<A>Shanghai: The City of Yesterday and Tomorrow

Shanghai is a virtual cultural revolution taking place right before one’s eyes. The ancient structures stand toe-to-toe against the sleek, new buildings and highways being built at a breathtaking pace. Indeed, modern trends and tastes have invaded the old and cherished. Yet, strangely enough, it seems as if they’ve called a truce to let each other be for the time being. Past and future coexist seamlessly here in Shanghai.

For a peek at Shanghai’s colorful past, check out the Shanghai Museum, which has a variety of exhibits that guide us through ancient Chinese history. Although most renowned for its ancient Chinese bronze exhibit, it also features ancient Chinese sculptures, ceramics, paintings, jades, coins, calligraphy, and even furniture. Ironically, these historical artifacts are housed in a state-of-the-art ding- (ancient Chinese food vessel) shaped building guarded by mythological beasts at the front and serenaded by a giant musical fountain at the back.

For a more tactile experience of the past, the best place to go would be in the Old Town area, inside one of its most notable attractions—the Yu Gardens & Bazaar. The Yu Gardens were built during the Ming Dynasty by the rich Pan family. Having been ransacked twice, first during the Opium Wars and then during the Taiping rebellion, it has since then been restored and maintained as a tourist attraction. Numerous restaurants and shops have also mushroomed in the restored bazaar area to cater to the crowd. For 30RMB, one can take a look at what it really means to be wealthy during the Ming Dynasty. This garden contains several halls – for entertainment, study, contemplation, and even for performance—as well as several paths to the same destination. As there is only one map found at the entrance, it is quite easy to get lost, both in the garden’s tranquility and within the garden itself. In contrast to the serenity inside, the periphery of the gardens is a-buzz with commercial activity. Affable yet wily vendors sell all types of trinkets and services, so if something catches your fancy, be sure to shop around first and haggle tenaciously once you’ve decided on what you like.

The same principle holds true for virtually all the shopping establishments in Shanghai, which is fast becoming a shopper’s haven similar to Hong Kong. Shanghai has it all—from upscale to downscale, and everything in between. This spectrum is most evident in the French Concession area. Go inside one of its many shops such as those in Xintiandi and view the latest (and possibly the priciest) in fashion. And if the price isn’t right for you, head on down to the Xiangyang market, where knock-offs abound. As always, be wary of sloppy craftsmanship when coming here. However, decent buys can still be had, as long as you keep a sharp eye out. Aside from the shopping, come here to appreciate one of the most Western-looking areas in Shanghai. Its tree-lined avenues and European style mansions, complete with manicured gardens, almost makes you feel as if you were transported to the other side of the globe.

To better appreciate one of China’s enduring arts—acrobatics, head on down to the Shanghai Center Theater at Nanjing Xi Lu. This is by far the most convenient place to enjoy a show, as it is the nearest within the metropolitan area. The Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe has a lively and engaging 1½-hour performance most nights at 7:30 p.m. Tickets priced between 100RMB and 300RMB can be bought either at the front of the center or through most reputable hotels. If you get there early, take a walk around the block to marvel at the various high-end malls around the area. Take a peek inside the center as well, so you can better appreciate the elegance of the Portman Ritz-Carlton, which is connected to the center via a walkway.

Stick around another day or to and get a preview of the modernity that is fast overtaking Shanghai by taking the metro over to the Pudong area, which is all set to become the country’s premier economic and financial district. From boggy farmland, this area has turned itself into the city’s skyscraper capital. Here you’ll find the city’s tallest tower, the Jinmao tower, which offers a great view of the horizon at its 88th floor. And, although it has been eclipsed in height by the Jinmao tower, the unmistakable pinkish silver Oriental Pearl Tower also deserves a look, if only to marvel at the building’s ornately creative or unabashedly gaudy style, depending on how one looks at it. Just a few blocks away from the Oriental Pearl Tower is a site for marine aficionados, the Shanghai Aquarium. Though quite pricey at 110RMB per adult, its artistic and unique exhibits are worth it. This contemporary building features several exhibits, beginning with a trip down the Yangtze River, on to the Amazon, and all the way down to the Arctic. The aquarium houses many species, both native to China (such as the hairy green turtle) and otherwise (such as penguins). The exhibits are artfully arranged to evoke the feeling of the area it is trying to represent. And, when one is tired of walking through all the exhibits, the aquarium offers the option to ride their many walk-a-lators through tunnels made entirely of clear glass—all the better to see the amazing aquatic species the Shanghai Aquarium currently takes care of.

Finally, head off to the Bund area to view the showdown between past and future. Those who are architecturally inclined would appreciate many of the old structures that are still in place today—the Customs house, the old Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation building, and the Peace Hotel are all remnants of an era gone by. Taking a stroll through the Bund also gives a panoramic view of the Pudong area, just across the river. Indeed, it is here that the face-off between past and future become most apparent, and it is in their meeting that they make Shanghai what it is today—a city outstretched towards both yesterday and tomorrow.