The Bund is perhaps Shanghai's most iconic sight and is the city's most famous mile. A symbol of colonial Shanghai, the Bund is lined with legation buildings, banks and hotels in a typical early 19th century architectural style, not dissimilar to the structures seen along the Thames in London or the Seine in Paris. Once the home of the Shanghai expat community, the Bund was China's answer to Wall Street and was a centre of foreign trade and banking. This infusion of western influence and international recognition helped bring Shanghai to the forefront of the financial world and made it the leading economic hub it is today. When seeing the grandeur of this strip, sitting peacefully on the west bank of the Huangpu River, it is difficult to believe that this area used to be a swampland, also known as a 'Bund', a term for 'muddy waterfront'.
The Bund, a representation of Shanghai's 1920s economic boom, sits in incredible contrast to the district of Pudong which sits on the east side of the Huangpu. Pudong, is a metropolis of towering neon skyscrapers which seem to multiply on a yearly basis. Cruising down the Huangpu River is a great opportunity to witness the architectural progression of Shanghai and see how the city is growing as a world city.
The Bund today houses 52 buildings each with a rich history, some dating back as far as the late 19th century. Some famous players on the Bund include: Custom House, the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Hotel, HSBC Building, Bank of China and the Shanghai Gold Exchange. Though the Bund is still a functioning financial district, with the increase of hotels, it is clear that tourism is an important aspect of this strip.
The Yu Garden is one of the most important examples of Chinese garden style and arguably Shanghai's most popular tourist sight. Nestled in tranquility in the centre of the city, the Yu Garden was originally designed in the Ming Dynasty by the General Pan Yunduan as a gift for his father Pan En on his retirement. The Yu Garden has had a tumultuous history and was damaged during the Taiping Rebellion and the Opium Wars in the 19th century. Since the mid-20th century, the Yu Garden has been restored to its former glamour and prestige and since the 1980s has become a national monument.
The Yu Garden is home to stunning pavilions, carp-filled ponds and Chinese pine trees which seem to creep from the rocks and stagger jaggedly towards the sky. A place of meditation and relaxation, a reflective personality is key at the Yu Garden.
Next to the Yu Garden is the Old Town, also known as the Yuan Bazaar. Home to trinkets, nicknacks and souvenirs, the Old Town is set in the style of former Ming and Qing architecture. Bazaar in nature and bazaar in fun, please note that this area can get extremely busy.
Not far from the bustling, buzzing and bodacious centre of Shanghai lie a number of sleepy, languid water towns which transports you back to a time which you thought only existed in fabled stories. Idyllic, tranquil and unpretentious, these water towns show a way of life that could not be further from the urban core of Shanghai. Though numerous, three of the most authentic, though very popular with visitors, water towns include Zhujiajiao, Wuzhen and Tongli.
Zhujiajiao, which translates literally as 'Zhu Family Corner', is in fact located in the suburbs of Shanghai in the Qingpu District, only 30km from the centre. Human activity in Zhujiajiao dates back over 5,000 years but it was not till the Ming Dynasty took notice in the 14th century that a waterway network grew in Zhujiajiao and trade became an important part of the peoples' lives. Zhujiajiao has maintained its old-world charm and stepping into this pretty town, you will feel like you are still in the Ming Dynasty, with red lanterns hanging over the canals and little wooden boats dawdling down the waterways.
Wuzhen is a very small water town whose origin as an important canal town dates back to the Tang Dynasty. Wuzhen was an important gateway to the Grand Canal – the largest canal in the world - which stretches from Hangzhou in the south to Beijing in the north. Entry to the Grand Canal was an important part of Imperial China's economy as it was vital to transport rice grains that flourished in the south, to the north of the country, especially when Beijing became the capital in the Ming Dynasty. One of the notable residents of Wuzhen was a revolutionary writer of the early 20th century who wrote under the name Mao Dun, meaning 'contradiction'.
Tongli is located 18km south of Suzhou and has been in existence since the 9th century. Tongli is one of the most beautiful and authentic water towns in this area. The stunning white faces of the houses have maintained their colour from centuries past and the canal-side atmosphere is unbeatable, earning the town the nickname 'Venice of the East'. Tongli is home to many beautiful sights, including the Retreat and Reflection Garden, Loxing Zhou Lake and the Pearl Tower. There are 55 bridges altogether in Tongli too for you to walk over or cruise under.
Shanghai is a city of two sides, separated by the majestic Huangpu River, a mighty tributary of the Yangtze River which carves through the centre of this great metropolis, draining into the East China Sea. The River's importance to the city is so great that the west part of the city is called 'Puxi', meaning 'west of the Huangpu River'; and the east part of the city is called 'Pudong', meaning 'east of the Huangpu River'.
No place in Shanghai can you see the contrasts of the city, the distinct historical evolution of this economic centre, than on the banks of the Huangpu River. Lying on the Puxi banks is the Bund, a vision of Shanghai's colonial past, lined with 1920s architecture not dissimilar to legation and embassy buildings in London or Paris. On the Pudong side, we catch a glimpse of the China of the future, towering neon skyscrapers reaching for the sky – this is a financial centre steering the booming economy forward.
There is no better way to see this juxtaposition of eras than by taking a cruise on the Huangpu River. At night, the dazzling colours and lights from Pudong shine bright onto the elegance of the Bund and pass under two of Shanghai's majestic bridges, Nanpu and Yangpu. Calmly cruising down this river is almost like attending a history lesson on this fantastic city – with every bend of the river coming a new sight, a new glimpse into Shanghai's ever bigger future.
One of the most esteemed and acclaimed museums in China, the Shanghai Museum is a comprehensive collection of the Middle Kingdom's millennia old history. Sprawled over five floors, one could spend half, if not a full day in this comprehensive museum.
The Shanghai Museum is located in People's Square in Huangpu District, west of the Huangpu River. The shape of the Museum was designed to resemble a Chinese vessel, known as a Ding. A Ding is a cauldron shaped bronze sculpture often used for cooking, storage and ritual offerings. Its design is an important traditional bronze shape and inside the museum, you will have the opportunity to see examples of these fascinating sculptures.
The collections in the Shanghai Museum are plentiful and varied, with artefacts present from each of China's Dynasties. Within this treasure trove of items, you will see bronze antiquity, ceramics, jade and ancient calligraphy and seals.
From a more modern era, there is a gallery for furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasty which includes examples of dining tables, bed furniture and closets. The design of Ming Dynasty furniture focuses greatly on the importance of natural beauty and is known for its romantic charm and bare structure. Qing Dynasty furniture design on the other hand is grand and intricately decorated, with the idea being to emphasise the wealth and stratification of a person.
The Chinese Minority Nationalities' Art Gallery displays art and crafts, as well as traditional clothing, of the 55 minority groups in China. Items in this gallery include tools used for weaving and doing metalwork, as well as a display on the art of mask making.
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