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History
Past
THE sprawling metropolis started out as a tiny fishing village 800 years ago in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), when China was ruled by Mongolian leader Kublai Khan. At this same time, explorer Marco Polo was undertaking an epic journey around Asia (lasting 24 years!), in which he traveled across the whole of China and even hung out with Kublai Khan! And it was to be another three centuries until Christopher Columbus landed on the coast of America.
Shanghai, which is roughly as old as Sydney and Los Angeles, doesn't boast as long and rich a history like Beijing and Xi'an, but it has undoubtedly become the most vibrant and exciting city on the China mainland.
The eastern city lies between China's long coastline and the Yangtze River, the longest river in China. After China lost the Opium Wars in the late 19th century, foreign countries forced the Chinese government to sign a deal which made Shanghai one of the first Chinese cities to open up to foreign traders.
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This 1934 photo shows the southern portion of the Bund. The Huangpu River waterways served both for trading and as naval bases of many Western powers. HMS Kent, flag ship of Royal Navy's China Station is seen here on the left.The foreign powers divided the city into several parts, infusing very different cultures onto every street corner of the city. The prime example to visit is the Bund where British, Grecian and Italian architectures form the city's most famous scenic spot, although you will be harassed by beggars!
In 1935, American magazine Fortune described Shanghai as "the fifth city of the earth, the megalopolis of continental Asia, inheritor of ancient Baghdad, of pre-War Constantinople, of 19th Century London, of 20th Century Manhattan." This may not be the case now, but it's still pretty impressive!
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