industrial center, and was also known for radical leftism principles. Despite that, the city was able to maintain high economic productivity and economic growth.

With the 1990s came economic reforms and Shanghai just kept on a steady path towards development, affluence, and prosperity. Today, Shanghai remains unstoppable in its goals—ever growing and securing its formidable place in the global and economic community.

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:: Climate of Shanghai

Shanghai has a humid, subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Summers (June-early September) are humid and hot with an average of 8.7 days when the temperature goes beyond 35̊ °C or about 95 °F. The highest temperature ever recorded is 40.2 °C, which is a sweltering 104.3 °F. Showers and thunderstorms are not uncommon at this time. Typhoons usually come in during the latter part of the summer and the beginning of autumn. Summer is also the peak travel season in Shanghai, but the sauna-like heat and humidity can be draining for some. Winters are usually damp and chilly, the kind of chill that feels like it seeps through the bones. This is brought about by cold winds blowing in from Siberia. At nighttime, temperatures can drop abruptly and go as low as 1°C (33.8 °F). Despite that, Shanghai only sees a day or two of snowfall. Spring (March-May) can be pleasant, but sometimes unpredictable and rainy. Autumns (late September-mid November) are usually sunny and dry. There is also what locals call the Autumnal Tiger – scorching hot days towards the end of the summer. In general, autumn and spring are still the best times to visit Shanghai.

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:: Demographics of Shanghai

With its population reaching 23.5 million (and numbers still rising rapidly) as of 2011, Shanghai is the second most populated place in China. About 8.997 million of the total population comprises long-term migrants including their families. This portion of the population also account for the total population increase in Shanghai since the natural growth rate of the city has been negative since 1993 because of low fertility rates. Almost all or 98.8% of the city’s residents are of Han Chinese descent, while the remaining 1.2% belongs to different combined ethnic groups. Foreigners residing in Shanghai exceed more than 200,000, with the three largest foreign groups composed of Japanese, Americans, and Koreans. According to Xinhua, in 2009 alone, the South Korean community in Shanghai increased up to more than 70,000. A huge number of foreigners call Shanghai their home, and end up staying as permanent residents.

As of 2010, life expectancy of Shanghai residents is at an average of 82.13 years – the highest in mainland China and higher than only a handful of other countries. However, this high life expectancy coupled with low fertility rate makes Shanghai’s population an aging population. Barely one-tenth of the population makes up those under the age of 14, while almost one-fourth of the population is over the age of 60.

Almost all major religions are represented in Shanghai. Mahayana Buddhism is the dominant religion followed by Taoism, while there are also temples and churches for followers of Confucianism, Islam, Catholicism and other Christian beliefs.

Officially the main language spoken in Shanghai is Mandarin Chinese although the local have their own vernacular they call Shanghainese, which is a dialect derived from the Wu Chinese. Although English speakers are unevenly distributed, at least for those that are in their senior years, the majority of the adult workers had received university education and can understand it. In consonance with their opening of their doors to the international market, residents under the age of 26 are well-versed in English as the government declared it mandatory to teach the course in school starting at grade one.

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:: Economy of Shanghai

The little port city was once a fishing and textiles town. Now, Shanghai is China’s commercial and financial hub, ranking fifth in the Global Financial Centers Index as of 2011. During the 1930s, it was the largest and richest city in East Asia. Rapid development began in the 1990s, centering on the Pudong District. And since then, it has grown to be one of the world’s fastest developing cities. Furthermore, by adopting economic reforms, Shanghai was able to rise to its prominent global status today. It is true that there is always some form of construction or development going on in the city.

Shanghai’s GDP grew to 1.687 trillion RMB (equivalent to USD 256.3 billion) in 2010. Its top three service industries are financial services, retail, and real estate. It is followed by the manufacturing sector and agricultural sector, with the latter ranking the lowest.

The city’s strategic position at the heart of the Yangtze River Delta is one of the contributing factors to its success. It is the world’s busiest container port. It is also a prime industrial center, home to many industrial zones. These industrial zones are the lifelines of Shanghai’s secondary industry (manufacturing industry). The auto industry is also a key player. Jiangnan Shipyard, one of China’s oldest shipbuilders, and Baosteel Group, the country’s largest steelmaker are based in Shanghai. Shanghai just keeps on growing economically, and it aims to be an international shipping center in the near future.

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:: Interesting Facts about Shanghai

Shanghai is not just about business, industry and economy. There are many interesting facts about Shanghai that are worth knowing.

