My first encounter with Shanghai was in 2008, during the World Expo. Seventeen years later, my memory of that journey has been pretty vague, but the spectacular and monumental scenes keep me wondering in my mind. The World Expo 2008 was a fantastic mix of culture and innovation. People from all over the world keep wandering through the pavilions that demonstrate their culture and innovations, and Shanghai was their dazzling stage. That sense of excitement formed my first impression of Shanghai, as a city full of contrast and ambition.
Many years later, after finishing high school, I finally had the chance to revisit the place that was haunted in my mind. Despite the World Expo, I never had the chance to truly experience the city, so understanding and enjoying this city became the focus of my recent travels to Shanghai. I visited the Shanghai Museum, Pudong Museum, Long Museum and many other museums. These museums manifested many wonderful parts of the art, culture, and history of Shanghai and even China. For instance, the Shanghai Museum stocks many ancient Chinese artifacts that showcase the history and charm of the Silk Road, a very interesting and significant event in the history of China. By contrast, the Pudong Museum shows the innovative part of Shanghai. A famous exhibition in this museum is the Gravitational Arena by artist Xu Bing. The exhibition is composed of a large-scale art installation made of one thousand and six hundred English Characters to create a series of Chinese calligraphy. Also, these characters are arranged in a perspective way to provide visitors with various approaches to understand and appreciating the work. This is an example of how Shanghai is pioneering the transition from and the combination of the traditional and modern, showing its ambition, resilience and adaption.
During my journey in Shanghai, I decided to use an ordinary way to experience the city, which is the “city walk”. Walking through the old streets and communities, I was fascinated by the charm of the architecture and how well they are preserved. The ShiKuMen Road and the WuKang Road are both examples of how old streets and buildings are preserved and even integrated into the modern city in a harmonious way. Many of the traditional architectures have been transformed and repurposed by the young generations. Those that are too old and vulnerable are preserved and protected to retain the valuable cultural and historic relics of Shanghai. When I was city-walking through the historic part of Shanghai, I could also witness the marvel of skyscrapers when I look up into the sky, and witness how Shanghai’s urban fabric is constantly evolving, weaving the tradition and modern. Also, beneath these wonderful scenes exists Shanghai’s efficient metro system. This advanced metro system makes the transportation in the city very convenient, interconnecting every part of Shanghai, the old and new, the traditional and the modern. When the night falls, I go to The Bund, where Shanghai’s past and present meet in one breathtaking panorama. Walking through the promenade, looking across the Huangpu River and the skyscrapers while the golden lights shone on my face, and at the same time, I was able to enjoy the historic buildings on the other side of the promenade. It gave me the impression that I was living in a collision of two contrasting worlds. The neoclassical and art deco buildings preserve the valuable colonial and financial history of Shanghai, while the skyscrapers demonstrate Shanghai’s innovation and modernity.
Shanghai is a city where contrast blends with harmony, where the past and future coexist dynamically. From the historic Bund to the futuristic skyline, from the traditional buildings to the modern art museums, the city evolves constantly while preserving its cultural and historic heritage. My walks through Shanghai’s streets and museums have shown me that it is not only a place of rapid progress and innovation but also adaption and preservation. Shanghai, a city of contrast and harmony, embraces tradition and modernity, creating a unique balance that makes me want to make new discoveries.
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