Opening Thoughts
Right when we stepped foot in Shanghai, I was taken with this titan of a city. The scale of everything was breath-taking. Contemporary skyscrapers bracketed between traditional European architecture left me curious. It felt like the city was stitched together, not in a garish or unappealing way, but in a way that made the older cloth even more striking.
During the duration of our stay in Shanghai, I would realize more and more of what makes Shanghai such a central hub in China. From culture to commerce, Shanghai is King.
Expansion: The Beginning of Modern Day Shanghai
Until 1842, Shanghai's modest origin as a fishing village belied its future as a global economic powerhouse. The aftermath of the First Opium War saw Shanghai designated a treaty port by the British, facilitating unrestricted trade and fostering a cosmopolitan atmosphere dominated by British, French, and American interests. This atmosphere promoted many businessmen and rural Chinese migrant workers to enter the city for the chance of striking big. This period would also lead to the creation of one of the most famous landmarks in Shanghai, The Bund- the economic and social epicenter of the city. However, the city's era of growth was abruptly halted during World War II, when Japanese occupation extinguished its status as a treaty port. The subsequent Chinese revolution would hinder it's development as well, leading one to wonder how Shanghai is the way it is today...
Reclamation: The CCP's influence on Shanghai
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was established on 23 July 1921 in a building located within the French Concession. The CCP's reappropriation of the French Concession building is a testament to the tenacity of the political regime at the time. What once was a symbol of oppression metamorphosized into the keystone of revolution. It is arguable that the CCP may have stunted the cultural development of Shanghai with it's aggressive "Five Year Plan"- a plan in which focused on economic development and social reprograming. It was until Premier Zhou Enlai and U.S. President Richard Nixon signed the Shanghai Communiqué in 1972, that prompted China to engage more openly with the global community. Giving Shanghai it's second wind and paving the way to the globalized city it is today.
Boom: Shanghai's Technicolor Streets
Nanjing Street at night-time is a living, breathing, nocturnal animal. The sea of people walking the streets were painted blues and yellows. It was exactly what you'd imagine this powerhouse of commerce to be like- this was Shanghai.
Europe colonized the coastal region for monetary gain, the CCP reappropriated their colonial buildings to fight consumerism and greed, which all accumulated into street after street after street of malls filled with Gucci and Rolex. However, if this is simply a facsimile of life in the city, a ruse to woo possible buyers, then what is life really like in modern-day Shanghai?
Devour: Capitalisms influence on "Old Shanghai"
Wang Anyi's "Dark Alley" stands as a critique of this modernization of the city. She comments on the impact of rapid urbanization and social transformation on ordinary lives. The dark alley's lit up and the ties that once connected the communities in the area diminished. I never felt this more than when we visited Tianzifang.
Shikumen structures seamlessly blended Western and Chinese design elements into rows of interconnected houses. Shikumen communities were centers of cultural and social life, featuring communal courtyards and shared amenities that fostered a strong sense of community among residents. Tianzifang's structure were no where near as neat and tidy as the more tourist friendly preserved Shikumen but it had life. Shop owners sold goods on the first floors of their houses. Clothes lines nearly blotted out the sun in some areas and people walked in meandering lines through the alleys, passing phones and trading goods. Was this the dark alley Wang Anyi was talking about? It had the people and all the noise but why were there so many tourists? Why were the inhabitants fighting tooth and nail for a sale instead of the tight-knit community that I had heard about? I understand that this is one way of life in the city but was this the authentic way of life?
Can there exist an authentic Shanghai? Has there ever existed one?
Conclusion: What is Shanghai?
What is Shanghai?
The answer is simple. It's the people. Sure, you can take in the historical landmarks, the hottest tourist spots, the trinkets and knickknacks that are overpriced just for you. However, in every city we visited, it was when I was speaking with the people that I felt I understood the city best- understood it's history. People reclaimed the French Concession, paving the way towards the Chinese revolution. Now, it is People who sit around drinking coffee and eating pastries beneath French awnings.
This does not mean that it's history should be dismissed or forgotten. It should be in the back of your mind when you walk the streets of The Bund, not in front of your eyes. You wouldn't want to miss all the lights, would you?