1.2.5
By the Side of the Huangpu River: the Bund and Pud...
黄浦江畔：外滩及 浦东陆家嘴的经典休闲
By the Side of the Huangpu River: the Bund and Pudong
Scenery of the Huangpu River 饱览黄浦江风情的N种选择
The Bund has the most charming night scenes in Shanghai. The cluster of buildings on the west bank looks soft and elegant in the warm hues of lights, while the new group of skyscrapers in Lujiazui of the east Bund appears bright and fashionable in the fantastic dream-like lighting. Such a sharp contrast symbolizes the two developmental stages in the history of Shanghai and forms the special scenery of Shanghai.
A. The first way to get acquainted with the Bund is to take a walk here. Strolling along the Bund, you could take a close look at the 52 one-hundred-year-old buildings, differing from each other in architectural style, such as the Paramount Hall, Bank of China Building, Peace Hotel, HSBC Building, and Customs Building. On the other side of the road, there is a platform on the flood prevention wall, where you will enjoy a distant view, looking across the twinkling river at the Jin Mao Tower, Shangri-la Hotel, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, and International Convention Center on the other side of the river. With a swift turn of your body, you've undergone a visual transition of one hundred years.
B. The 2nd way is to sail by water touring bus. The water touring bus travels between the ferryboat stations of Pudong and Puxi at East Yan'an Road, Dongchang Road, Dongjiadu, and the South Port in the daytime. Its ticket price is only a bit higher than the ferryboat.
C. The 3rd way is to cross the river by going through the sightseeing tunnel. To go through the 646.7-meter-long sightseeing tunnel in East Beijing Road and get directly to the Riverside Avenue with the changing lights and sounds, you might feel as if you were moving in a time tunnel.
D. To take the boat cruise on the river. At night, cruising on the Huangpu River has been an everlasting tourist program in Shanghai. Bathing on the deck in the river breeze or standing by the French windows in the air-conditioned cabin, the tourists would leisurely observe the ever-changing night views. The Dragon Boat, the Huangpu River Cruise, and other high-class boats such as Vigor, Friendship and Double Support, etc. sail from the ferry dock at East Yan'an Road, Shiliupu Port or the dock at the Oriental Pearl TV and Broadcasting Tower either along the East and West Bund or up to the Yangpu Bridge and Nanpu Bridge.
E. To have a leisure and comfortable time by the windows beside the Huangpu River. You coulds stay away from the bustling crowds and invite several good friends to a restaurant, bar or cafe by the riverside to taste the delicious food, and enjoy the beautiful night. There are so many romantic places in the small Lujiazui area. For example, seated by the window of the cafe on the first floor of Shangri-la Hotel, one could embrace the greenbelt of the Riverside Avenue and even touch the waters of the Huangpu River. Many people like to invite their friends to have dinner and appreciate the green grass, trees and night scenery here. On the top floor of Broadway Mansion, the platform on the 8th floor of Peace Hotel and the 7th floor of Nissin Building at No. 20, Guangdong Road in Puxi, there are restaurants where the diners could enjoy scenery. Previously the best place to take in a panoramic view of both banks of the Bund was Shanghai Seagull Hotel located by the side of the Waibaidu Bridge. Now the Sea Bay Mansion, a high-class service apartment, has been built, adjacent to Shanghai Seagull Hotel. The coffee bar on the 27th floor also serves as a place where people could appreciate the beautiful scenery of Pudong and Puxi at the same time.
F. To enjoy a bird's eye view of the night scenery of the Huangpu River from the top of the buildings. The observation hall on the top floor of Jin Mao Tower is the highest viewing position in Shanghai, at an altitude of nearly 400 meters, where you can take in thousands of buildings at a glance. Sitting in the Jiuchongtian Bar, on the 87th floor, or in the café, piano bar, Chinese or Western restaurants on the 54th to 56th floors of the tallest hotel in the world, you will be overwhelmed by the night beauty outside the window while sipping good wine, coffee or juice.
Touring on the Huangpu River: Viewing Hundred-year Glamour by Boat 浦江游览：百年风情一船收
E ver since it came into being, the boat cruise on the Huangpu River has been one of the most classical leisure tourist programs in Shanghai. With good water conditions and profound accumulation of historical culture along the river, it is by no means inferior to the water tourist programs in the world famous cities such as the cruise on Thames of London, that on La Seine of Paris, and that around Manhattan of New York, etc.
After half a day's stroll at the Bund, having touched the old stone walls and drunk the afternoon tea by the river, you'd better buy one ticket for the boat cruise on the Huangpu River, if you want to further appreciate the utmost charm of the river. When the night approaches, you get on board a boat at the dock and start your leisure tour on the Huangpu River. By then the most beautiful scenery of Shanghai will be unfolding gradually before your eyes on both sides of your boat. The night scenery of Xiaolujiazui of Pudong is magnificent and modern, while that at the Bund of Puxi is elegant and venerable. The towering Yangpu Bridge, Lupu Bridge and Nanpu Bridge look like rivers of lights in the sky. As the boat floats in the river, you can appreciate the different views on both banks at a proper distance. Looking at the unique beauty across the gentle Huangpu River, you would feel as if you were watching an impressionist picture, obviously deriving a different taste from taking a close look. Countless domestic and overseas visitors have been infatuated with the unusual scenery on both banks and the leisure ambience in the boat.
History of the Boat Cruise on the Huangpu River
As early as around 1900, high officials, wealthy merchants, foreign seamen and adventurers already started to hire boats to enjoy themselves on the Huangpu River in summer. The cruise boats were all wooden ones. The small boats, propelled by hands or feet at that time, were equipped only with very simple facilities such as a tea table, chairs and stools, and tea sets, etc. The relatively large passenger boats propelled by the shaking sculls at the stern had cabins.
In 1931, Shanghai formally established the program of the Boat Cruise on the Huangpu River, and all the boats were changed into iron-hull boats. In summer, the special night cruise on the Huangpu River began and immediately attracted a lot of tourists. The boats for the night cruise usually had spacious cabins and a variety of drinks for sale. Furthermore, they would switch on the radio for music or sometimes show films to add more fun for the tourists. From 1936 to 1937, the night cruise boat on the Huangpu River set off from the Onthe-water Restaurant at the Bund near East Beijing Road and turned backward when reaching Wusongkou.
On August 13, 1937, the Japanese invaders attacked Shanghai, and the Songhu Battle broke out. Then, Shanghai was occupied by the enemy. From that time till the founding of the People's Republic of China, foreign warships sailed truculently on the Huangpu River and endangered the safety of the tourists present on the cruise boats. Therefore, the program of the boat cruise on the Huangpu River stopped.