• Shanghai has had many names throughout its history. These include Hù Tu, Huating, Shēn, and Sōnghù. It has even been nicknamed the “Paris of the East”, and “Whore of the Orient”.
• Shanghai’s city flower is the Yulan Magnolia.
• Shanghai hosted the World Expo in 2010. By that time, it recorded the greatest number of visitors in the history of the World Expo.
• Shanghai is the hometown of popular, outstanding professional athletes like NBA player Yao Ming, Wang Liqin (table-tennis player), and Liu Xiang (110-meter hurdler). It is also the hometown of famous movie director, Wong Kar-wai (2046, In the Mood for Love, Ashes of Time).
• The Oriental Pearl Tower, a TV tower, was once the tallest structure in Shanghai, at least from 1994 to 2007 when it was overtaken by the Shanghai

World Financial Center. What made the TV tower unique though is it being featured in several Hollywood movies, including Godzilla: The Final Wars, Mission Impossible 3 and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Aside from Shanghai Disneyland Resort, another notable Shanghai feature is under construction – the Shanghai Tower. It will be the tallest building in China after its completion in 2014.

Shanghai is considered East Asia’s cultural and economic center for the first half of the twentieth century. Foreigners and locals looked up to the city as a socialite haven, a watering hole for the rich and elite, a fashion, commercial, and business capital. The popular idea back then was that almost everything novel and modern came from Shanghai first. For it was in Shanghai where the first motorcar was driven, the first train tracks were laid, the first modern sewers were installed. If you wanted to get something new, you had to get it from Shanghai.

Shanghai fashion, fads, and trends are quite distinct. During the early twentieth century, Shanghai-style qipao were known for their vibrant colors, elaborate designs, and sleek styles. Qipao is Mandarin for cheongsam—a tight-fitting and stylish one-piece dress that became the modern version of the traditional, loose Manchurian qipao. Chinese socialites and upper class women popularized this modern style. In fact, Shanghai women were considered glamorous trendsetters during their day. Today, local fashion designers are revamping the qipao and creating styles fusing the traditional or Oriental with the modern and Western.

The Shanghai School was known as a very important school of traditional arts during the Qing Dynasty until the twentieth century. The masters of this school helped traditional Chinese art transition successfully into the modern style of Chinese painting. During the years of China’s rapid social change, works from artists of the Shanghai School depicted unique, diverse, and innovative artworks, most of them hinting at social commentaries. The Huating School was a prime art school during the mid to late Ming Dynasty. Its specialties were in Chinese calligraphy, painting, and poetry. It was famous for the Renwen painting, and counts Dong Qichang as one of its notable masters. The Songjiang School was another known painting school during the Ming Dynasty.

Shanghai was also the intellectual birthplace of socialist writers who concentrated on critical realism. It was also the birthplace of Chinese theater and cinema. The country’s first short film and first fictional feature film, “The Difficult Couple”, and “An Orphan Rescues His Grandfather” respectively, were both produced in the city. These films pioneered the Chinese film industry, and Shanghai went on to become China’s filmmaking center. Film stars like Zhou Xuan and Jiang Qing (later known as Madame Mao Zeodong), witnessed blossoming careers here.

There is an increasing attitude towards environmental awareness, and this continues to prompt the city to invest in various environmental protection projects. These projects include the cleanup of Suzhou Creek, the provision of incentives for transportation companies to invest in LPG buses and taxis, the removal of some factories, and the addition of several parks. Air pollution levels in Shanghai are lower as compared to other Chinese cities, but it still ranks high worldwide. The city still needs to address this issue, but so far, positive steps are being taken.

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:: Things to See and Do in Shanghai

Shanghai has many notable museums. These include The Shanghai Museum of Art and History, the Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai Natural History Museum, and other smaller museums located in historical sites throughout the city. The Shanghai Museum of Art and History in particular, boasts of housing the best collections of Chinese historical artifacts and archeological finds in the world.

Parks provide a pleasant and welcoming respite for Shanghai locals. Yuyuan Garden (‘Yu Garden’) is a lavish and beautiful traditional Chinese garden. Aside from gardens, it features pavilions, ponds, towers, bridges, halls, and rockeries. It is a stunning legacy of the old China one can find in such a modern city. Pan Yunduan started to build it for his aging father, Pan En, in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty. Its six general garden areas contain several attractions that will be a delight to travelers. And each garden area is separated by gray-tiled undulating walls like bodies of dragons and each end with a dragon’s head. The Yuyuan Market is nearby where you can do some shopping and dine on local cuisine. Fuxing Park consists of formal French-style gardens with high-end cafés and bars. Zhongshan Park has a monument of Chopin, which is the tallest statue of the famous composer one will ever find. It also features rose and peony gardens. The park was once home to Shanghai’s first international college, St. John’s University. The newest park in the city is Xujiahui Park, which features a man-made lake with a sky bridge running across the park.

