Basics

Shanghai Geography

One of the three municipalities under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government, Shanghai is situated in the middle of China's coastline, bordering on the East China Sea in the east, lying at the month of Changjiang (Yangtze) River and covering a coastline of about 200 kilometers. It has a total area of 6,200 square kilometers and a population of 18.88 million (including Han, Hui, Manchu and other nationalities). It is China's most populous city and one of the largest in the world. Expo 2010, officially Expo 2010 Shanghai China was held there.

Shanghai Climate

Shanghai has a humid temperate climate with four distinct seasons. The average temperature of January—the coldest month is about 3 ºC (37 ºF), and that of July - the warmest month about 27ºC (81ºF). The average annual precipitation is over 1,100 mm, of which 40 per cent is in summer.

Shanghai is often affected by typhoon between July and September. Even in the mid-summer days, Shanghai's warmest spell of the year is rather short.

Brief History of Shanghai

Shanghai became on inhabited area more than 5,000 years ago after land had taken shape there. Its earliest days, it was a desolated fishing village. By the 17th century, it had become a flourishing port. After the Opium War, Shanghai was forced by the colonialist to open as a" trade port" and had remained so since 1843.

In the ensuring century or more, the imperialists had vied with each other in establishing " concessions" in Shanghai and in carving out their respective spheres of influence, turning the city into a stronghold for their aggression against and plunder of China. They called Shanghai the "paradise of adventure".

In 1921, the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China was convened in Shanghai, proclaiming the funding of the Chinese Communist Party. Chinese communist got control of Shanghai (libration) in May 1949.

Shanghai Local Cuisine

As a major city developed in modern times, Shanghai has become a gastronomic centre of all the major cuisine of China, having more than 2,000 restaurants and snack houses. And through years of culinary practice, it has absorbed the art and skills of other major styles of cuisine and created a style of cuisine peculiar to its own.

Shanghai dishes are mellow in flavor, rich in sauce, original in gravy and agreeable to the taste. Shanghai cooking noted for its art of braising, stewing, simmering, pickling in rice wine, stir-frying and deep-frying. Shanghai is particularly renowned for its vegetarian dishes.

Taking vegetable, bean products, dried mushrooms, agarics and bamboo shoots as main ingredients, chefs make savoury dishes resembling meat or fish in color, fragrance, shape and flavor but devoid of the unpalatable fishy and greasy taste. Shanghai also has a number of western-style restaurants offering English, French, German, Italian and Russian cuisine to suit the palate of tourists.

Shanghai Local Products

The perch from Sangjiang County of Shanghai has been as the "delicacy of southeast China": the juicy peaches from Longhua are the best quality among peaches: the crabs from Chongming Island at the mouth of the Changjiang River and from the Dianshan Lake are fleshy and tasty: the bamboo shoots from Sheshan Hill are famous for their orchid like fragrance.

In addition, there are the fermented bean curds for the Capital; the Pear Syrup Cubes from the City God's Temple, Spiced beans of shanghai flavour, and Dried Duck Gizzard from Daoxiangcun Delicatessen shop, etc. Shanghai is also one of the main centers of arts and handicrafts in China.

These products may be ware, etc. With ingenious design and exquisite workshop, they have a distinctive local flavour and above all the best qualities, ancient and modern, foreign and domestic. Needlepoint tapestry, knitwear and embroidery, silk fabrics and garments are even more outstanding in reputation.

Shopping In Shanghai

Shanghai is the most flouring commercial city of China, known as a paradise for shopping in China. Apart from it's over 24,000 department stores, large and small, it has a number of antique shops, art and handicrafts shops for the service of foreign visitors and seamen as well as a shop serving overseas Chinese. All kinds of goods that appeal to foreign guests are available at the bustling streets of Shanghai, ranging from articles of daily necessity of souvenirs and works of art. Commodities and handicrafts articles from Shanghai are known for their exquisite workmanship, high quality, beautiful design, novel style and deluxe packing.

The Nanjing( Nanking) Road is a world-famous street covering a length of 10 li and dotted with over 350 shops, large and small, serving nearly a million customers every day. Among the large shops are the No.1 and No. 10 Department Stores, the No. 1 Food Company and the Shanghai Clothing Store, etc. Besides, there are a number of specialised shops, each having something special offer.

Shanghai Tours: Places of Interests in Shanghai

Apart from its metropolitan elegance, Shanghai has also many scenic spots, places of historical interest and tourist attraction and is worth seeing.

The Yu Yuan Garden which can be traced back to the past two feudal dynasties of Ming and Qing is renowned as "the best scenic spot in the south of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River". Covering an area of only 20,000 square meters, the Garden has an exquisite designing, meticulous lay-out and artistic spacing, characterized by broadness of view in a small area and a distinctive style of the garden architecture of southern China in Ming and Qing Dynasties. What appeals to the visitors are the 40 or more scenes in the garden which are divided into seven scenic areas by five dragon walls, each bearing its unique characteristic.

A famous Buddhist temple is in southern China, the Jade Buddha, which is 1.9 meters high, glittering and translucent, and solemn in facial expression. In addition, there is a reclining white jade Buddha, which is 0.96 meter tall looking natural and vivid.

There is also the Longhua Pagoda which was built more than a thousand years ago.

Boat excursions can be arranged between the Bund (water-front of Shanghai) and Wusong Mouth. A two-way trip covers some 60 kilometres and enables you enjoy the magnificent scenes on both banks of the Huangpu River and watch the majestic view of the Changjiang River. Elegantly-shaped and well-equipped excursion boats of various sizes are available for pleasure sailing. The large ones have chairs and tea-tables on their decks, cabins for artistic performances, photo studious, dining rooms, retail shops, etc. A boat excursion along the Huanpu River makes you fell refreshed and relaxed at a a floating club.