Chen Yingguo: Little Scenes of the Magic Capital

**Approach** Photography, Culture, Free Travel, Semi-free Travel, Group Tours, Hiking, Petite Bourge[...]

**Approach**

图片描述

Photography, Culture, Free Travel, Semi-free Travel, Group Tours, Hiking, Petite Bourgeoisie, Budget Travel, Money-saving, Weekend Trips. Published on December 22, 2021, at 09:14 in Shanghai, China.

Shanghai, also known as Hu or Shen, is nicknamed the Magic Capital. It is the largest city in China, located at 31°14′ North latitude and 121°29′ East longitude. Situated on the western coast of the Pacific Ocean, along the eastern edge of the Asian continent, at the forefront of the Yangtze River Delta, it borders the East China Sea to the east, faces Hangzhou Bay to the south, is adjacent to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces to the west, and is bounded by the Yangtze River estuary to the north. Shanghai is at the center of China’s arc-shaped coastline in the north and south, with convenient transportation, a vast hinterland, and a superior geographical location, making it an excellent port for both river and sea. The average elevation is about 4 meters. The total area of the city is 6,340.5 square kilometers, accounting for 0.06% of the country’s total area, with a length of about 120 kilometers from north to south and a width of about 100 kilometers from east to west. Among them, the regional area is 5,299.29 square kilometers, and the county area is 1,041.21 square kilometers. It governs three islands, Chongming, Changxing, and Hengsha, with Chongming Island covering an area of 1,041.21 square kilometers, making it the third-largest island in China… In recent years, there have been significant changes. This year, I took some small scenes with my mobile phone and made a calendar for next year using mobile software for everyone to choose from.

The bustling Lujiazui area, also known as Main Lujiazui, Small Lujiazui, and Lujiazui Financial and Trade Zone, has now become the most charming place in Shanghai and a symbol of reform and opening up. Few people know the origin of the name Lujiazui, which is connected to two ancient Shanghai people. These two Shanghai people are the great literary figure of the Ming Dynasty, Lu Shen, and his wife Mei. According to the local records of Shanghai, the meandering Huangpu River made a nearly 90-degree turn here, leaving a prominent alluvial beach. Looking from the west of the Pu River to the opposite bank, this beach is like a huge golden-horned beast sticking its head out and opening its mouth to drink water here. On this beach, since Lu Shen’s old residence and others were all built here, it was called Lujiazui.

Jin Mao Tower, a super high-rise building with traditional Chinese style, is one of the symbolic buildings of Shanghai’s step into the 21st century, mainly designed by the American SOM design firm. It was completed in August 1998, covering an area of 23,600 square meters, with a construction area of 289,500 square meters. It is 420.5 meters high and has 88 floors. The main building of Jin Mao Tower has office space from the 1st to the 52nd floor, a five-star hotel from the 53rd to the 87th floor, and an observation deck on the 88th floor. The building fully reflects the characteristics of the integration of traditional Chinese culture and modern high-tech, and is both an extension and development of ancient Chinese tower-style architecture and a reproduction of the Shanghai-style architectural style in Pudong.

On the 94th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center, the Cloud.Enjoy Café offers a unique view of the Bund. The Bund is located on Zhongshan East First Road and Zhongshan East Second Road in the Huangpu District, in the city center, along the Huangpu River, from Dongmen Road to the Waibaidu Bridge, with a total length of about 3 kilometers. It faces the Huangpu River to the east and is backed by 52 buildings of various styles, such as Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, and Sino-Western hybrid styles, known as the ‘World Architecture Expo Group’.

Jiuke Oasis represents both an ecological area and a service technology park, surrounded by the Lingang Songjiang Science and Technology City, and is also part of the Songjiang District G60 Ecological Corridor.

**Activities**

Photography, Culture, Free Travel, Semi-Free Travel, Group Tours, Hiking, Bohemian, Budget Travel, Money Saving, Weekend Trips. Published on December### Shanghai: A Glimpse of the City’s Geography and Cultural Landmarks

**Average Elevation and Area**
– The average elevation of the city is about **4 meters**.
– The city spans **6,340.5 square kilometers**, which is **0.06%** of the country’s total area.
– It stretches approximately **120 kilometers** from north to south and **100 kilometers** from east to west.
– The urban area encompasses **5,299.29 square kilometers**, while the county area covers **1,041.21 square kilometers**.
– Shanghai includes three islands: **Chongming**, **Changxing**, and **Hengsha**, with Chongming Island being the third largest island in China at **1,041.21 square kilometers**.

**Recent Changes and Cultural Preservation**
– In recent years, significant changes have been observed in the city.
– This year, small scenes were captured on a mobile phone and compiled into a calendar for the next year using mobile software.

**Lujiazui: The Charming Financial Hub**
– The bustling **Lujiazui area**, also known as Main Lujiazui, Little Lujiazui, and Lujiazui Financial Trade Zone, is now the most charming place in Shanghai and a symbol of reform and opening up.
– The origin of the name Lujiazui is connected to two ancient Shanghai figures, the great Ming Dynasty literary scholar **Lu Shen** and his wife **Mei**.
– The meandering Huangpu River makes a nearly 90-degree turn here, leaving a prominent alluvial beach that resembles a golden beast sticking its head out to drink water.
– The area is named Lujiazui after Lu Shen’s former residence and other buildings were constructed on this beach.