At the end of the 1970s, the program of the boat cruise on the Huangpu River was resumed. The two best-known cruise boats at that time were the Pujiang and the Chunjiang. Renovated from a twin-hull passenger ship, the Pujiang could accommodate some 1,000 tourists; therefore, it was the No. 1 choice by the local people. And the Chunjinag was gorgeously decorated, exquisitely arranged and well facilitated, although it was smaller than the Pujiang in terms of tonnage and capacity.Ever since it was reopened, the boat cruise on the Huangpu River has attracted overseas tourists from more than 140 countries and regions. At present, during the peak season of tourism from spring to autumn, it received averagely 15000 person-times of domestic and foreign tourists every day.
The boat cruise on the Huangpu River is also a token of courtesy for distinguished foreign guests to appreciate the nightly charm of Shanghai. Such heads of state as Mahathir bin Mohamad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia; Christos Sartzetakis, President of Greece; Patrick John Hillery, President of Ireland; Takeshita Noboru, Prime Minister of Japan; etc., renowned people like Lord Killanin, Chairman of International Olympic Committee; boxing champion Muhammad Ali and his wife; etc. and French Communist Party Delegation, American Hawaii Empress Daffodil Delegation, Korean Youth Delegation, etc. have all enjoyed the boat cruise on the Huangpu River on board the Pujiang Boat or Chunjiang Boat.
Cruise Routes along the Beautiful River
Today, more than 30 cruise boats berth along the winding banks of the Huangpu River. They belong to 12 different cruise boat companies. Most of them berth at the dock of Shiliupu Passenger Centre in the south of the Bund. Some berth at the ferry dock of the Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower and Dongchang Road Ferry Dock.
At present, there are basically two cruise routes. One is the "Condensed Tour" from Shiliupu Passenger Centre to Yangpu Bridge. It is an established route, and it takes over one hour to cover the whole route. The other is the "Traditional Tour" sailing to Wusongkou, taking three and half hours for the whole cruise. The ticket price varies from RMB 25 yuan to 158 yuan.
For the condensed tour, the boat sails along a very beautiful route with the unique charm of this city highly concentrated on both banks. After the boat setting the sail, you will see two absolutely different styles of architecture, ancient and modern, through the portholes on both sides. It is so fantastic that you may find it difficult to see all of them at the same time. The boat will sail past the Huangpu Park — one of the earliest parks in Shanghai, the towering Monument to the People's Heroes, the famous Waibaidu Bridge on the Suzhou Creek, and the International Passenger Port of Shanghai one after another. Finally, the boat will take you to Shanghai Port, where you can see the passenger transportation dock, 10,000-ton freight boats of different countries anchoring in the river, and a lot of large cranes in the loading and unloading area of the dock. It well reflects the flourishing of Shanghai from another aspect — a port city. Then the boat will turn back under the Yangpu Bridge. Short as the voyage is, you can still savor in details the sharp contrast between the most luxurious consumption, the most fashionable recreation and the hardest work, thus giving rise to new feelings and thoughts about life.
If taking a chartered boat by the travel agency, you can select the traditional route to Wusongkou. Going further forward along the "condensed tour" route, besides all kinds of cargo loading and unloading docks on the way, you can also see the water treatment plant, the flour mill, the shipyard, etc., which are all over one hundred years old, along the Huangpu River, with around one hundred year's history in Shanghai. You can also see the Chinese navy ships at Wusongkou Port. Passing by the bulwark, the cruise boat will enter the mouth of the longest river in China, the Changjiang River, and approach the largest island of Shanghai, Chongming Island. Looking far into the distance, you will catch sight of the sparkling lights of the anchored oceanliners on the sea near the Wusongkou Port. This route will take you from the bustling Bund with dazzling lights to the quiet and peaceful place where the river and the sea join. You can then appreciate Shanghai all the way back and forth — one of the world famous ports.
In addition, there is a waterbus tour route by the ferry docks and ferry routes still available today. The waterbus sails in the daytime between East Jinling Road Ferry Dock in Puxi or Dongjiadu Ferry Dock to Dongchang Road Ferry Dock or South Port Ferry Dock in Pudong. Such a route provides the most convenient short sightseeing trip on the river for the hasty tourists.
However, the most exciting event is the barge cruise of Shanghai Tourism Festival from the end of September to the beginning of October every year. Dozens of meticulously selected barges will cruise on the river along the Bund in a long queue, making a very grand and spectacular view. At various places on the river fireworks are to be set off. When the barges pass by, the colorful fireworks will soar and burst high in the night skies. At that time, both banks will be overcrowded with spectators. With well-prepared dishes and snacks on the boat, passengers will cheer each other with repeated toasts of good wishes. Both the boat and the banks are permeated with a gala atmosphere. If you want to take part in the barge cruise, you have to book a seat in advance. To enjoy the glorious full moon on the river in the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is rich in folk customs and rituals, you have to book a seat inadvance as well.
Find Your Favorite in a Variety of Boats
The boats for the Huangpu River Cruise are not uniform but varied in style. From the Oriental Dragon Boat to the Western Viking Boat, from the exquisite Stone-gate House Boat to the crude steamboat, each has its unique and creative design and pattern.
To experience the antique Chinese flavor, you can board the Qinhuai Boat, which is an imitation of Huafang — a kind of gaily-painted pleasure-boat prevailing in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang area of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, exquisite and magnificent. Its bow and stern are decorated with cornice pseudo-antique eaves. Under the eaves are altogether 28 carved wooden outriggers painted with golden lacquer in the designs of pine, crane, phoenix and red peony, etc., which symbolize happiness and longevity. Furthermore, the eaves are coated with bright yellow glazed tiles surrounded by Chinese-style red columns rich in ethical features. The wooden handrail, unique window panes, and the wood carvings on the cabin door and the back wall that fully manifest that activities of Qin Qi Shu Hua, meaning lyre-playing, chess, calligraphy and painting, reflect on the whole the extensive and profound ancient Chinese civilization and the exquisite wood-carving art.
To have a sense of the trend of the early European and American industrial civilization, tourists can get on board the Mississippi Boat, which is installed with a unique paddle wheel in imitation of the one in the early steam-engine era. When the boat is sailing forward, the vanes of the paddle wheel are running slowly in the water rhythmically. It is a perfect combination of the mechanical beauty of the steam-engine era and the beauty of the historical architecture at the Bund, thus seemingly taking people back to Shanghai of the early 1900s.
