A bit of a "slow" day on Day 11 compared to the previous days. We're going to visit the Shanghai Museum and then spend the rest of the day shopping on Nanjing Road. But first some information about Shanghai.
Shanghai
Located in the Yangtze River Delta in East China, Shanghai sits at the mouth of the Yangtze River in the middle portion of the Chinese coast. The municipality borders the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the north, south and west, and to the east by the East China Sea. With a total population of 23 million people, the city is the largest by population in the world. It is so large that it is one of four cities that qualifies as a province. As a global city, it has a major influence in commerce, culture, finance, media, fashion, technology, and transport. It is the busiest container port in the world.
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| Map of Shanghai |
For centuries a major administrative, shipping, and trading town, Shanghai grew in importance in the 19th century due to its favorable port location and economic potential to European countries. The city was one of several opened to foreign trade following the British victory over China in the First Opium War and the subsequent 1842 Treaty of Nanking which allowed the establishment of the Shanghai International Settlement. The city flourished as a center of commerce between east and west and became the undisputed financial hub of the Asia Pacific in the 1930s. However, with the Communist takeover of the mainland in 1949, trade was reoriented to focus on socialist countries, and the city's global influence declined. In the 1990s, the economic reforms introduced by Deng Xiaoping resulted in an intense re-development of the city, aiding the return of finance and foreign investment to the city.
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| Shanghai - New & Old |
Shanghai is a popular tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as The Bund, City God Temple and Yu Garden, as well as the extensive and growing Lujiazui skyline. It has been described as the "showpiece" of the booming economy of mainland China.
Shanghai Museum
As a museum of ancient Chinese art, the Shanghai Museum possesses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art. Its rich and high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy is specially celebrated in the world. Founded and first open to the public in the building previously occupied by the Shanghai Horseracing Club in 1952, the Shanghai Museum was next moved into the former Zhonghui Building at 16 South Henan Road in 1959. The museum very quickly developed in all aspects of acquisition, conservation, research, exhibition, education and cultural exchanges with other institutes.
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| Shanghai Museum |
In 1993, construction started on the current Museum building and three years later it was the new building was opened to the public on October 12th, 1996. With a height of 29.5 meters and space of 39,200 square meters, its unique architectural form of a round top with a square base symbolized the ancient Chinese philosophy that the square earth is under the round sky. It is a distinguished architectural combination of traditional feature and modern spirit. The Shanghai Museum has eleven galleries and three special temporary exhibition halls.
Shopping On Nanjing Road
For the afternoon, we get to shop on Nanjing Road, home to all kinds of boutiques, electronics stores and other shoppers' delights.
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| Nanjing Road At Night |
After dinner, we attend an Acrobatics Show.
The Hotel - Shanghai Mariott
During our overnight stay in Shanghai, we stay at the Shanghai Mariott Hotel, Changfeng Park, 158 Daduhe Road, Putuo District, Shanghai.
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| Shanghai Mariott Hotel, Changfeng Park, Shanghai |
Tomorrow, we fly off to Wuhan, then by coach to Yichang where we'll have a bit of a stop at Jingzhou before we go back to Yichang for dinner and then get on the cruise ship for our 3-day and 4-night cruise on the Yangtse.
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