**Jinmao Tower: A Fusion of Tradition and Modernity**
– The **Jinmao Tower** is a super high-rise building with traditional Chinese style, designed primarily by the American SOM design firm.
– Completed in August 1998, it covers an area of **23,600 square meters** with a construction area of **289,500 square meters**.
– Standing **420.5 meters** tall with **88 floors**, the main building houses office spaces from floors 1 to 52, a five-star hotel from floors 53 to 87, and an observation deck on the 88th floor.
– The building reflects the integration of traditional Chinese culture and modern high-tech features, serving as an extension and development of ancient Chinese tower architecture and a reproduction of the Shanghai style in Pudong.

**Shanghai World Financial Center: Cloud.Enjoy Café**
– From the 94th floor of the **Shanghai World Financial Center**, the Cloud.Enjoy Café offers a unique perspective on the Bund.
– The Bund, located in the heart of Shanghai in Huangpu District along Zhongshan East Road and Zhongshan East Two Road, stretches about **3 kilometers** from Dongmen Road to the Waibaidu Bridge.
– It is bordered by the Huangpu River to the east and to the west by 52 buildings of various styles such as Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, and Sino-Western hybrid styles, collectively known as the ‘Exhibition of International Architecture’.

**Jiuke Oasis: Ecology and Technology**
– **Jiuke Oasis** represents both an ecological region and a service technology park, surrounded by the Lingang Songjiang Science and Technology City, which is also part of the Songjiang District G60 Ecological Corridor.

**Shanghai Grand Theatre: A Palace of Arts**
– The **Shanghai Grand Theatre** covers an area of **11,528 square meters**, with a total building area of **70,000 square meters** and a total height of **40 meters**.
– The entire building consists of 2 underground floors, 6 above ground floors, and 2 top floors, totaling 10 floors.
– The theater has three performance spaces: a large theater with **1,800 seats** for ballet, opera, and symphony performances; a medium theater with **550 seats** suitable for local opera and chamber music; and a small theater with **250 seats** for drama and song and dance performances.
– The auxiliary facilities of the Grand Theatre also include a banquet hall on the eighth-floor roof, a cultural exhibition hall on the ground floor, Maxim’s Café, and an underground parking lot that can accommodate more than **170 cars**.
– The Shanghai Grand Theatre, a crystal palace woven with musical notes, is an artistic palace integrating new technology, new craftsmanship, and new materials.

**Pudong Sanlintang Town: A Historical Gem**
– The history of **Pudong Sanlintang Town** has lasted for thousands of years.
– Although only about **500 meters** of historical sites have been preserved, every step is a scenery.
– In addition to the famous ‘three uniques’, ‘three treasures’, and ‘three specialties’, every April, Sanlin hosts the **Shanghai Folk Festival**, featuring dragon and lion dances, dragon boat races, lanterns…
– It is the most lively place in Pudong.
– Sanlintang is located in the southwest corner of Pudong.
– During the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty (917), when the sea dyke was built, Sanlintang was already inside the dyke.
– In the third year of the Xining period of the Song Dynasty, Jia Dan wrote ‘Seven Matters of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Farming’, in which ‘Sanlinpu’ appeared twice.
– At that time, Sanlin belonged to the land of Wu and Yue, under the jurisdiction of Suzhou Prefecture, and the county town was Songjiang.
– According to the research, the Lin family in the county town of Songjiang, the Lin family in the south of Songjiang city, and the Lin family in the north of Songjiang city are the top families, known as ‘Songjiang Sanlin’.The old streets of the ancient town are the core of the town. Not very long, just three miles in length, spanning the east and west of the town. Across the river, there are two bluestone paths, one called Shang Tang Street and the other called Xia Tang Street.

Liantang Ancient Town is not only a famous water town but also the hometown of our great proletarian revolutionary, Comrade Chen Yun.

The G60 Science and Innovation Cloud Corridor in Songjiang District, Shanghai, represents the G60 Science and Innovation Corridor and carries the future aspirations of Shanghai’s vast seas of stars. The G60 is actually just a highway, but with the development of the G60 Science and Innovation Corridor concept, it has become a project in the Yangtze River Delta. The G60 Science and Innovation Corridor in Songjiang, Shanghai, symbolizes the transition from ‘Songjiang Manufacturing’ to ‘Songjiang Creation,’ which is also a broad prospect for the future development of Songjiang District. The G60 Science and Innovation Cloud Corridor project is an innovative undertaking, bearing the mission of ‘Made in China’ to ‘Created in China.’ Within the scope of Shanghai City, it is also a grand-scale construction, thus representing not only Songjiang District but also Shanghai City.

Author’s recent photo (photographed by Wang Lin).

Mr. Chen Yingguo is a national senior photographer and arts and crafts artist. He is a member of the China Photographers Association website, a fellow of the China Folklore Photography Association, a member of the China Horse Industry Association Photographers Branch, a member of the Yangtze River Delta Photographers Club, a member of the Shanghai Photographers Association, and a member of the Shanghai Arts and Crafts Society, among others. He graduated from university with a major in Chinese and photography. He has worked at the Wenhui Daily. Mr. Chen Yingguo is adept at various types of photography, including news, portraits, architecture, and landscapes. He has participated in the Shanghai ‘World Photographers Look at Shanghai’ event and won awards; he has also been involved in the aerial photography and shooting of several Shanghai ‘Major Projects’ albums, as well as the editing and shooting work for ‘Shanghai Photography’ magazine and other magazines and albums; his photographic works have been published in various newspapers, magazines, and websites across the country. He has been invited as a guest to lecture on photography at Shanghai Oriental Television Station. He teaches undergraduate and other photography topics at ‘Donghua University’… He is a contributing author for ‘Jinmen Network’.

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