Some new boats, recently launched into the river, have begun to provide integrated service of sightseeing, relaxation, entertainment and catering, etc. On the boat, all kinds of delicious food and entertainment programs are available. Furthermore, the bar on the water has been set up to make a new horizon for entertainment on the water with the beautiful scenery on both banks of the Huangpu River as the background. In the Captain Boat, which is equipped with heating facility on the Sunshine Deck, the open bar is still open even in cold winter.
At night, the Huangpu River is mysteriously veiled in the sparkling neon lights. Many new comers cannot help sighing with great emotions at such charming night scenery of the Huangpu River. And the best place for appreciating the beauty of the Huangpu River is the cruise boat on the river.
Shanghai Pujiang Cruise Co. Ltd
Address: No. 80, Waima Road
Telephone: 021-63263693, 021-66511519
River Cruise Bashi Co. Ltd
Address: No. 127, East Zhongshan No. 2 Road; No. 3510,
Riverside Avenue, Pudong
Telephone: 021-63188888
Web Address: http://www.ssbus.com
Email: ssbus@ssbus.com
Oriental International Cruise Co. Ltd
Address: No. 2727, Riverside Avenue (Pudong)
Telephone: 021-68600016, 021-58782846
Boarding dock: International Cruise Boat Dock (Pudong)
near the Oriental Pearl TV and Broadcasting Tower
Shanghai Fengcai Shipping Tourism Co. Ltd
Address: No. 108, Huangpu Road
Telephone: 021-63293246
Shanghai Qiangsheng On-the-water Tourism Co. Ltd
Address: No. 19, Waimalu Road
Telephone: 021-63264898
Overlooking the Huangpu River from Windows 看得见黄浦江风景的窗口
The best urban beauty in Shanghai can be found along the two banks of the Huangpu River. Seated leisurely by the windows overlooking the river, you will see the towering silhouettes of the buildings and the spacious scenes of the river outside the window and witness the relaxing fashion life inside the window. Looking from the Bund at the new skyscrapers in Pudong or viewing the historical architectures of the Bund from inside the new buildings in Pudong, you will feel as if the time and space had alternated, thus reminding people of Shanghai's past and making them imagine her future.
All the places with river views are, at present, the most enchanting places for leisure life. Some people in Hong Kong and overseas would even spare no expense to fly to Shanghai for a weekend. Sitting on the window seats, they would enjoy the best service on the one hand and indulge themselves in fancy imaginations on the other hand while looking at the clouds over the river.
Specific Sentimental Interest within and without the Windows at the Bund
The Dongfeng Hotel, at No. 2, East Zhongshan No. 1 Road, was built in 1910, and was once the Shanghai Club, the most luxurious club in Shanghai at that time. At present, the first floor is the restaurant, the second floor is the International Seamen's Club, and the rest are all guest rooms. The billiard room is decorated in the British royal style of the times of Queen Elizabeth Ⅰ and the bar is in the style from King James Ⅰ. Sitting there would make the guests feel as if they were by the Thames.
Near Fuzhou Road opposite to the former HSBC Building, the neon light of International Youth Hostel Federation is very eye-catching. This western building has already existed for over 80 years. It used to be Captain Hostel, which now is the home for the backpackers throughout the world. It provides a variety of guest rooms from "Seaman's Cabin" at the rate of below RMB 100 yuan to special rooms at the rate of almost RMB 1000 yuan. In the Sunshine Bar on the roof of the building, you could command a distant view of Lujiazui in Pudong. Late at night, you could drink beer to your heart's content while appreciating the bewitching night scenery on both banks of the Huangpu River; meanwhile, the melodious chanting of the clock at the top of the Customs House would ring from time to time.
Jenna Hotel is located at the Bund on East Yan'an Road. It is also a franchised economy hotel, which provides guest rooms at the prices ranging from RMB 180 to 485 yuan. Among all the guest rooms, the observation room commanding the river views is the favorite room. During the F1 motorboat race, which was held in the Huangpu River, some audience watched events in the Jenna Hotel. As hotel guests, they could enter the observation hall, where they enjoyed the air-conditioned rooms, comfortable sofas, and free drinks while watching the motorboat race on the Huangpu River. The room rate is much cheaper than the lowest fare at the race.
At the end of East Nanjing Road is situated the world famous Peace Hotel of Shanghai, which is a riverside hotel built in 1929. In spite of the vicissitudes of so many years, the magnificence and elegance of the special suites in the styles of various countries remain intact. The hotel boasts 34 river view rooms, and you will see the modernized buildings in Pudong from any of these rooms. At dusk every day, the setting sun is shining on the Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower, and the reflected sunlight is illuminating the entrance of the hotel. After listening to the nostalgic melodies played by the Old-man Jazz Band, you could get onto the top floor of the hotel and take in the night scenery of the Bund.
The Gutzlaff Weather Signal Tower, built in 1907, can be deemed as a unique window of the Bund. The cylindrical tower, 49.8 m high, is one of the only two buildings of Ato Nobo style in Shanghai. From August 1916 to July 1940, the signal tower would fire the warning gun once the typhoon was coming. Now its first floor is the exhibition room of the Bund history. Its third floor is the Old Times Bar, where there is live piano performance every night. The observation platform around the exterior of the third floor is the best place to take photos of panoramic view of the Bund. During the Shanghai Tourism Festival, when the barges were floating by, the fireworks station was right by the tower.
The most luxurious and superb places in Shanghai are those historical buildings at the Bund, which have undergone functional renovation in recent years. Even the addresses were re-arranged into No. N Bund, from the original No. N East Zhongshan No. 1 Road. The world first-class flagship stores and best restaurants are all mustered here.
The Intersection of the Huangpu River and the Suzhou Creek
The Russian Consulate General in Shanghai is located at the intersection of the Huangpu River and the Suzhou Creek and on the east side of the Waibaidu Bridge. Today, this old garden building is a unique observation landmark in Shanghai. Shanghai Seagull Hotel next to the Russian Consulate General is also well known for its position for commanding the views of the river. Seagull Banquet Hall on the 12th floor is composed of 3 deluxe banquet halls, the best location to overlook the scenery of the Bund, seeing high rises on both banks of the Huangpu River, ships sailing on the river and seagulls flying high and low over the waters. When the night falls, the lights of the Bund and Pudong are turned on, sparkling and dazzling. The buildings are brilliantly magnificent, and Jin Mao Tower and the Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower are piercing into the skies. The whole scene seems to be heaven on the earth.
