Paris of the East: Reminiscent of a bygone era
From the streets where Ruan Ling Yu strutted to the monumental Peace Hotel, get ready to be blown away by the storied history of Shanghai. Full of Art Deco Architecture in its old core, it’s like a time capsule from the 1920s. For decades, Shanghai has always charmed her visitors. In the past, first-time visitors who saw the Bund saw a city that looked more similar to Liverpool rather than Beijing. From its colonial concessions and architecture, this is where its international reputation is being built up — modern and cosmopolitan: China’s showpiece to the world.
Shanghai was a city full of culture, jazz, and romance in the 1920s, with many stories to tell in its avenues. There have been many films made about Shanghai, capturing the colourful past of the city. Brands such as 上海滩 Shanghai Tang and posters featuring Shanghainese ladies in their cheongsams have further reinforced that unique Shanghai charm. With such a reputation, Shanghai began to be romanticised as the Paris of the East in films, books, and culture.
Stroll down by the Former French Concession and you will understand why Shanghai claims the title of the Paris of the East. It was a place where the French once had influence, as part of unequal treaties signed with the Chinese. With peaceful roads lined with leafy plane trees, it is easy to mistake this as another avenue in Paris. Cafes, bicycles and fashion boutiques remind one of walking down Rue Lafayette.
Personally, when I stroll down these roads, the quaint vibes of these roads make feel like I’m in Europe until I am rudely awakened by the occasional spitting sound and the fumes that come straight at my face. Reality check! But hey, that’s also a charm.
Along Hengshan Road (formerly known as Avenue Petain), former mansions and a beautiful American church line the boulevard. It’s almost magical walking down these roads, with a transcending sense of surrealness. Other roads in the area such as Wukang Road (formerly known as Route Ferguson) and Huaihai Middle Road (formerly known as Avenue Joffre) amplify that feeling with villas built in different colonial styles, where celebrities, politicians, wealthy expats and prominent writers used to live in the early 20th century. Being in the Former French Concession feels like entering a portal to another world, transporting you to a place of picturesque tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai.
As the years go by, the Shanghai of the 1920s starts to dim in prominence. Pressed by the need for rapid urban development, skyscrapers and economic interests have seen old buildings being torn down in the name of economic development. Colonial villas and buildings have been gutted and demolished. The charm of the Paris of the East dulled.
As the city slowly shifts its focus to become an economic & commercial hub, stories of Shanghai’s past fades to dust. The pursuit of building skyscrapers has overshadowed the romantic era and Pudong skyline is Shanghai condensed. Modern, fast and efficient are the words associated with Shanghai these days. As Shanghai steps into the future, these areas start to serve as a reminder of a bygone era that once defined Shanghai.
In recent years, Shanghai is looking to bring back the nostalgia of that era by re-defining herself. In the quest to bring the 20s nostalgia back, Shanghai is finding her own identity in the vicissitudes of rapid economic development. She is looking to be more than just a commercial hub by placing a greater emphasis on the preservation of its old architecture, hoping to revive the glory of its bygone era. Areas like Xintiandi, Tianzifang, the Bund and the Former French Concession are placed under a preservation list which is adhered to. Shanghai’s efforts to recreate that era is a tall order as the city’s character has changed so rapidly in the past 2 decades. This era can never be returned to as the country embarks on an upward economic trajectory. It can only be a remnant of what used to be old Shanghai; a bygone era recorded in the books of history.
Shanghai is an alluring embodiment of Western influences in Asia. With many museums, a vibrant fashion scene and its charisma, Shanghai still have another-worldly allure that is magnetic and appealing. With its leafy boulevards and colonial architecture, they are reminiscent of a bygone era, an era that Shanghai is so desperately trying to re-create through aggressive preservation of their culture. There are so many reasons why this is a wonderful destination to live, work and play.
A beautiful blend of the East and West, the old Shanghai is a confluence of romance, bourgeois and a good dose of adventure, charm, and beauty.
