About Shanghai

Shanghai Culture

 

"Shanghai style" is created by some authors in Beijing in 1920s to criticize scholars and style of writing in Shanghai at that time. Its opposite side is Beijing style. Both of them are representatives of two different cultures in China. Beijing style is traditional while Shanghai style is unconventional and result of Chinese and Western which is full of commercial and folk colors.

 

In 1843, Shanghai is subject to Jiangnan culture before building to be a port and is derived from the ancient Wu-Yue culture of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces along the Yangtze River. The characteristics such as hydrophily, sensitiveness and fine and exquisiteness are inherited by Shanghai style. As it presents a tolerant stance to other cultures and is good at accepting new culture, diverse characteristics of Shanghai style are formed.

 

After building to be a port, numerous people from Zhejiang province and Jiangsu province formed the major immigration group. Bold and open adventurous characters and exploiting spirits of Wu-Yue culture come into being the creative characteristics of Shanghai style. Later on, western civilization was brought into China at that time which made Shanghai become the national center of business and economy from a small town. Consequently, Shanghai style combined with Chinese and western culture was gradually formed.

 

Former residence of renowned people

 

Shanghai was a place with many renowned people before the liberation. A great sum of classic historical stories and figures once left their trace and steps here so that a lot of renowned residences were emerged.

 

Lu Xun came into Shanghai in 1927 and died in 1936 who lived in Shanghai for over 9 years and often went to Neishan Bookstore and Hongkou Part for several times. Later on, the grave of Lu Xun was moved from Wanguo cemetery to Hongkou Park. During the 20the anniversary of Lu Xun's death, a memorial hall with Jiangnan style was built and the park was later officially renamed "Lu Xun Park".

 

Lu Xun former residence was a three-floor house with red bricks and tiles and was a house lived and worked by a great cultural master before his death from 1933 to 1936. In the house, a large number of creation, translation, edit were engaged. What's more, activities like "China Freedom Activities League" and "China Zuoyi Authors League" were organized and many valuable things and writing stuff used before death were found.

 

There is a famous Duolun Cultural street close to Lu Xun former residence which is hard to be found in the map but a great influence in modern cuture and history of China. Many historical celebrated people like Lu Xun, Qu Qiubai, Guo Moruo and Mao Dun gathered and fought here. China Zuoyi Authors League, National Art University, Shanghai Art Theatre and Gongfei Coffee House were all their battlefields. Duoluyn Road and its neighboring roads reflect historical trace and cultural epitome from certain side. Those vivid bronze figures in the street describe cultural demeanor at that time while those former residences quietly tell us the stories at that era.

 

No.7 of Xiangshan Road is a peaceful European style garden house which was the former residence of Sun Yat-sen who lived here with his wife from 1918 to 1924. Displays in the house were fixed up by Song Chingling according to the original places at that year and most are original. On the retired and quiet Gaolan road, General Zhang Xueliang lived with Zhao Yidi in 1934 and 1935. A painting master Lu Haisu lived in the No. 512, Fuxing Middle Road, who established the first art school-Shanghai Art Vocational School.

 

Since 1937, Ba Jin, a famous writer, who lived in the third floor in the No.59, 927 Lane, Huaihai Middle Road for 18 years. He finished his later two works of Torrent Trilogy, namely Spring, Autumn and Cold Night. Cai Yuanpei lived in the No.16, 303Lane, Huashan Road which is a peaceful place in the busy streets-a European style house. Excellent democratic revolutionist, educationist, Cai Yuanpei lived here in 1937. the most famous residence that attracts people's mind is that of Zhang Ailing who once lived in the Cahngde apartment in the No.195, Changde Road which is a house that her fans are sure to come. Although these houses are not allowed to enter, you can feel grace and ages of the old Shanghai when standing outside.

 

Shanghai Opera

 

Shanghai Opera is one of the representative operas in Shanghai which is popular in Shanghai, South Jiangsu, Hangzhou, Jiaxing, West Lake of Zhejiang Province. It originated from the sides of Huangpu River and folk songs. While in the course of handing down, it was affected by story telling and changed into the form of rap, Tanhuang. During the period of Daoguang, Qing Dynasty, Tanhuang along the Huangpu River was developed into opera sang and played by two people and three actors will play while performing. In addition, there are specified accompanists. In 1898, there were artists performing in the fixed tea house in Shanghai which is called Bentan. In 1914, Bentan was renamed Shen opera. After 1927, Shen opera began to play civilization opera and current affirs opera. In 1941, Shanghai Opera Association was established and Shen opera was officially renamed Shanghai Opera.

 

Shanghai Opera is good at expressing modern life and is sang in Shanghai dialect. It is easy to understand and natural and kind in the music voice with a dense feeling of Yangtze River delts so that it is loved by Shanghai citizens. Nowadays, it is often to see in small theatres and sometimes large living opera will be played in the top theatre.