Adjacent to Shanghai Seagull Hotel is the newly built Panorama Century Court in Huangpu Road, which is a high-class hotel apartment. Its cafe and teahouse on the 27th floor can serve as an observation place for the charming scenery of Pudong and Puxi. Reservation in advance is a must especially at the weekend.
On the west of the Waibaidu Bridge is Shanghai Mansion, which used to be called Broadway Mansion. Built in 1930, the mansion used to be the building where distinguished foreign guests would get onto the observation deck on the 18th floor and enjoy a panoramic view of Shanghai in the second half of the 1900s. One can not only see the whole Bund but also the unique meandering beauty of the Suzhou River.
The Beauty of the Riverside in Pudong
Along the riverside in Pudong, there are also many indoor places one could enjoy the scenery of the Huangpu River.
In the 88-story Jin Mao Tower, the Jiuchongtian Restaurant on the 87th floor, the coffee bar, piano bar, Chinese and western restaurants from the 54th to 56th floors in the tower as well as the revolving restaurant at the altitude of 167 m in Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower all provide a bird's-eye view of the Huangpu River, the bridges spanning over the river, the bewitching beauty of the Bund, and the whole view of the old streets. During the Shanghai Tourism Festival in autumn, people can enjoy the fireworks accompanied by music in the Central Park of Pudong.
Opposite Exit 1 of the Lujiazui Station, Metro Line No. 2 is located the Super Brand Mall. Restaurants of various cuisines gather in the mall. In any of the restaurants, through the windows by the riverside, you can enjoy the Huangpu River. There is also a huge glass screen wall in the mall for river viewing. In addition, the mall has installed benches and sofas for the tourists.
Not far away from the Super Brand Mall is the Shangri-La Hotel, which is another place to view the river — the balcony on the 3rd floor of the hotel. In the banquet hall on the 3rd floor, all kinds of meetings are held here almost every day. From the banquet hall a glass door leads to a large semicircle balcony, quiet and depopulated most of the time all the year round. Placed on the balcony are quite a number of white tables and chairs. You could take your own drinks, as the attendants are busy with meetings. Of course, the hotel boasts deluxe guest rooms close to the riverside, in which you can take a bubble bath while watching the happenings of the river below. By the window of the Fulinmen Restaurant on the 2nd floor, you can appreciate the Riverside Avenue in a very close distance. By the way, hundreds of domestic and foreign models were once cat-walking along the Riverside Avenue at the Armani Fashion Show.
At the riverside, the restaurant A Red Dot looks like a greenhouse. In addition to the surrounding glass walls, it is also covered with a glass roof. When it is sunny in the daytime, the house will be filled up with fragrant sunshine. You might order a cup of coffee or a large beefsteak, get seated beside arc-shaped French window, and look up at the blue sky dotted with white clouds above the river. Then, on the terrace outside the door is the most popular place, with the broadest horizon, taking in all the Riverside Avenue and even the scenery on the opposite bank. Therefore, you have to go early for a seat even though there are almost one hundred chairs.
Going farther along the Riverside Avenue southward to a Haagen-Dazs Shop, you cannot help sighing at the beautiful view before your eyes. The shop occupies the best observation position in the South Square. It is here that you can see the panorama of the 52 buildings at the Bund. And it is also here that you are one step away from the slowly flowing water of the Huangpu River!
Xu Liushan is the only shop serving Chinese style drinks in the South Square of the Riverside Park. The shop is quite spacious internally, and shaded in the trees with bamboo curtains hanging low, it is rich in the Eastern style. Second only to the Haagen-Dazs Shop in location, it is still a favorite place for local girls to spend some summer hours. The drinks here are refreshing but low in sugar content.
The Starbucks Coffee is the first restaurant opened for business in the South Square of the Riverside Park. To drink a cup of coffee, surf on the Internet, and do your work in such a cozy place, you may not be able to find a better place than this one all over Shanghai.
The Paulaner Branhaus is the last restaurant in the South Square located at the highest position at the southern end. The long table made of raw logs in the open air is covered with steaks, sausages, as well as large mugs of a variety of bestquality beer, which bears some resemblance to the Mediterranean. Its home-brewed beer, reputed as the best in Shanghai, is very palatable but quite costly. Shaded from the sun under a large beach umbrella and bushy shade and caressed by the river breeze, you might gulp down a large mug of iced beer and eat some Italian spaghetti or roasted sausage. And then you may sit here, waiting for the sun set and for the lights on the opposite bank to blaze on. A perfect holiday afternoon of yours comes to an end.
A Bird's-eye View of Shanghai from a Vantage Point 占据一个制高点俯瞰大上海
To have a large number of high-rises and skyscrapers was both a dream of an era and many people's imagination of modernization. As early as the 1930s, Park Hotel of Shanghai was built, 24 stories with a height of 83.8 meters. The hotel not only had the automatic elevators but also established IDD telephones and underground vaults for gold. In Asia at that time, no other city possessed such a high standard modern building; therefore, Park Hotel became the No. 1 skyscraper in the Far East and remained as the No. 1 Tall Building in Shanghai for scores of years.
Since the 1990s, the focus has been switched to Jin Mao Tower and the Oriental Peal TV and Radio Tower in Pudong. Indeed, the modern high-rises and skyscrapers have become a new urban horizon of Shanghai, which has attracted over 50 million overseas and domestic tourists every year. Taking a distant view from the top of skyscrapers has been a new tourist item in Lujiazui, Pudong. In the Space Module of the Oriental Peal TV and Radio Tower at an altitude of 340 meters, in the observation hall of Jin Mao Tower on the 88th floor, or in the world highest observation hall of the newly-completed Shanghai Global Financial Center, you could enjoy a panoramic view of Shanghai.
The reason some people yearn for high-rises might be that they could observe their own life from a new perspective and establish another kind of confidence about the city they are living in. The construction of skyscrapers does have unique advantages in the saving of urban land, in the promotion of economic efficiency, and in the elevation of the urban image, thus bringing about more activities of investment, tourism, and trade, which ordinary buildings can never compete. Therefore, the benefit that high-rises bring about has been referred to as building economy. In addition to the large cross-national company that prefers skyscrapers, businesses such as restaurants, fitness clubs, and recreational firms have settled down in the high mansions together with the large number of foreign enterprises. Another feature is the convention and exhibition economy. APEC made Lujiazui known as an ideal location for convention and exhibition. Following APEC, the Annual Forum of Asian Bank, the Annual Conference of the Master Card, the Pudong Summit of International Exhibitions have been held here one after another; as a result, the buildings at Lujiazui have been termed as International Convention Center.
