Sights in Shànghǎi
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A
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
Education meets entertainment in this slick and intelligently designed aquarium that children will love. Join them on a tour through the aquatic environments from the Yangzi River to Australia, South America, the frigid ecosystems of the Antarctic and to the flourishing marine life of coral reefs. The 155m-long underwater clear viewing tunnel has gobsmacking views.
reviewed
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B
Shanghai Museum
A tour de force, this museum of traditional Chinese art is the centrepiece of People’s Square, if not Shanghai, so bookmark a whole day. Top galleries include the Ceramics Gallery, Bronzes Gallery and Painting Gallery. Arrive early to avoid the queues. The Shanghai Museum also has an emporium. Items include facsimiles of the museum’s porcelain collection, and postcards and books on the Chinese arts, architecture, travel and language.
reviewed
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C
Qibao
Well within reach of the centre of town (8km southwest of Xujiahui), the ancient canal town of Qibao dates back to the Northern Song dynasty (AD 960–1127), reaching its apogee during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Qibao is littered with traditional historic architecture, threaded by small, busy alleyways and cut by a picturesque canal. Vestiges of village handicrafts survive, including traditional wooden-bucket makers, a traditional distillery and a remarkable miniature carving museum. If you can blot out the crowds, Qibao will bring you some of the flavours of old China.
reviewed
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D
Taikang Road Art Centre
Xīntiāndì and Taikang Rd are based on a similar idea – an entertainment complex housed within a layout of traditional lòngtáng alleyways – but when it comes to genuine charm and vibrancy, Taikang Rd is the one that delivers. Also known as Tiánzǐfáng, this community of design studios, wi-fi cafes, and boutiques is the perfect antidote to Shànghǎi’s oversized malls and intimidating skyscrapers. With families still residing in neighbouring buildings, a community mood survives, and the area’s relative transport isolation has prevented it from being utterly swamped by tour groups.
There are three main north–south lanes (Nos 210, 248, 274) criss-crossed by…
reviewed
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E
M50
Chinese contemporary art has been the hottest thing in the art world for the past decade and there’s no sign of the boom ending, with collectors around the world paying record prices for the work of top artists like Zhang Xiaogang (whose paintings sold for a total of US$57 million in 2007). Běijīng may dominate the art scene in China, but Shànghǎi has its own thriving gallery subculture, centred on this complex of industrial buildings down dusty Moganshan Rd in the north of town. Although many of the artists who originally established the enclave are long gone, it is well worth putting aside a half-day to poke around the many galleries here. There’s some challenging,…
reviewed
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F
Zhongshan Park
Known as Jessfield Park to the British, this is a moderately interesting park located in the north east, in the former ‘Badlands’ area of 1930s Shànghǎi. Kids will like Fundazzle ( 翻斗乐; Fāndǒulè), an adventure playground with slides, mazes and tunnels.
reviewed
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G
Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
The 3rd floor features Shanghai’s idealised future, with an incredible model layout of the megalopolis-to-come plus a dizzying Virtual World 3-D wrap-around tour complete with celebratory fireworks.
reviewed
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H
Yùyuán Gardens & Bazaar
With their shaded alcoves, glittering pools churning with carp, pavilions, pines sprouting wistfully from rockeries, and roving packs of Japanese tourists, these gardens (豫园; Yùyuán)are one of Shànghǎi's premier sights – but are overpoweringly crowded at weekends.
The Pan family, rich Ming-dynasty officials, founded the gardens, which took 18 years (1559–77) to be nurtured into existence before bombardment during the Opium War in 1842. The gardens took another trashing during French reprisals for attacks on their nearby concession by Taiping rebels. Restored, they are a fine example of Ming garden design. The spring and summer blossoms bring a fragrant and floral…
reviewed