While you may have become used to seeing Chinese-style houses, buildings and temples in Shanghai, you will be surprised to find that there is a district where you can find an assortment of western-styled buildings at The Bund. In this section of the city, you will see fine examples of buildings built in Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism styles, as this area was once the financial center of the city where western companies were located.

For a well-earned break after days of hectic activities, head down to the Jade Buddha Temple for some peace and quiet and view the two priceless jade Buddhas, one seated and one in a recumbent pose housed in the temple. These are carved from whole blocks of white jade which imparts a certain luminosity and translucence to the statues and seems to radiate serenity. There are also very fine collections of porcelain works that should not be missed.

Bridges are not normally a sight to behold, except maybe for the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, but Shanghai is very proud of their own Nampu Bridge, which is a marvel of bridge construction. The bridge itself is the fourth longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. The approach to the bridge is what makes it very famous. It consists of two spiral twists from the lower level up to the upper level leading to the bridge itself. Nanpu Bridge is also called the Shanghai Gyratory so you can imagine its configuration. It’s a wonderful sight to view at night with the combination of the bridge lighting and those coming from the all the vehicles that traverse the system.

Do not leave Shanghai without catching one of the performances of the world-renowned Shanghai Acrobats. They hold a show every night and the show is like no other. You will be gasping and ooh-ing to the skills and daring of the performers who were trained since they were six or seven years old. It’s a vivid, frenetic and colorful display of acrobatics, song and dance, magic and circus performances rolled into one that can be the highlight of your travel to Shanghai.

The Shanghai Disneyland Resort is currently undergoing construction. Plans indicate the theme park to be operational by 2013.

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:: Customs and Traditions in Shanghai

Shanghai is considered the most Westernized of all cities in China. The Shanghainese have always been proud to represent the modern face of China. In general, they carry themselves in a confidant, sophisticated manner and thus, they do not tolerate the notion that Western culture is far superior to theirs. It is important that you do not make the mistake of exhibiting this notion.

Shanghainese are generally more aggressive, forward thinking, and liberal, as compared to other Chinese. They are also hardworking and driven. The members of the older population that are used to being provided for by the state, often possess a lighter attitude towards work. On the other hand, the younger generations know firsthand that life can be tough and that they must work hard to earn more money to provide for their needs and wants. That’s why no matter how menial their work is, they take it very seriously. Impeccable work ethics is their key to survival. Life in Shanghai feels like a race—you have to keep up or else you’ll be left out.

In terms of fashion, styles, and trends, Shanghainese women in particular are considered more stylish and glamorous. They are also cosmopolitan and more open to non-Chinese influences.

When visiting Shanghai and other parts of China, it is also important to take time to know their common customs and traditions so you wouldn’t do something they would normally see as wrong. Although Shanghai is modern and highly westernized, majority of the Chinese still observe some traditional practices and etiquette. Here’s a list of basic dos and don’ts:

• Nodding is a form of acknowledgement or initial greeting by the Chinese. Bowing is especially reserved for formal ceremonies and rituals.
• Handshakes are also a common form of greeting. However, you should always wait first for your Chinese counterpart to initiate the handshake. Handshakes should be brief and firm. After shaking hands, you can introduce yourself.
• The Chinese in general, dislike people talking with their hands, expansive gestures, or unusual facial expressions. Restrict your hand movements when talking and assume a more formal expression and demeanor. Check your emotions.
• In China, as well as in other places, it is considered rude to point with your fingers. Use your whole hand instead.
• When in a group of Chinese, it is proper to acknowledge the most senior person first.
• The Shanghainese are tolerant of Western customs and ways of showing affection with the opposite sex but it will be best to refrain from displaying too much affection when out in public. It is all right though for members of the same sex o hold hands in friendship.
• It is also considered rude to spit, swear, cut in line, push or shove someone in line, blow your nose, remove food bits between your teeth, bite your nails, and other similar practices. Even if you see a local do any of these things, do not think it is all right to imitate.

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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai

http://wikitravel.org/en/Shanghai

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/shanghai/weather

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/shanghai/history

http://www.trueknowledge.com/q/population_of_shanghai_2011