Although various debates about the construction of skyscrapers have been going on, the existing skyscrapers have been regarded as a kind of human legacy symbolizing spirit and material. The skyscraper is the landmark of the traditional industries and capital power, and also stands for the symbolic significance of the local culture.
Global Financial Center: A Walk amidst the Clouds
The 101 Observation Hall, the highest in the world, at the Global Financial Center was open on August 30, 2008. Forming the three high observation vantage points in the Small Lujiazui Area, they are the Oriental Pearl, the Jin Mao Tower, and Shanghai Global Financial Center. Shanghai Global Financial Center, 492 m, has exceeded China's Taipei 101, whose roof height is 480 m. And it is also 70 m higher than its next-door neighbor, the Jin Mao Tower.
In terms of tourism, Shanghai Global Financial Center has some unique features. In the floors from Basement 2 to Floor 3, many shops have been open for business. To the west of the center is a caved-in plaza, where you can sit in the openair bar, drink coffee, and look up at the highest building in Shanghai. From Floor 79 through 93, Hyatt Regency, the highest hotel in the world is located here. Each of the 174 rooms of the hotel is uniquely designed and has a view of the river.
What attracts the tourists most are the observation halls at Floor 94, Floor 97, and Floor 100, all open to the public. A journey of dream starts at the entrance on Basement 1. On display are the multi-media works by Iwaij Yuno, a Japanese artist. In the waiting area, they will watch the Sky Scope set in the ceiling vault, a spherical visual facility that is one meter in diameter. It vividly depicts the expressions of the sun and the moon in space. And installed on the wall are four spherical visual facilities, which are used for the exhibition of art works or for the up-to-date information about the activities in the halls. Before taking the elevator, they can watch the visual artwork, Tower of Light. Along with the music, the architectural models of the center revolve at 600 revolutions per second, realizing the creative merging of vision and music.
Then you step into the elevator, which will get to Floor 95 in only 66 seconds. As the ceiling and the walls of the elevators are installed with visual facilities, you would feel as if you were going through the tunnel of time. On Floor 95, the tourist could take the escalator to either Floor 94 or Floor 97. Floor 94 is a spacious and bright observation hall. Through the glasses on both sides, the Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower and the Jin Mao Tower come into sight. The hall is equipped with modern toilets, which are supposed to be the highest in the world.
On Floor 97, there is a white sky bridge for observation. If weather permits, the glass shelter above the bridge can glide open to both sides, taking 6 minutes. When the shelter is open, the whole observation hall looks like a bridge floating in the skies.
Going further upward, you will come to Floor 100, the Ob
servation Corridor at the altitude of 474 m. Once there, you will immediately feel as if you were taking a walk in the clouds. In the 55 m long corridor, three passages are laid with transparent and non-transparent flooring alternately. Walking on the transparent floor and looking downward, you will find that the whole city is moving under your feet. The view here is spectacular and impressive. You will find that the tip of the Jin Mao Tower is almost the same as the tip of an ordinary tower, the vehicles traveling on Century Avenue look like colorful matchboxes, and the colorful roofs of the residential houses in the vicinity resemble the colored building blocks scattered on the ground.
Address: No. 100, Century Avenue
Jin Mao Tower and Post Office in the Air
Before the completion of the roof of the Shanghai Global Financial Center, Jin Mao Tower had been the highest Skyscraper in China for almost ten years. Located at the best observation point by the Huangpu River and next to the Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower, Jin Mao Tower, an 88-story skyscraper and 420.5 m high, is actually the fourth highest building in the world and the second in Asia, thus referred to as one of Shanghai's landmarks. It was awarded the First-prize Medal in Shanghai's Classical Buildings in the 50 years after 1949, the Artistic Creation Prize at the 20th International Architects Conference, and many other prizes.
The tower consists of offices, Jin Mao Hyatt Regency, observation halls, etc. The Observation Hall on its 88th floor, at the altitude of 340.1 m and with a floor space of 1520 m2, is the highest and largest observation hall in China to date. It has been recorded in Shanghai Great World Guinness, and is now one of the first AAAA tourist spots in China.
Standing in front of the tower and looking upward, you will find that the external walls decorated with stainless steel, magnesium and glass, especially those decorative elements made of pierced stainless steel, have become more expressive. And the slightly protruding edges in the form of staircases are soaring into the skies with an increasing rhythm. The almost colorless gray steel emits a sort of cold light in the sunshine. Its hardness and upward straightness remind people of their first confrontation with Cologne Cathedral, in that it has a religious sublimity. Its basic form merges the structure of traditional Chinese pagodas, high and pure but not drab. The discontinuity of the perfect balance in the external walls arouses visual attention in the spectators, producing a sense of upward movement.
The two through elevators, referred to as Time Shuttles, moves at a speed of 9.1 m/s, thus sending the tourists from Basement 1 to Floor 88 only in 45 seconds. At such an altitude, whether you look out through the glass screen walls that cost US$500/m2 or look downward at the five-star Hyatt Regency on Floor 53, you cannot help feeling dizzy. On the glass screen wall in one direction are marked the People's Square, 4 km away, and Rome, 8,700 km away. The People's Square is instantly visible and even Rome seems to be right under your feet. Standing by the rails and looking into the distance, you could not only enjoy the scenic spots on both banks of the Huangpu River and the grand views at the mouth of the Changjiang River but also see the lobby of the Jin Mao Hyatt Regency. This lobby is termed as Time Tunnel by the architects.
In addition, the Observation Hall has the highest Post Office in the Air in China. It sells precious postage articles and provides special services for the tourists. You could mail a postcard to your friend or to yourself. And the digital studio in the hall can help the tourists to get an everlasting picture.
Address: No. 88, Century Avenue, New Pudong Area
Open Hours: 8:00-22:00
The Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower: A Panoramic View of Shanghai
The Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower, located in New Pudong Area, looks at the World Architectural Exposition at the Bund on the other side of the river. The tower, 350 m in the major structure and 468 m in the total height, is next only to the Toronto CN Tower in Canada and the Moscow TV Tower in the former Soviet Union in the world. Like the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Opera House in Sydney, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, The Oriental Pearl Tower has become a landmark in Shanghai. The construction of the tower started on July 30, 1991 and completed on October 1, 1994, forming a view of Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl with the Nanpu Bridge on its left and the Yangpu Bridge on its right.
