Yuyuan Garden Malls entertain at night
Sylvanna Antha (2nd left) from the Seychelles buys traditional Chinese tea at a stall at the Yuyuan Garden Malls on Monday.
Shanghai’s landmark Yuyuan Garden Malls launched a series of nightlife events on Monday to help boost the city’s nighttime economy.
Lantern and lighting shows, traditional and exotic performances as well as innovative bazzars are being held regularly in the evenings at the dining and shopping facilities near the historic garden, which grew from a prosperous market around the City God Temple some 140 years ago.
From 7pm through 9pm, residents and tourists can watch traditional lantern exhibitions along with modern three-dimensional shows on the appearances of the Hefeng and Huabao towers at the malls. Drum dances and other performances will be held in concert with the shows.
"It is a nice idea to bring people here at night with food, performances and vendors," said Sylvanna Antha, an English teacher from the Seychelles.
"As long as the night market didn't last too late, it will have little influence on the nearby residents and also benefit them with various people and cultures," Antha said.
Vishal Capoor, a captain with Air India who has been in Shanghai for two years, said the lanterns and light at night at the Yuyuan Garden Malls and the nearby Bund are the biggest attraction to him.
"I always come to the malls or the Bund at night because of the brilliant lights, so it is great to have such evening shows every night," Capoor said.
A lighting and music show has been designed every hour from 7pm around the iconic Zigzag Bridge and the Mid-Lake Pavilion. Musicians perform on pipa, bamboo flute, violin and saxophone on a boat with light shows on the bridge, lake and pavilions.
The special performance aims to showcase the west-meet-east cultures of Shanghai as well as the authentic traditional cultures of Jiangnan, or the area south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
The Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse, the most traditional teahouse in Shanghai, has gained fame after receiving many foreign dignitaries, including Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as well as presidents and politicians from more than 20 countries. It is said a businessman purchased the Mid-Lake Pavilion and converted it into the city’s first teahouse in 1855.
The Zigzag Bridge, dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), is the most popular attraction within the malls. Many senior citizens still follow the custom to walk through the bridge on Chinese New Year or other important dates to wish for good health.
The landmark site has been converted into the “Zigzag Performing Art Zone” for nightlife for the first time, according to Yuyuan Inc, owner of the malls. Visitors can watch the performance both on the bridge or the opposite side of the lake.
A cultural and innovative bazaar opens at night at the Yuyuan Garden Malls. Some popular stores are allowed to move stalls on streets to attract customers.
Visitors take photos of a light and music show from the landmark Zigzag Bridge on Monday.
Cultural and innovative bazaars will open at night across the malls. Some popular stores are allowed to move stalls on streets to attract customers. The culture and innovative brands developed in the malls will be selected and recommended for the nighttime markets.
Tea Garden, a local brand created by businessman Wang Ming from southeast Fujian Province at the malls around 2000, is among the first batch of businesses to be chosen to have stalls on street.
"Though I have a store at Huabao Tower, I prefer such street business that can more easily to attract more young customers," Wang said.
Art groups from home and abroad are invited to present shows, such as shadow puppetry, magic, Kunqu Opera and other performances blending Chinese and western art forms, at the central plaza of the malls at night.
The malls attract a large number of visitors durig the day but fewer visitors at night, except for the annual lantern festival in spring, when the authority has to require entrance tickets to limit the number of visitors for safety concerns.
The nightlife campaign aims to restore the evening charm of the malls, which originally gained popularity among locals for lantern shows, markets and entertainment at night, according to Yuyuan Inc.
Shanghai is aiming to revive its nightlife after shutting down noisy late-night bars and eateries over the past few years in response to residents’ complaints. It is part of the city government's efforts to become an international shopping destination.
The city aims to develop a prosperous nightlife economy between 7pm and 6am.
Bars that meet requirements will be allowed to have tables on the street at certain periods. Some streets will also be closed to traffic at certain times for bars and late-night snack stalls.
Huangpu District, which appointed the city’s first “nightlife director” to take charge of the nighttime events and plans, closes a 500-meter-long road in Xintiandi to traffic at certain times from every Friday to allow entertainment that will include performances and outdoor movies.
It also made the 91-year-old Grand Theater and the 89-year-old Cathay Theater as Shanghai’s first “24-hour cinemas” to operate after midnight.
Visitors take photos of a light show at Huabao Tower at the Yuyuan Garden Malls.
