Shanghai's Promenade: The Bund
Best known by its Anglo-Indian name of Bund (Wàitan), the Zhongshan
Lu is a lovely broad promenade running along the west bank of the
Huangpujiang River. It's particularly popular among tourists as the
area has retained a European feel (it was once the location of the
city's International Settlement) that is particularly noticeable in
the many old English and French buildings now serving as
restaurants, boutique stores, galleries, and offices. Always
bustling, it's a splendid place for a stroll day or night as you
take in the Bund's 52 unique buildings constructed in a variety of
styles including Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Neoclassical, and
Renaissance influences, along with what amounts to one of the
world's most impressive collections of Art Deco architecture.
Moving from south to north, the dominant buildings are the former
headquarters of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation with
its splendid cupola, the harbor customs office with its bell tower,
the old Peace Hotel, and the Bank of China. Huangpu Park, located at
the north end of The Bund, opened in 1886 and is famous as the
country's oldest public park. It's a pleasant place to visit, and
has an interesting museum dedicated to The Bund's history. The Bund
is also a great place from which to embark upon a sightseeing tour
aboard a boat around the port and the confluence of the Huangpujiang
and Yangtze rivers.
Yu Garden
To the northeast of the old town and laid out in 1559, the splendid
Yu Garden (Yù Yuán), also known as the Garden of Happiness, covers
an area of more than 20,000 square meters and consists of an outer
and an inner garden. The oldest section is the Outer Garden, with
further changes being made in the 18th century when Sansui Tang, the
park's main hall, was added (the building is notable for its lovely
roof ornaments, figurative representations in bas-reliefs, and
window openings, as well as its dragon-adorned walls).
The best-known building is the Hall of Spring where the Company of
the Little Swords (Xiaodao Hui) had its headquarters between 1853
and 1855 when it ruled Shanghai. Of great historical importance are
the artificial rocks in this part of the garden, the only work of
the master garden designer Zhang Nanyang that has been preserved.
The newer and much smaller Inner Garden dates from 1709 and includes
features typical of a classical Chinese writer's garden: attractive
little pavilions, decorative stones and miniature mountain ranges,
dividing walls and small ponds, and even a richly decorated
theatrical stage.
The Jade Buddha Temple
In the Anyuan Lu district of Shanghai, the beautiful Jade Buddha
Temple houses two Shakyamuni statues, which the monk Huigen brought
with him from Burma. The present building, erected in 1928 to
replace the original temple built in 1882, is divided into three
halls and two courtyards and includes the splendid Hall of the Kings
of Heaven (Tian Wang Dian), notable for its statues of the four
heavenly kings and two Shakyamuni sculptures. Carved from white
jade, one of these impressive statues stands nearly two meters high
in the Wentang Main hall, where a collection of Buddhist manuscripts
is also kept (the smaller statue is in the west courtyard). Also of
interest is the charming Hall of the Great Hero (Daxiong Baodian)
with its Buddhas of the Three Ages, along with 18 Luohan figures.
Another of Shanghai's many important Buddhist sites is the stunning
Jing'an Temple on Nanjing West Road.
A must-visit while in Shanghai is the
468-meter-tall Oriental Pearl Radio and TV Tower (Dongfang Míngzhuta) in
Pudong-Park on the east bank of the Huangpu River. In addition to its
excellent views over the busy river and the new city, you'll be rewarded
with superb views over the historic Bund promenade. Built in 1991, the
tower takes its name from its 11 linked spheres of various sizes, the
highest of which - the Space Module - contains an observation level at
the 350 meter mark with a glass-floored outside deck. All told, the
tower boasts 15 viewing areas, including the Sightseeing Floor and Space
City, as well as a revolving restaurant with great views. Other
highlights include a lower level shopping mall, the Space Hotel offering
rooms with spectacular views, and a fun virtual reality rollercoaster
ride. Even if you can't make it up the tower, you'll enjoy viewing it at
night when the whole structure is lit up as part of a fascinating light
show.
Xujiahui Cathedral and the Sheshan Basilica
Built in 1911 in Neo-Romanesque style, Xujiahui Cathedral - also
known as St. Ignatius Cathedral - is another splendid reminder of
Shanghai's rich multi-national heritage. In the southern city district
of Xujiahui, it's the largest place of Roman Catholic worship in
Shanghai, and in addition to its splendid park-like setting is worth
visiting for its twin 50-meter-high bell-towers and restored interior
with fine stained glass windows. Another important religious site is the
Sheshan Basilica (the National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady of
Sheshan). This fine old Roman Catholic church stands on the western peak
of the hill after which it's named. Like so many other religious sites,
it was heavily damaged during the Chinese Cultural Revolution but in
recent years has undergone extensive renovations and remains an
important pilgrimage site. A highlight of a visit is following the 14
Stations of the Cross, which zigzag up the hill to the church, along
with the many splendid views along the way.
Shanghai Disney Resort
Shanghai Disney Resort, China's second Disney venture after Hong Kong
Disneyland Resort, opened to great fanfare and massive crowds in 2016
and shows every sign of being a massive success. In addition to its two
themed hotels and the Disneytown entertainment and shopping district,
this nearly 1,000-acre site in the city's Pudong district is home to the
Shanghai Disneyland Park, the hub of all the action and the real reason
some 10 million people visit the resort each year. And it's every inch
the kind of Disney experience fans and families alike can't seem to get
enough of. The fun starts on Mickey Avenue, with its character meet and
greets and merchandise-cum-souvenir shops, before guests head off to
their favorite part of the park, whether it be Gardens of Imagination,
with its pleasant Chinese gardens and Dumbo carousel; Fantasyland, in
many ways the parks "heart and soul" as it's here you'll find the
Enchanted Storybook Castle... and hordes of mini wannabe princesses
waiting to catch a glimpse of their favorite Disney royalty; or Treasure
Cove, home to a thrilling Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired ride.
Official Site:
https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com/en/
