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Nanjing Road in Shanghai

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Posted by :maliu On : April 10, 2012

Category: China guide, City Guide, Working in China

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Nanjing Road, known as theNo.1 Street in China, is one of the leading business centers in Shanghai. It is referred to be the miniature of the history and culture of Shanghai for a century.

From the Bund at the east end to Jing’an Temple at the west end, the street has a history of more than 100 years. It was originally named Yongquan, the spring in front of Jing’an Temple.

The 1033-metre-long “Pedestrian Walkway of Nanjing Road” houses the China’s key commercial shops like Shanghai No.1 Department Store, Yong’an Commercial Building, Lao Feng Xiang Gold & Jewelry Shop, Maochang Optical Shop and Shanghai No.1 Medicine Shop. All these make Nanjing Road a thriving and fascinating commercial hub that attracts both local residents and visitors from at home and abroad.

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History of Shikumen

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Posted by :maliu On : April 10, 2012

Category: China History, Chinese Culture, City Guide

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In the early 1900s, the Shikumen lanes were considered among the younger generation as the ultimate examples of dilapidated, crowded and wretched urban living. Luckily for the generations to follow, a few literary masterpieces were written by writers infatuated with the lane’s architecture which introduced people to the hidden beauty of Shikumen.

The Stone-hooped doors and Shikumen

In the Shanghai dialect, wrapping or bundling is called ‘hooping’, giving rise to phrases like ‘hooping a bucket’, so doors ‘hooped’ by stone bars were called Stoned-hooped doors, and later the name changed to Shikumen. Generally, the Shikumen-style buildings have long bars of stones as doorframes and burly wooden planks as doors, each fixed with a huge bronze ring.

The origin of Shikumen buildings can be traced back to the 1860s. In 1860, the Taiping Revolution led by Li Xiucheng advanced east, conquering a string of important towns in easternChina, causing an influx of refugees from southernJiangsuand northernZhejianginto the foreign settlements inShanghai. To accommodate this inflax of refugees, local merchants were encouraged to invest in housing for these people. To use the limited land more efficiently, the houses built were in most cases rows of Shikumen-style buildings

These buildings reflect a mix of Chinese and foreign styles of architecture. Shikumen-style buildings have certain elements of the west, but most of the design and layout is in line with that of the “Jiangnan” area of easternChina. Behind the Shikumen door is a courtyard, and further inside is a living room, locally known as a parlour, and then there is the back courtyard, kitchen and back door. To the sides of the courtyard and the parlo
ur are the right and left wing rooms. The layout of the second storey is similar to the one below, but above the kitchen is the garret, above which is a flat roof. The typical buildings of the Shikumen style can be seen within Xingrenli – an area of 1.33 square kilometers defined by the east side of Henanzhong Road, Ningbo Road and Beijing Road; and also within Dunrenli, Mianyangli and Jixiangli, all near the Xinmatou Street close to Zhongshannan Road.

After the early 1900s,Shanghai’s households became smaller in size and the residents’ living patterns underwent major changes. The structure and layout of the Shikumen-style houses also changed as a result. Smaller units, without wing rooms and suitable for small households, appeared, together with somewhat larger units with one parlour and one wing room. These new two-or-three-storey Shikumen houses were separated by lanes four meters wide. Humble “Tingzijian” rooms were found at the turn of the staircases while verandahs were added to the facades. After the 1920s, sewerage systems were installed. Typical examples of such Shikumen buildings are the Jingan Villa onNanjingxi Road, and the Daluxin Villa onShanyin Road.

After the 1930s,Shanghaifaced a housing shortage, so the owners of Shikumen-style buildings rented out some of the rooms. Since then most Shikumen-style buildings have had their original layouts altered and became mansions housing more than one family.

Life in the Lanes

Shikumen-style houses formed the basis of the “Li Long” (lane) community where private spheres and public spaces overlapped. In this community, everyone knew everyone else’s business. As the density of the community rose, some family activities were often moved to public spaces.

A valuable Architectural Legacy

At their peak, the Shikumen-style neighbourhoods numbered more than9000 inShanghaiand took up 60 per cent of the total housing space of the city. The Shikumen style, which has survived for more than a century, is however no longer suitable for modern urban living. Since the 1990s,Shanghaibegan a new wave of renovation and development, demolishing many Shikumen-style buildings. It was only when more and more of these houses were replaced by skyscrapers that people began to realize such monuments of Shanghai’s past deserve to be preserved.

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Shanghai police brush up English

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Posted by :maliu On : April 10, 2012

Category: China Overview, City Guide, Working in China

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Senior police officers in Shanghai are taking English-language training courses to help them better deal with increasing numbers of foreign nationals in the city.

About 100 top-level officers from the city’s public security bureau and district bureau chiefs began their nine-month courses at the weekend.

“More and more foreigners are coming to work and live here, and this presents greater challenges for the city’s police,” said Guo Yonghua, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau.

