China Information
About China
People
Places
Travel
Business
Other Information
|
China Information » Places in China » Shanghai Municipality
Places in China: Shanghai Municipality
During the Warring States Period (453 BC to 221 BC), Shanghai was a small fishing community. Being on the mighty Yangtze River, it grew into a regional trading centre. The nearby canals also helped the town to grow in regional importance.
Shanghai became a much more global presence in 1842 when the British established a settlement outside the Old City after the First Opium War. Foreign investment in the city increased when the French, Americans and Japanese got concessions in the city soon after the British set up their settlement.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai's reputation suffered with rather less-than-desirable elements coming in. These included gangs, greedy factory owners, corruption among cops in town, sailors and rich expatriate families. This was the period when many of the landmark buildings of the Bund were built.
Spies, counterspies and political organizers entered to try to control the atmosphere of the place. For example, in 1922 the Communist Party held its first meeting in the French section of Shanghai. The Nationalists briefly joined ranks with the Communists but then began killing Communists within about five years. Regardless of the turmoil going on in the city, Shanghai continued to prosper and solidify its reputations as the world's most exciting city as well as one of the world's most decadent cities.
The Japanese took over the city in 1937, changing the atmosphere extensively. They held Shanghai until the end of World War II in 1945. The Nationalists (Kuomintang) again had the city until ousted by the Communists in 1949.
The glamour of Shanghai was negatively influenced when Mao tried to make the city an industrial rather than an economical centre. After Mao was succeeded by Deng Xiaoping, Shanghai reappeared as a global city which welcomed foreigners. This helped to make Shanghai an open door for visitors as well as business people to come into China.
Being such a large city, air pollution can be a problem for visitors to Shanghai. The weather is typical for temperate zones with hot and humid summers and cold winters. The better times to make a visit to Shanghai are spring and fall.
On China's east coast, Shanghai is at the mouth of the Yangtze River and faces the Pacific Ocean. It is now the largest industrial city in the country. It is considered a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the nation, being under the direct jurisdiction of the central government. Shanghai is one of only four such municipalities in China.
There are many attractions, enough to suit everyone visiting the largest city in China as well as the population of over thirteen million residents. Among the most noticeable is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower at 553 metres in height. Parks and museums assist guests to this Chinese mega-city to understand its importance.
Shanghai's neighbouring provinces are Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The Pacific Ocean and Yangtze River form the rest of the city's borders.
Modern transportation makes it convenient to visit Shanghai from most parts of the globe. The new airport opened in 1999 with additional runways planned to open in 2015. Shanghai is China's most welcoming city.
|
|
