Pride of Place

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither was Shanghai. Once dubbed “the Paris of the East,” the city has evolved into a fusion of multiculturalism. Along the way, Shanghai has accumulated a repository of stories about the people and events that have shaped its history. Five areas of the city occupy pride of place in that journey: People’s Square, Jing’an Temple, Xujiahui, Lujiazui and Xintiandi. This series, a collaboration with Shanghai Local Chronicles Library, visits them all to follow in the footsteps of time.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither was Shanghai. Once dubbed “the Paris of the East,” the city has evolved into a fusion of multiculturalism. Along the way, Shanghai has accumulated a repository of stories about the people and events that have shaped its history. Five areas of the city occupy pride of place in that journey: People’s Square, Jing’an Temple, Xujiahui, Lujiazui and Xintiandi. This series, a collaboration with Shanghai Local Chronicles Library, visits them all to follow in the footsteps of time.
Where Shanghai's elite once hobnobbed, memories of a glamorous past persist - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

Where Shanghai's elite once hobnobbed, memories of a glamorous past persist

A former country club, a luxury apartment block and a French-style garden along Nanchang Road hark back to the old Shanghai era.
Quintessential shikumen buildings woven into the fabric of modern Chinese history - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

Quintessential shikumen buildings woven into the fabric of modern Chinese history

Down narrow alleys and amid high walls, the revolutionary forerunners of the Party met in secret to turn ideology into a political movement that changed China.
Huaihai Road: Shanghai's epitome of taste and style, history and culture - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

Huaihai Road: Shanghai's epitome of taste and style, history and culture

This boulevard is often compared to the world’s most iconic streets, with its blend of boutiques, fine dining, hotels and entertainment venues.
Shikumen a lasting symbol of Shanghai's cultural heritage - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

Shikumen a lasting symbol of Shanghai's cultural heritage

Shikumen houses blend Chinese and Western elements, reflecting Shanghai's unique cultural and historical evolution

The culinary roots of the Jing'an Temple area are deep and delectable - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

The culinary roots of the Jing'an Temple area are deep and delectable

From banquets featuring fusion dishes to tasty snacks and luscious cakes, the traditional meets innovation in gastronomy.
Majestic Theater lives up to its name through many transformations - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

Majestic Theater lives up to its name through many transformations

Once the garden mansion of a British merchant, the hotel-turned-theater has hosted Shanghai elite and scores of notable musical and political events.
'Premier music venue of the Far East' once oozed glamor and notoriety - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

'Premier music venue of the Far East' once oozed glamor and notoriety

Nightlife in Shanghai pulsed in the Paramount in the 1930s and 40s, a magnet that attracted the city’s elite to its dance halls.
Family mansion turned children's palace records city's rich history - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

Family mansion turned children's palace records city's rich history

Originally dubbed the Marble Hall, the China Welfare Institute Children's Palace evolved from a private home into a center for children's education and cultural enrichment.
A famous family, a famous garden now preserved for posterity - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

A famous family, a famous garden now preserved for posterity

The Soong family was renowned not only for their political ties but also for their contribution to the grandeur of the city.
Initially a tribute to Sino-Soviet ties, exhibition center retains prominence - Art & Culture in China
Art & Culture

Initially a tribute to Sino-Soviet ties, exhibition center retains prominence

The Shanghai Exhibition Center, erected on the site of a historic garden, has weathered time and shifting political climates.
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