Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Non-Fiction 2017 | Page 36

Shanghai, Forever Enchanting
Canadian International School of Hong Kong, Tseng, Yuan – 11
F
rom a humble fishing village, Shanghai rose into a global economic powerhouse, a small sleepy
town based on the City God Temple. Shanghai, whose name means on the sea, “shang” as in
“up”, “hai” as in “sea”, had the geographical advantage that made it an ideal place for trading between
the East and the West. It was no surprise that Shanghai became a city in the 13th century and with the
protection of the city wall from Japanese and Chinese pirates, it flourished into a major center of trade
and industry by the 16th century. With the high demand for Chinese tea, silk, and porcelain, Shanghai
became attractive for foreign imperialists for potential economic and trade growth at the Yangtze River.
The end of the First Opium War led to a new narrative in Shanghai. The imposition of the British gave
them the trading rights in the port of Shanghai through the concession agreements. The agreements
allowed foreign citizens like the British, French, Americans and Germans to live and do business in
Shanghai. They set up Western-style buildings, mansions, banks, and houses as well as introduced their
way of life. The influx of foreigners changed the face of Shanghai as it was dubbed the “Paris of the East”
in the 1920s and 1930s. The colonial presence allowed Shanghai to transform dramatically into a
cosmopolitan, commercial, financial and international trading center.
However, the concession period ended when Shanghai fell to the Japanese. The foundation of the
People’s Republic of China in 1949 closed Shanghai’s door to the world and its influence on the global
market diminished. Shanghai went on a hiatus, yet it never lost its spark. As the door of Shanghai
reopened to the world in 1990, it came back bigger and better – it’s a new era of economic growth for
the city as full development and foreign investment poured in left and right. The city was again ready to
write a new page in history as it welcomed with open arms the reestablishment of Shanghai in the
world stage. Since then, Shanghai has undergone enormous change and is now the largest and the
busiest city in China for trade and industry. It is one of the economic forces on the international
market and is comparable to the major cities like London and New York. It has grown into a modern,
international, and cosmopolitan metropolis where people distinctly find a mixture of Eastern and
Western flavour. The extraterritorial presence of foreigners for more than 100 years earned Shanghai
its own unique brand of cosmopolitan urban culture that is exciting and attractive for people all over
the world.
The new generations are now composing a new chapter in the tale of Shanghai. Shanghai is a very
dynamic, sleepless, and diverse city full of opportunities for people who are adventurous enough to take
a risk and seek new things. Local as well as foreigners regard Shanghai as a city where dreams can come
true. Walking down the street of Shanghai, you can see men wearing freshly pressed suits and women
with their signature high heels holding the most technologically advanced smartphones. Glitzy malls,
credit cards, Wi-Fi and Uber are just part of the everyday language in Shanghai. With the massive
changes and growth occurring in Shanghai, rubbles of the past are being exchanged with the structure
of the future. Shanghai’s rapid development is threatening heritage, as young Chinese are willing to
destroy tradition that seems to be a burden in becoming modern. It is essential for the young
generations to be trendsetters, so they are not only fashionable in their way of life, but also progressive
to modernize the society. Shanghainese are seen as China’s chic citizens. As rapid progress continues,
people will hopefully understand that culture is an important part of the economic growth and not just
be gobbled up by the economic development.
Although most of the old Shanghai has crumbled away, the remnants of the past remain in some
districts and continue to tell stories of the extraordinary life of pre-1949 Shanghai. Centuries-old
buildings and European-style architecture of the old International Settlement can still be seen lined up