“The city’s public security departments have been looking to develop high-quality police officers to deal with the demands of foreign affairs.”

English-language training company (ESL jobs here)Wall Street English have developed a range of tailor-made courses, including “senior police officer English ability training”, “Shanghai police officer online English learning and social practice”, and “oral English corner”.

The courses focus on improving English listening and speaking skills, with native speakers providing one-on-one training. Trainees will do the courses in their spare time.

Chen Changjun, deputy director of the command center of the public security bureau, was one of 30 officers who took English training courses in 2009.

“I already had some foundation in English when I was in school, but I used it little after I graduated. This training gave me a chance to improve and helped me to better deal with daily work,” Chen said at the launch of the training program on Friday.

“As Shanghai attracts more people from overseas, so the city has to intensify its efforts to fight an increasing number of international crimes. There is a greater need for language skills,” Chen said.

How to rent a house in Shanghai

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Posted by :maliu On : April 10, 2012

Category: Business, Teaching English, Working in China

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STEP 1: Decision making on details

How many budget you have, how large, buy or rent, whether houses or apartment, which district or specific area you prefer to live.

Gathering information through Internet, newspaper, magazine, among other media.

Have a basic concept of the prices for different housing types.

 STEP 2: Find an agency and the houses you like

Each agency will publicize houses they are consigned to rent or sell, you can pick up some among the total.

You should visit several outlets of those large and famed local chain agencies around the areas you preferred before make the decision.

 STEP 3: Check the house at the scene

Accompanied with one or two agent, you can visit the landlord and the house. Looking around as careful as you can and ask each question you want to know.

 STEP 4: Hire an agency

If you find your preferred houses and the agency which you can trust and rely on, you may hire the agency to rent or buy the house from its owner.

Those agencies will need you to sign a contract with them to restrict you contact directly to landlords.

 STEP 5: Bargain and sign contract with landlord through your agency

Both the leasing and purchasing contracts have their officially recommended version, you can adding some extra clauses after negotiating with your landlord.

You may bargain with landlord on the price and other extra conditions, such as repairing, renovation, fares (power supply, water, gas, and property management fee).

Make it clear on the responsibilities for taxation, fares (power supply, water, gas, and property management fee), repairing, among others.

 STEP 6: Go to local real estate exchange center for contract registration

 STEP 7: Pay deposit (for tenant) and get the key

Normally, you should pay the rent for the first month plus two months of rent as deposit before you move to your new home.

Remember, no matter buy or rent, registration is necessary, local agencies will do procedures for you or you can hire a lawyer to tackle them.

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Shanghai Hongqiao Eco&Tech Development Zone

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Posted by :maliu On : April 6, 2012

Category: Business, China guide, Working in China

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Hongqiao Development Zone is a new pattern of commercial area centered by foreign trade authorities, foreign trade promotion center, foreign trade companies and exhibition venues and high-rise office buildings.
　　
Geological Location
Shanghai Hongqiao Development Zone is located in the west part of the urban area of Shanghai, to the east of Zhong Shan Road, west of Gu Bei Road, north of Xian Xia Road, south of Hong Qiao Road, with a total area of 65.2 hectares.
　　
Communication and Transportation
HETDZ enjoys convenient transportation. Within the Zone, all the roads are connected to each other, and outside the Zone, the Inner Ring, the Outer Ring, and the Yan‘an Elevated Highway run nearby. The Hongqiao International Airport is only 5.5 kilometers away.
　　
Pillar Industries
Shanghai Hongqiao Development Zone is characterized as a foreign trade center, and is the sole commercial and trade development zone in China that integrates the businesses of exhibition, office service, residence, catering and shopping.
　　
Development Planning
Hongqiao Economic & Technological Development Zone covers an area of 65.2 hectares, with a construction area of 31.09 hectares, a greenery area of 19.54 hectares and a road area of 14.39 hectares. It plans to construct 300,000 sq.m.‘s exhibition and displaying place, office building, hotel and restaurant, commercial and building, complementary facilities. A foreign consular area has been established in the Development Zone.

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Grab a snack while being Shanghai

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Posted by :maliu On : March 27, 2012

Category: China guide, City Guide, Working in China

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Given Shanghai’s role as an important financial and cultural center in China, it is no surprise that snacks from all over the nation are represented here.

So many amazing restaurants here usually serves authentic and traditional Shanghai snacks. However, the city also has its own famous local snacks that are not to be missed, such as those below.

If you are feeling puckish or looking for a light meal you won’t have to walk too far in the downtown area to feast on local or foreign favorites. Although most locals are rice-eaters, Shanghai has a large number of noodle shops and outlets selling local dumplings, the most popular being sheng jian, (pan fried meat dumplings) and xiao1ong bao (steamed meat dumplings). The most famous dumpling shop in town selling Nanxiang steamed dumplings near the entrance to the Yu Garden.