Full of imagination, the designers stringed the 11 spheres, large and small, from the blue sky to the green lawn at different altitudes. The two huge spheres, like two rubies, glittering and eye-catching, as well as the global spheres of the world-class Shanghai International Convention Center below the tower, form a lyrically beautiful view of Pearls, Large and Small, Falling into a Jade Plate.
It takes only 40 seconds for the elevator to send you to the sphere at the altitude of 263 m. The dazzlingly brilliant observation hall in the upper sphere, which is 45 m in diameter, is the best place for enjoying a bird's-eye view of Shanghai. The other high buildings and mansions all look like dwarfs now.
The Space Module, high up in the clouds at an altitude of 350 m, consists of the observation deck, the conference hall and also seats for coffee, all elegantly and luxuriously decorated. At the bottom of the tower is the City of Scientific Imaginations, including such items as A Trip in the Forest, A Trip to the Antarctic, A Magic Trip, Treasure Cave, Disney Theater, Gala Square, Laser Cinema, 4D Cinema, Exploration Train, etc. All of these are wonderful and stimulating, suitable for all age groups.
Shanghai History Museum in the tower is a museum that specifically introduces the historical development of Shanghai within the recent 100 years. By means of precious cultural relics, documents, archival records, photos, and the advanced audio-visual facilities, the history of the urban development of contemporary Shanghai is vividly depicted. The exhibition consists of six parts: the Concessions, Nations with in a Nation; Urban Construction and Street Scenes of Old Shanghai; Contemporary Urban Economy; Contemporary Culture; City Life; and Political Vicissitudes. The museum is a graphic cultural site, providing a complete aspect of the profound changes of Shanghai in terms of politics, economy, culture, society, life, etc.
The cruise dock below the tower offers cruise on the Huangpu River. Embarking the cruise boat that Comrade Deng Xiaoping took when he was on his inspection trip to Shanghai, you will indulge yourself in the beautiful scenery on both banks of the Huangpu River, especially the nightless Shanghai with brilliant lights everywhere.
Address: No. 1, Century Avenue, New Pudong Area
Open Hours: 8:00-21:30
World Trade Global Plaza: No. 1 Tall Building in Puxi
With a total investment of RMB 3 billion yuan, Shanghai World Trade Global Plaza is located at the start of the Pedestrian Section of Nanjing Road. The building has a total floor space of approximately 17,000 m2, and its cylindrical structure reaches a height of 333 m, the highest of all buildings in Puxi. Standing at its top, you can have a panoramic view of the ten-li prosperous Nanjing Road. For its unique architectural structure, it has become another landmark on Nanjing Road.
Located at the most prosperous part of the city, the World Trade Global Plaza enjoys a favorable geographical position, i. e. to the southeast of the intersection of Nanjing Road and Xizang Road, thus making the third of the tripartite confrontation together with Shanghai No. 1 Department Store and New World Commercial Mansion. Moreover, the construction of the World Trade Global Plaza in itself adds brilliance to this region; besides being the tallest building in Puxi, its unique modeling and colossal volume are actually very rare. The open plaza facing Nanjing Road reveals an exceptionally artistic design. And its flooring is of the same granite slabs as the Pedestrian Section of Nanjing Road; therefore, the building makes a natural transition to the road and merges well with the whole city.
The whole plaza consists of three mutually independent individual buildings, including a deluxe five-star hotel and two grand commercial malls. The part of the major tower, from the 8th floor to the 60th floor, is the five-star hotel, Shanghai World Trade Royal Le Méridien, which boasts altogether 770 spacious cozy suites and guest rooms. The hotel is operated and managed by the globally renowned Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. It provides excellent services, cater ing delicious foods of various countries and supplying perfect business, conference, banquet and recreational facilities.
The attached building is a shopping center that integrates shopping, sightseeing, relaxing, food and beverage, recreation, etc. Together with the historically old Shanghai No. 1 Department Store and New World Commercial Mansion, the building becomes part of the business "gold delta" on Nanjing Road, making a business fortune because of the bustling flows of people here.
Address: No. 819, East Nanjing Road
Many More Special High Rises in Shanghai
Plaza 66
Plaza 66 was once the highest building in Puxi, with 66 stories and 288 m in height. A large part of the building serves as offices, and the commercial area is of 55000 m2. The plaza has many flagship shops of the world class brands. Besides LV, Parada, G & H, Hugo, Boss that are familiar to Shanghai consumers, many more have shown up in the Shanghai market, such as Chanel, Hermas, CD, Celine, etc. It is actually the first time that so many first-class brands have appeared in the Shanghai market at the same time. What is worth our attention is that Henglong Plaza and its neighbors, CITIC Taifu Plaza and Meilongzhen Plaza, promote each other, making West Nanjing Road a dazzling "Gold Street".
Address: No. 1266, West Nanjing Road
Tomorrow Plaza
Tomorrow Plaza is the third highest skyscraper in Shanghai. With 55 stories aboveground, about 285 m in height, it is a multifunctional building, including offices, a JW Marriott Hotel with 342 suites and guest rooms, and 255 apartments. The building looks like a huge rocket of the space times. The majestic building falls into two parts. The lower part serves as offices, and the external appearance is rather complex. The pointed bell tower, the focus of the whole building, is made up of four triangular columns, and underneath the hollow part is a huge sphere.
Address: No. 399, West Nanjing Road
Hong Kong New World Tower
Hong Kong New World Tower, the highest office building in Luwan District, is 230 m high. It neighbors Xintiandi, a hot spot in Shanghai, with a vast stretch of green land around a man-made lake. In its vicinity there are many shopping malls such as Pacific Department Store, etc., and a lot more restaurants and boutique shops. It ranks top among all the office buildings in Shanghai for the design and management. With its modernized high-class communications system, it has raised the technical standards of the A1 office buildings in Shanghai.
Shanghai Information Tower
Shanghai Information Tower is 288 in high, with 41 stories aboveground and 4 stories underground. The whole building is tall and upright, making a perfect contrast with Oriental Pearl TV and Radio Tower. It is one of the landmark buildings of the 21st-century Pudong. It is a comprehensive modern intelligent building that integrates communications, information, and intelligence. And it is also a major engineering project of Shanghai and an important part of Shanghai Information Network.
