Shanghai Culture
Shanghai Culture is a very special cultural school which bases on traditional
Chinese Culture and local customs and traditions, melts the essence of ancient
culture of Wu and Yue, and absorbs advanced foreign culture to create a unique
culture school called "Hai Pai” in Chinese. The characteristics of Shanghai
Culture are Absorb, Purify, Pursue and Creative.
As a historical and cultural city with a history of over 2,500 years, Shanghai well remained several ancient relics and gardens timing from 7th century - early 20th century., some of them can even dated back to the Spring and Autumn period (8th century BC-5th century BC) involved Wu and Yue cultures. It now has 19 state-level major cultural relic preservation sites, 136 city-level cultural relic preservation sites and 4 city-level historical and cultural towns, etc.
After the first Opium War, Shanghai became one of the five treaty ports of China, foreign culture were introduced to local society, as well as western architecture art, diet and painting customs, etc.
During the first half of the 20th century, Shanghai became the cultural and economic center of China. With the improvement of living standards, local people paid more attention to popular and modern things, thus Shanghai has been considered as the birthplace of modern and fashion. Skyscrapers then sprang up, high-tech made lives there convenient, and also, Shanghai is the intellectual frontline for writers who concerned about society and livelihood.
With thousand of years of creative and accumulative efforts, and influenced by western culture, Shanghai Culture now permeates through every aspect of the society and influences the life of people in different stratum:
Shanghai Architecture -
Shanghai Architecture is a cultural blend of elements found in Western architecture with traditional architecture and social behavior of southern China.
Shanghai Opera -
Songhu Opera and Shanghai Opera are two exotic flowers flourishing in Shanghai since ancient time.
Shanghai Painting –
One of the traditional Chinese Painting schools, reputed for its rich in subject matter, purity of style and Civilianization, etc.
Shanghai Diet –
The feature of Shanghai Cuisine can best be summarized as mellow gravy, bright color and brackish palatability.
Shanghai Dialect –The modern Shanghainese language is a new-style Wu dialect which blended Songjiang dialect of Wu Chinese and dialects of immigrants come from Wu-language area like Ningbo, Suzhou.
Development of Shanghai Culture
Germination Period Before Shanghai became the treaty port ( - 1843), traditional Chinese culture, especially the Wu and Yue culture, founded the foundation of Shanghai Culture.
Growth Period
During 1843-1949, especially during 1830s-1840s, foreign immigrants came to Shanghai and brought varied cultures, refreshed the uniformity of Shanghai Culture.
Turning Point
The first stage (1949-1965) After the foundation of New China, Beijing became the capital, thus masters of Shanghai literary circles moved to Beijing. Although Shanghai was not the cultural center of China, itsuccessfully grabbed new opportunities for development.
The second stage
(1966-1976) – The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution made destructive impact on the development of Chinese culture, including Shanghai Culture.
Edo Period
After the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, the cultural activities returned to normal gradually. Shanghai Culture, took modern stage play as the starting point, open a new business. Since the operation of reform and the open policy, Shanghai once again, became the cultural integration center where east met west.
Chinese Culture and local customs and traditions, melts the essence of ancient
culture of Wu and Yue, and absorbs advanced foreign culture to create a unique
culture school called "Hai Pai” in Chinese. The characteristics of Shanghai
Culture are Absorb, Purify, Pursue and Creative.
As a historical and cultural city with a history of over 2,500 years, Shanghai well remained several ancient relics and gardens timing from 7th century - early 20th century., some of them can even dated back to the Spring and Autumn period (8th century BC-5th century BC) involved Wu and Yue cultures. It now has 19 state-level major cultural relic preservation sites, 136 city-level cultural relic preservation sites and 4 city-level historical and cultural towns, etc.
After the first Opium War, Shanghai became one of the five treaty ports of China, foreign culture were introduced to local society, as well as western architecture art, diet and painting customs, etc.
During the first half of the 20th century, Shanghai became the cultural and economic center of China. With the improvement of living standards, local people paid more attention to popular and modern things, thus Shanghai has been considered as the birthplace of modern and fashion. Skyscrapers then sprang up, high-tech made lives there convenient, and also, Shanghai is the intellectual frontline for writers who concerned about society and livelihood.
With thousand of years of creative and accumulative efforts, and influenced by western culture, Shanghai Culture now permeates through every aspect of the society and influences the life of people in different stratum:
Shanghai Architecture -
Shanghai Architecture is a cultural blend of elements found in Western architecture with traditional architecture and social behavior of southern China.
Shanghai Opera -
Songhu Opera and Shanghai Opera are two exotic flowers flourishing in Shanghai since ancient time.
Shanghai Painting –
One of the traditional Chinese Painting schools, reputed for its rich in subject matter, purity of style and Civilianization, etc.
Shanghai Diet –
The feature of Shanghai Cuisine can best be summarized as mellow gravy, bright color and brackish palatability.
Shanghai Dialect –The modern Shanghainese language is a new-style Wu dialect which blended Songjiang dialect of Wu Chinese and dialects of immigrants come from Wu-language area like Ningbo, Suzhou.
Development of Shanghai Culture
Germination Period Before Shanghai became the treaty port ( - 1843), traditional Chinese culture, especially the Wu and Yue culture, founded the foundation of Shanghai Culture.
Growth Period
During 1843-1949, especially during 1830s-1840s, foreign immigrants came to Shanghai and brought varied cultures, refreshed the uniformity of Shanghai Culture.
Turning Point
The first stage (1949-1965) After the foundation of New China, Beijing became the capital, thus masters of Shanghai literary circles moved to Beijing. Although Shanghai was not the cultural center of China, itsuccessfully grabbed new opportunities for development.
The second stage
(1966-1976) – The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution made destructive impact on the development of Chinese culture, including Shanghai Culture.
Edo Period
After the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, the cultural activities returned to normal gradually. Shanghai Culture, took modern stage play as the starting point, open a new business. Since the operation of reform and the open policy, Shanghai once again, became the cultural integration center where east met west.