‘Above The Sea’ – Shanghai

China is the largest country in the East Asia and one of the most populous countries in the world. The Chinese civilization is the oldest and earliest civilization in the world which flourished on the Yellow River.

The political base of China is more than 4,000 years old. Due to shifting of powers and trounces within the country had affected economy, but in 1978 with introduction of market based economy reform china turned out be today’s world’s second largest exporter and third largest importer of goods.

One of the good examples of the development in China is Shanghai city in China. Historically Shanghai was only a village which later in Song dynasty (960 AD – 1279 AD) was changed into market town. In 1172, a sea wall was built around the sea coastline in order to stabilize the coastline. In 1297 during Yuan Dynasty the village was officially declared as city, designated as county administration.

Earlier Shanghai was well known for two reasons: first city wall built around the coastline for the protection from the Japanese pirates and second one is, city gold temple build in 1602 which is not a usual thing happens in a county because the political status of the town and erection of the temple reflects that the shanghai was economically important.

During Qing dynasty, Shanghai’s sea port becomes the important sea port in Yangtze Delta region. In the 19th century, the position of the city, made itself best location for the western trade. Due to many reforms and changes, foreign settlements were made because which many citizen from different countries came here to work in Shanghai. In 20’s and 30’s approximately 20,000 white Russian and Russian Jews fled here in Soviet Union, making Shanghai home for seventy thousand foreigners and fifth largest city in the world. During 50’s and 60’s Shanghai became the centre for industrialization.

Today’s shanghai is the result of the economic reforms which was given permission to follow in 1991.

Shanghai is the blueprint of china. With the civilization and the modernization of the city, shanghai is one of the most happening city in the world. The colonialism is still visible in the form of French Concession.

The architecture of shanghai has become a bench mark in the country as well as in abroad. The buildings – ancient and modern has become tourist attraction in the city. Including, Bund which is a symbol of shanghai, and then people’s square – also well known as ‘a city green lung’, and other places such as the Orient Pearl Broadcasting and Television Tower, Jin Mao Tower, the Pedestrian Mall of Nanjing Road, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theater and the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall.

The new bund:

It is located beside the west Bank of the Huangpu River between Waibaidu Bridge and Nanpu Bridge. It is 4 kilometers long fare and listed in top ten new scenes tourist attraction in the city. Beside bund, there you will find diverse architectural style of buildings; they are epithet as the contemporary world expo of architectures. At night the whole view is mind blowing and fantastic with the building lights and the fare lights put a good night view.

People’s square is like Oasis in the center of the city. The place is open area with garden type look and is surrounded by the buildings, artistic activities, transportation and commence. The whole green area is about eighty thousand square meters and the People’s square includes people’s mansion, Shanghai Grand Theater, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall and Shanghai Museum.

The Orient Pearl Broadcasting and television Tower:

It serves to broadcast television and radio frequencies for broadcasting. It is 460 meter tall which makes it third highest tower in the world. It is nicknamed as ‘double dragons playing with the pearl’.

Jin Mao Tower situated in Lujiazui Finance and trade Zone in Pudong. It has eighty-eight floors where 88th floor is the topmost and sightseeing hall in China. At the bottom of the tower is Shanghai Ocean Aquarium and is home for the Oranda gold fish which is named Bruce after Bruce Lee. The aquarium also has longest underwater subway in the world.

You haven’t seen anything until you visit Shanghai Xintiandi. It’s an urban sightseer attraction which still holds Shanghai’s cultural and historical inheritance.

How can you miss out food and shopping once you enter this city, it will just pull you towards itself. Shanghai is known for eating and shopping dreamland. Here you will find more than thirty thousand restaurants serving every style of food dishes from Chinese to western style of food and cuisines from other 30 countries like Italy, France, Japan, India, Portugal, etc. the famous eating spot are many like the City God Temple area, Wujiang Road, etc.