Address: No. 111, Century Avenue
BOCOM Financial Towers
The architectural designing of BOCOM Financial Towers resulted from international bidding, and it was jointly designed by German ABB/OBER-MEYER and East China Institute of Architectural Designing. The H-shape of the twin towers fully demonstrates the high image, high quality and high functionality of Bank of Communications. The structure of the towers broke through the designing routine in terms of height-width ratio. And the major cylinder is not right in the middle like many other buildings. Between the twin towers there is a middle lobby at a height of 163 m. The towers are linked with adjacent buildings by arched corridors, and also connected to the Metro station.
Bank of Shanghai Mansion
Bank of Shanghai Mansion is a landmark project in the international financial and trading center of Lujiazui, New Pudong Area. Its quality of construction and management has reached the advanced level of the world. The facade of the building adopted the model of two towers flanking the middle part. The two towers were designed in the form of three staircases. The walls were built up with high-class stone bricks and decorated with glass screens. And on top of each tower there is a 22-meter sky column.
Historical Architectures at the Bund: Luxurious Life in the Old Buildings 外滩历史建筑：老大楼里重续奢华生活
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Bund was not only the "Wall Street" in the Far East with a gathering of financial organizations, but also the first-class international community in Shanghai. Since the beginning of the 21st century, luxury has reappeared in these hundredyear-old buildings, which used to be the mansions for worldfamous financial organizations and recreational clubs over half a century ago. After thorough repair and reconstruction, these historical buildings are permeated with historical charm and modern fashion. Ever since they were numbered No. 3, No. 5, No. 6, etc. of the Bund, quite a number of top-notch brands and first-class restaurants have located themselves in these buildings.
No. 3 of the Bund
The neoclassic grand building, completed in 1916, was the 1st steel-framed architecture in Shanghai, with a total area of 12,000 m2. Over half a century ago, it used to be the Shanghai Club of the National England Board, which was an important social place in Shanghai at that time. Today the world famous shops like Armani, French restaurants such as Jean Georges, deluxe restaurants of Shanghai food, costly Evian Spa, Shanghai Gallery of modern arts, etc. are all concentrated in the 7 floors of the building. No. 3 of the Bund has become a high-class social and leisure place favored by both Chinese and foreigners and considered as the place for the most luxurious consumption. Meanwhile, it is also the place where tourists could enjoy the beauty of Shanghai scenery. In the New Horizon Restaurant and Bar as well as the 3D Music Salon, people could view the Bund and Pudong with a 180°perspective. Moreover, there is an open balcony with a number of seats, from which the tourists could appreciate the beauty of the Huangpu River. The expense here is by no means exorbitantly high. Buy a cup of coffee, and then you can sit here for a whole afternoon reading a novel or working on your laptop.
The place that most people yearn for in the building is probably the Baroque-style Viewing Pavilion at the top of the building. It used to be a bell tower, and now it has been rendered into a spectacular restaurant. The two-story pavilion has been unconventionally transformed into two cozy and magnificent suites in the air. With a capacity for 8 people, the lower suite serves full course French dinner that lasts four hours with a minimum consumption of RMB 2500 yuan per person. The upper VIP suite is for 2 people. The dome roof is 8 m high. Through the glass, the two diners can enjoy a 360°panoramic view of the best scenic spots of Shanghai, including the most bewitching night view of the Bund and Nanjing Road. This suite is referred to as the Deluxe World for Two in Shanghai.
No. 5 of the Bund
Next to No. 3 of the Bund is No. 5 of the Bund, where Huaxia Bank is located. On top of the building, there is the most romantic restaurant Monthe Bund on the 7th floor. It is a western restaurant with a splendid view of the Huangpu River; it also frequently holds parties and concerts related to literature and arts. Michel, the owner of the restaurant, cherishes a strong love for arts and culture, so he spares no expense, sometimes even at a loss in his business. The renovation of No. 5 of the Bund was done in steps. On the first floor there is the first flagship shop of one of the top Italian men's-wear brand in the world. With a history of one hundred years, this brand has been persisting in the handmade manufacture by the family.
No. 6 of the Bund
Built in 1906, the Gothic building at No. 6 of the Bund is a continuation to No. 3 in terms of sumptuous style. The first floor is devoted to the retails of boutiques, and the second to fourth floors are occupied by the business of food and beverage as well as recreation. The flagship store of the Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana covers 1100 m2 on the 1st floor. And the flagship stores of Armani and Zegna are also located here. A Japanese company has been running a first-class Japanese restaurant in the building, taking up two floors.
No. 9 of the Bund
Completed in 1901, it used to be the building of Shipping Investment Inviting Bureau. Among all the historical buildings at the bund, it can be considered one of the oldest, and it is also a red-brick Gothic renaissance style house constructed by the Chinese. After renovation, the flagship shop of Shiatzy Chen, the famous clothing brand in Taiwan, has been newly opened on the first and second floors. Among the large variety of world top fashion brands in the commercial circle in the old buildings at the Bund, it is the only Chinese fashion shop to date.
No. 18 of the Bund
This banking building, completed in 1923, is simple and elegant. Its four marble columns are from Italian Toscana Church dating back 200 years ago, and the antique dual-color bronze gate with exquisite patterns and ancient-Greece-style hall both reflect the magnificence and essence of history. Today, during the process of renovation, golden mosaic mural paintings and up-to-date Italian glass pendant and wall lamps were added in the lobby. Therefore, it has returned to its bygone classical luxury. In this 7-story building, the first to third floors have amassed Cartier jewelry and Zegna fashions; the recreation center on the fourth floor provides a spacious area for world top fashion exhibitions and parties; the fifth floor houses the Tanwailou Chinese Restaurant, which was decorated with both ancient Chinese black bricks and Italian red glazed tiles and mainly serves the Guangdong cuisine; the sixth floor is occupied by the Michelin three-star French restaurant Sens & Bund; and the French roof bar on the 7th floor, Bar Rouge, is said to be the best observation place for the Bund at No. 18. It is by no means a rare occasion to encounter all kinds of international stars in this old building.
It was once said that the average consumption per person in Tanwailou is RMB 4,000 yuan. As a matter of fact, about half of the dishes are at the price around RMB 50～60 yuan each. Moreover, the food served is usually ample in quantity. If you skip the expensive rare seafood, the bill for two people might be only RMB 200 to 300 yuan. The average consumption per person in the French restaurant on the sixth floor is between RMB 500 to 600 yuan.
Peace Hotel: Listening to Old Songs in an Old Hotel 和平饭店：在老饭店里听老歌
Rock 'n' roll is the characteristic of Beijing, while jazz is the disposition of Shanghai.
