History

This municipality, directly under the control of the central government, began 6,000 years ago as a tiny fishing village. It celebrated its 700th birthday as a city in 1991. It became a port in the 16th century. By 1840 its population was 500,000. Two years later, the British seized it, and although the Chinese paid a $300,000 ransom to keep it from being sacked, British soldiers and Chinese thieves severely looted it.

The Treaty of Nanking of that year opened Shanghai to foreign trade and settlement. This led to its partition into British, French, and later Japanese concessions, which are still reflected in its downtown architecture. The British concession became the International Settlement and foreign rule continued until the 1940s. Each of the concessions had its own tax system, police, courts, buses, and electrical voltage. A criminal could escape justice simply by going from one administration to another.

Shanghai thrived as a port, trading principally in silk, tea, and opium. Most of the foreign trade was British, and one-fifth of the opium reached China in fast American ships. From 1853 t0 1855, the Small Sword Society controlled the walled Yuyuan section of Shanghai. This was a Cantonese-Fukinese secret society that wanted to restore Ming rule and prohibit opium. It was helped in its struggle by some foreign seamen, but many other foreigners supported the Manchus who regained the city. In 1860, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom tried unsuccessfully to take Shanghai. In 1915 students and workers demonstrated here against the Twenty-One Demands of Japan. And in July 1921, the first Congress of the Communist Party of China met secretly here.

In 1925, a worker striking for higher wages was killed at a Japanese factory. This led to a demonstration by workers and students in the International Settlement, during which the British police killed several demonstrators. A rash of nationwide anti-imperialist protests followed. In April 1927, Chiang Kai-shek ordered a massacre of the Communists here, and Chou En-lai barely escaped with his life. The late 1920s was the golden age of Shanghai.

In 1932, Shanghai resisted a Japanese attack for two months and then made a truce. China appealed to the League of Nations and the United States, neither of whom did anything to help. Japan attacked again in August 1937. The Nationalists fought back for three months before retreating to Nanjing and later to Chongqing. The movie and book Empire of the Sun is set in this period and parts were shot in Shanghai. The Japanese stayed until 1945 and in May 1949, the Communists took the city. During the Cultural Revolution, it was the scene of many intense political struggles, especially in January 1966.

Today Shanghai is a boom town, but look carefully. Many of its huge new high-rise nickelodeon buildings and fancy single-family houses are empty. Many of its old 19th century neighborhoods have been torn down. It has been experiencing double-digit economic growth and its average per capita income of about Y11,000 is one of China’s highest. It is the “dragon’s head” of the burgeoning Yangtze River basin.

Shanghai is building the largest container port in the world with 52 berths a 20-year project. By 2004, it hopes to have trains to Beijing in three hours running 500 km/hour. It’s bidding for international meetings. It’s building the biggest exhibition center in China, a German joint venture. There is talk also of 10 light rail lines and eleven subway lines. Shanghai is ambitious. It wants to surpass Hong Kong.

At the same time, it is increasing its green spaces. The city has 24-hourvideo cameras monitoring air pollution. No one can burn coal within the city. It is building a natural gas pipeline from China’s western Xinjiang region. Its air is better than that of Beijing and Guangzhou.

Shanghai is pleasant because the people are outgoing and lively, and eager to learn. Shanghainese have been known for over a century for their quick wit, business talents, and efficiency. Today, parts of Shanghai are reminiscent of Manhattan or Paris. Its cosmopolitan heritage is reflected in its architecture and in the relative sophistication of many of its citizens. Its fashions and standards for products and services are the result of its longer, more concentrated periods of dealing with fussy foreigners. Its shopping is the best in the country.

It is a big, very crowded city that is more redolent of trade, commerce, and industry than it is of ancient Chinese culture. Many visitors think Shanghai can be missed, but as a contrast to other of China you should at least look at it. Feel its vibrancy. It is the most livable and exciting city now for foreigners in China.

In 2001, Shanghai hosted the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum. Delegations of world leaders occupied its five-star hotels. Radio and television stations broadcasted English lessons daily and hotel staff had to pass examinations in it. Whole neighborhoods, streets, one tunnel and some offices and stores were closed during the talks. The arrangements contributed to the Forum’s success and Shanghai grew even more sure of its place in the world. It is now aiming to bid for the 2010 EXPO.

More Articles ...