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[moritzcheung]

Sweet and Sour Shanghai

http://acubien.com/special-issue-desire/

There’s a lot of misunderstanding about traveling in China. The internet is littered with stories – both fact and fiction – about this vast and complex nation. But the only way to experience the Peoples’ Republic is to be there with eyes wide open, with a hunger to have your own adventures.  On a recent trip to Shanghai, I was affected and captivated by the city’s possibilities, and the visionary nature China displays through Shanghai.  Shanghai is China’s largest city, home to 24 million people. As the country’s fastest growing city, it is sometimes referred to as the Paris of China, in part due to its French Colonial history. Shanghai is located in the east of China, on the coast of the East China Sea, and is divided by the Huangpu River into east and west halves. On the east bank is Pudong (‘dong’ means east in mandarin) – in recent times this district has been given greater significance and recognition, taken over by glimmering new skyscrapers. The western side is Puxi (‘xi’ means west in mandarin) – the historical heart of Shanghai, lined with historical, colonial buildings.  

 On a recent trip to Shanghai, I was affected and captivated by the city’s possibilities, and the visionary nature China displays through Shanghai. 

Shanghai is China’s largest city, home to 24 million people. As the country’s fastest growing city, it is sometimes referred to as the Paris of China, in part due to its French Colonial history.

Shanghai is located in the east of China, on the coast of the East China Sea, and is divided by the Huangpu River into east and west halves. On the east bank is Pudong (‘dong’ means east in mandarin) – in recent times this district has been given greater significance and recognition, taken over by glimmering new skyscrapers. The western side is Puxi (‘xi’ means west in mandarin) – the historical heart of Shanghai, lined with historical, colonial buildings.

When I first visited Shanghai I was ten years old. Back then, Shanghai was a dusty metropolis, similar to how Wuhan is now – an industrial municipality expectant with new developments, an entire city resembling a vast construction site. Typical of Chinese cities, ‘illegal’ housing structures abounded; adults thronged the streets in pajamas crisscrossing at busy intersections; and kids assembled in back lanes and alleyways to play games. To me, back then, Shanghai was dull and unexciting. That was before hosting the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, where the theme was ‘Better City – Better Life’. The Expo showcased that Shanghai was capable of hosting a large-scale international event, taking the city in a new direction, that of bright lights and alluring excitement.

On a typically humid day in August, my colleagues and I arrived in this international city, touching down at a small terminal in Pudong International Airport. In my mind, I had expected a much grander airport, the likes of Beijing Capital International Airport. Our exit of customs was pleasingly swift, past staff officials who seemed to rarely ask questions of arriving visitors.

Pudong International Airport is located at the edge of Shanghai, a 45-minute taxi ride away from the dimness of ‘out of town’, into a futuristic city centre formed of bold, bright towers. The night’s skyline sparkles and dances with neon lights. The aroma of wealth and money linger in the air. If you are in a hurry to get to central Shanghai, and want to avoid the cab ride, jump on the world’s first high-speed magnetic train, which takes a speedy ten minutes to reach the heart of the city.

Shanghai is a vibrant, busy and dynamic place, where you would expect locals to be preoccupied and aloof. But I was charmed by the friendliness of Shanghai’s residents. I was also surprised by how easy it is to eat such delicious noodle soup at bargain prices (for example, US$3 – US$5 for a rice noodle soup with wontons) in the shadow of five star hotels.  Additionally, there are many fine dining restaurants – especially in the Former French Concession – with star chef menus at reasonable prices (around US$25 – US30 for a proper meal with a glass of quality wine). This would command a much higher price tag in the high-end restaurants of Hong Kong (around US$ 40 per person).

Like with any growing city on a path to modernity, there are sour aspects to Shanghai, indeed with China. Not least the obsession with wealth and the ravenous appetite of Chinese consumers, which western brands continue to exploit. Restrictions and censorship imposed by the Chinese government on use of the internet is an inconvenience for Chinese connecting to the outside world and doing business – particularly as Shanghai is undoubtly a strong competitor to other financial centres posturing for lead positions in Asia. For us busy, time poor travellers, these restrictions merely offer an opportunity to put down our smartphones and take a break from the minute-by-minute obsession with social media.

Banking and manufacturing shape metropolitan Shanghai’s character and activities by day. At night, the city takes on an added dimension as the homeless become more visible, where they may be seen washing garments in the fountain of a luxurious hotel. The gulf between the rich and the poor seems to be growing wider, with every inch of new buildings that ascend into Shanghai’s light-polluted sky.

Perhaps, the most common problem facing travelers to China is having so little time with so very much to explore and experience. The challenges and opportunities being: to understand China; to truly enjoy the uniqueness and politeness of the Chinese; to delve into such a vast, beautiful and diverse country where mandarin is not the only language; to be made culturally richer by a country with a robust life and ancient sophistication. To take on these challenges and gain the benefits one must visit with eager curiosity to paint one’s own picture. Following which you can better appreciate the depth of Chinese tradition and culture, beyond the surface of impression.

*This article has been published in ACUBIEN special issue “DESIRE” in 2015*

http://acubien.com/special-issue-desire/

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