It was around the 1930s and 1940s that jazz was introduced to the East. And the ladies and gentlemen in Shanghai began to choose jazz as the background music for conversations. After 1949, jazz was once labeled as the symbol of decadent life; and became the representative music when the female spy agent in movies rose to dance seductively. Nowadays, the new jazz that is combined with musical elements such as electronics, folk, rock'n'roll, and neoclassic has been much talked about by urban music fans, white-collars and foreigners. In the Shanghai International Jazz Week in 2005, the performances by Diana Krall, winner of three consecutive Grammy Awards, French New Wave Band and other overseas singers and bands received really good responses from Shanghai jazz fans. However, as for the flavor of jazz, we'd better trace back to one of the origins of Shanghai jazz, i.e. Peace Hotel. The Old-men Jazz Bar on the first floor of the north building of the hotel enjoys a very high reputation at home and abroad.
Jazz Complex of "Lao Ke Le"
"Lao Ke Le" is Pidgin English in Shanghai dialect, referring to the old-fashioned men in pursuit of sentiments, such as the members of the Old-men Jazz Band at Peace Hotel. Set up in 1980, the band is made up of six old men, whose average age is above 77. Mr. Cheng Yueqiang, the oldest member and drummer, is approaching 90. They have all been engaged in musical performance for over half a century and were all professional troupers of different musical troupes in Shanghai. Love for jazz brought them together. Old as they are, these aged gentlemen still maintain their good bearing and fully manifest their elegance in every way.
From 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. every night, they perform here. For 26 years, some of the earliest members have passed away; however, the performance of the band has never stopped for a single day. They blend their recollections of old Shanghai and comprehension of life in their playing. Many domestic and overseas visitors have been here out of their admiration. The band has entertained such state leaders as Jiang Zemin, Zhu Rongji, etc. and many guests throughout the world. Distinguished guests such as the former USA presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Sr., Bill Clinton; the former French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin; the former Australian Prime Minister Paul Kyten; the former Holland Prime Minister Viam Kirk; Egypt President Hosni Mubarak; President of International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch; King of Norway, and Prince of Denmark as well as heads of state and leaders of government of Italy, Portugal, Greece, Iceland, Pakistan, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, etc. have all been here to listen to the music.
The instruments the band uses are old and the paint on many parts of the piano has peeled off. However, these old bandsmen, who are dressed formally all year round, devote themselves to the performance. The band can play a collection of music pieces that the customers and request, and the list consists of old songs, Chinese and foreign, such as Moon River, Spanish Bullfight, Sweet Georgia Brown, Shanghai Bund, Kangding Love Song, In the Remote Place, etc. The most welcomed is still Miller Medley.
Nostalgic Flavor of Peace Hotel
Located at the end of East Nanjing Road and beside the Huangpu River, Peace Hotel is one of the famous historical buildings of the Bund.
The north building of Peace Hotel, originally called Cathay Hotel, was built in 1929 by a Jewish man named Sassoon from Britain. Sassoon had made a fortune in opium trading. Of the Chicago-school Gothic style, the hotel consists of 12 stories with a total height of 77 m. Its exterior walls were laid with granite slabs, and a revolving door was used at the main entrance. The floor of the lobby was laid with milky yellow Italian marble, and hanging under the ceiling is the copper chandelier. Sumptuous and elegant, the hotel was once reputed as the No. 1 Building in the Far East.
After its completion, Cathay Hotel became well known in Shanghai for its luxury and magnificence. It mainly accommodated domestic and foreign distinguished guests, including politicians, financiers, entrepreneurs, important Chinese officials and social celebrities, such as General Marshall, John Leighton Stuart, etc. It was in Cathay Hotel that Noel Coward completed his famous play Private Lives. In the 1930s and 1940s, Chinese cultural celebrity Lu Xun and Madame Song Qingling once received Charles Chaplin, George Bernard Shaw and other foreign friends in the hotel.
Shortly before the liberation of Shanghai, Sassoon had been in arrears with a variety of taxes, water and electricity bills and staff salary, etc. The hotel was in serious insolvency that the business had to be closed. The hotel was reopened and named Peace Hotel in 1956. In recent years, Peace Hotel has made renovation and reconstruction of the guest rooms and dinning hall. Assuming a brand-new appearance, the building keeps its old-time style. Therefore, the guests staying in the hotel would feel as if they were in the time tunnel with the combination of traditional and modern styles and the blending of new fashion and old trend.
The Wonderful Bar
The Old Jazz Bar of Peace Hotel is the most popular place for expats living in Shanghai. It was rated as one of the best bars in the word in News Week of the United States. Thick stone pillars standing upright, candle lights placed on each wood Sassoon octagonal table, old-fashioned ceiling fans swirling rhythmically under the wood ceiling, and old-fashioned telephones giving out a series of "nostalgic rings" now and then, all these create a unique atmosphere of the bar.
From 20:00 every evening until 2:00 the next morning, in such an English countryside-style bar with jazz music from the 1930s and 1940s, one can thoroughly enjoy the fragrant coffee or specially prepared cocktails. The bartender in Peace Hotel mixes up the cocktail by hand; Shanghai cocktail is normally of dry and clear taste, while Peace Hotel cocktail tastes mellow and sweet. The special panda cocktail is mixed with Maotai, liquor of China, and egg yolk. It is a creative drink with the combination of Eastern and Western flavor. The chefs in Peace Hotel are famous in Shanghai, while western-style food is prepared and done by French chefs.
Before 1993, the bar was open only to foreign passport holders. Nowadays, however, it has become a common paradise for domestic customers as well.
Besides the regular performances, Peace Hotel has organized some special ones. They have invited overseas jazz bands to play in the bar. In April 2005, Hawaii Punahou School Jazz Band staged their performance here. The members of the band are middle school students at an average age of only 17. They have talents in music and practice hard. In Fullerton Jazz Music Festival, they were awarded the first prize. What's more, the members of each band were also audience of the other. When the students were playing, the old bandsmen were nodding with a smile to show their appreciation and encouragement; when the old bandsmen were on stage, the young musicians were listening attentively and respectfully. Therefore, it is obvious that jazz has no boundary in terms of age and country.
Late at night, savoring the cozy tune of jazz, walking on the floor with the footmarks of countless celebrities, domestic and overseas wealthy merchants, and artists, reaching the top floor of Peach Hotel, and taking a panoramic view of the night beauty of the Bund, you would feel incredibly wonderful.
The Old Jazz Bar of Peace Hotel
Address: First Floor of Peace Hotel (North Building),
