Shanghai - Shanghai Memories Tour
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Paris of the East, Queen of the Orient - the relics of Shanghai's decadent and infamous past as the center of European imperialism are fast disappearing as it strives to redeem its position as a prime economic center of the Far East. Today we will rekindle the memories of Shanghai 's past. Our morning is entirely taken up with a visit to the Shanghai Museum, which contains one of the world's finest collections of Chinese art. In the afternoon we embark on a walking tour of some of the tree shaded streets of the French Concession. Most of the houses of this area remain intact, providing a charming area for strolling, imagining the life of Shanghai's wealthy community prior to World War II. If you still have energy, then go to Duo Lun Street, which preserves the style of life of the Chinese literary community of the 1920's and 1930's. We visit one or two of the homes of China 's famous writers, browse in art and book stores, and stop for a cup of coffee and snack in a traditional coffee shop.
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With a collection of over 120,000 pieces, the Shanghai Museum displays some of the best cultural relics from China's Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty, a span of over 5,000 years. While the highlights are the bronze ware, ceramics, calligraphy, and painting, it also has excellent displays of jade, furniture, coins and Chinese seals or ˇ°chopsˇ±. The museum was established in 1952, and the current bulding opened in 1995 with a design that recalls some of the exhibits and symbolizes ˇ°a round heaven and a square earthˇ±.
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The former French Concession, stretching from the western edge of the Old City to Avenue Haig, comprises boulevards, shops and cafes, and its residents were mainly White Russians and Chinese. It had its own electrical system, judiciary, and police force. You can easily get lost in its leafy, villa-lined backstreets. Places worth visiting are Sun Yat Sen Memorial Residence (First President of China Republic), Fromer Residence of Zhou Enlai (First Premier of New China), and Song Qingling's Former Residence (Wife of Sun Yat Sen, Honorary President of New China).
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Duolun Road
This recently restored cultural street of find old houses, was home in the 1930s to several of China's most famous writers, such as Lu Xun and Mao Dun. Today it is lined with art supply stores, curio shops, galleries and teahouses. Interesting spots include Wang Zaoshi's fabulous collection of 10,000 Chairmao Mao badges at No 183, "Hongde Temple", Duolun Museum of Modern Art and Old Film Cafe.
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