You can’t miss it-just look for a small shop with long queues. The nearby Lubolang Restaurant(Green Wave Pavilion) also conjures up a fine range of dumplings-especially the crab-filled variety. Another favorite often sold at the front of food stores and restaurants is zongzi-sweet or savory glutinous rice parcels wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Try them and many other spec
ialities at Shendacheng, 636 Nanjing Road(W). Up the road at No. 805 is another local favorite, Wangjiasha, which serves deep-fried noodles and great dumplings. It’s a very busy place and you have to purchase vouchers first and, like at most specialty eateries, be prepared to queue.

Featured Snack and Dim Sum

Gaoqiao Muffin has a sweet taste with crispiness, and is one of the four famous

Dazzling Snacks Street

1.   The City God Temple Snack Street

Located in the oldest quarters of Shanghai this snack street is near to Yuyuan Gardens and the Temple of the City God. It’s also close to the Bund and an ideal place to eat within a busy sightseeing schedule.

The street deserves to be called ‘Shanghai Snack Kingdom’. It is the largest and most long-standing snack street in the city featuring the most famous restaurants and eateries in Shanghai. In accordance with the architectural style of the nearby ancient Yuyuan Garden, restaurants in the Old Town Snack Street are all constructed following a style of Ming and Qing Dynasties.

In addition, a snack plaza of thousands of square meters is included. You can find almost all the Shanghai snacks here, including authentic Xiaolong buns, Crab-Yellow Pastries, Fried Stuffed Buns, Chop Rice Cakes, Vegetable Stuffed Buns, and Cream Spiced Beans. Various snacks from other areas in China are also available.

2.Wujiang Road

Wujiang Road is the most popular snack street in Shanghai. Located in the southeast of Jing’an District it’s very near Nanjing Road West metro station so it’s a good place to go for a snack whilst shopping nearby.

Many old restaurants along this road are famous for authentic and delicious Shanghai snacks. Usually inexpensive they’re popular with the locals and tourists. Recently some Western style restaurants and fashion stores have also opened here.

3.Xianxia Road

Xianxia Road food street is in Changning District, the west periphery area of the city zone of Shanghai. It extends to Zunyi Road to the east and boasts plenty of restaurants of different styles from Chinese hot pot restaurants to western cafes. You can easily find cuisines of Shanghai, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia in this road.

Delicately furnished teahouses, cafes, and bars are another feature of Xianxia Road. The pleasant environment of these dining places attracts many youths and the prices are acceptable.

4.Huanghe Road

Huanghe Road Food Street is located near the People’s Square in Huangpu District.

It is packed with a large number of restaurants with distinctive cuisines and reasonable prices. Shanghai cuisines and seafood are leading delicacies here.

5.Zhapu Road

The Zhapu Road is north of Shanghai’s bund and full of restaurants and billboards with neon lights. You get a truly asian feeling there. It must be visited when in Shanghai, both at day and night.

This food street is located in Hongkou District, to the north of the Suzhou River and near the bustling North Sichuan Road Commercial Street.

There are a number of restaurants along the 1000-meter Zhapu road, mainly featuring Shanghai dishes and cuisines of southern provinces in China such as Sichuan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong.

In addition, Huqingping Road in Minhang District is a good place to have seafood. Xin Tian Di in Luwan District, Heshan Road and Grand Gateway in Xuhui District are also popular among gourmands.

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Design for Shanghai World Expo

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Posted by :maliu On : March 16, 2012

Category: China guide, China tours, City Guide

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Our homeland

Every nation tried to present its culture through its pavilion and all of these nations have a long history. How to present an old culture in a modern age, how to make the culture modern, was the question. There were many excellent answers. Everyone to Shanghai Expo is impressed at the sight of China Pavilion. It gives the impression that the Chinese nation has risen. Every Chinese, after seeing the pavilion, feels confident and proud of China’s 5,000 years of civilisation. Undoubtedly, So many engineers and designers have devoted their energy into the design and building of China Pavilion.

Urban nature

The Shanghai Expo is teeming with unique ideas, the pavilion, the zero carbon museun of London and the bamboo house and the eko tree, just to name a few, different as they are, they convey the same message–balance between man and nature. Today, the planet is a tipping point, the environment of cities is becoming worse and worse. Efforts to improve the environment are growing, it has a long way to go especially in mordern cities. In this program, the chief architecture of Swiss pavilion talks about his inspiration of his great design.

Multicultural cities

“Better City, Better Life” representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments. Reviewing Expo 2010 Shanghai, those unique Expo architectures were the emblem of social development into the dawn of a new era. Many concepts are the integration of modern cities with nature. French Pavilion has chosen the theme of “Sensual City”, so that visitors will see, smell, taste, hear and touch the glamour of France. Italian Pavilion represents a liveable place where people can move about about and rest.

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