Theculture of Shanghai orShanghainese culture is based on theWuyue culture from the nearbyJiangsu andZhejiang province, with a unique "East Meets West"Haipai culture generated through the influx of Western influences since the mid-19th century.[1] Mass migration from all across China and the rest of the world has made Shanghai a melting pot of different cultures. It was in Shanghai, for example, that the first motor car was driven and (technically) the first train tracks and modern sewers were laid. It was also the intellectual battleground between socialist writers who concentrated oncritical realism, which was pioneered byLu Xun,Mao Dun,Nien Cheng and the famous French novel by André Malraux,Man's Fate, and the more "bourgeois", more romantic and aesthetically inclined writers, such asShi Zhecun,Shao Xunmei,Ye Lingfeng andEileen Chang.[citation needed]
In past years, Shanghai has been recognized as a new influence and inspiration forcyberpunk culture.[2] Futuristic buildings such as the Oriental Pearl Tower and theneon-illuminated Yan'an Elevated Road are examples that have boosted Shanghai's cyberpunk image. The city is well known for having a vibrant international flair.[3]
| Languages | % | can speak | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarin | 97.0% | |||
| Shanghainese | 81.4% | |||
| English | 47.5% | |||
| Other Chinese | 29.7% | |||
| Other foreign languages | 7.8% | |||
| Sampled among residents ≥ 13 years old. | ||||
Thevernacular language spoken in the city isShanghainese, a dialect of theTaihu Wu subgroup of theWu Chinese family. This makes it a different language from the official Chinese language,Mandarin, which is mutually unintelligible with Wu Chinese.[5] Modern Shanghainese is based on other dialects of Taihu Wu:Suzhounese,Ningbonese, and the local dialect of Songjiang Prefecture.[6]
Prior to its expansion, the language spoken in Shanghai was subordinate to those spoken aroundJiaxing and laterSuzhou,[6] and was known as "the local tongue" (本地闲话), which is now being used in suburbs only.[7] In the late 19th century, downtown Shanghainese (上海闲话) appeared, undergoing rapid changes and quickly replacing Suzhounese as theprestige dialect of theYangtze River Delta region. At the time, most of the city's residents were immigrants from the two adjacent provinces, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, so Shanghainese was mostly a hybrid between Southern Jiangsu and Ningbo dialects. After 1949, Putonghua has also had a great impact on Shanghainese as a result of being rigorously promoted by the government.[6] Since the 1990s, many migrants outside of the Wu-speaking region have come to Shanghai for education and jobs. They often cannot speak the local language and therefore use Putonghua as alingua franca. Because Putonghua and English were more favored, Shanghainese began to decline, and fluency among young speakers weakened. However, in recent years, there have been movements within the city to promote the local language and protect it from fading out.[8][9]
Shanghai cuisine emphasises the use of condiments and meanwhile retaining the original flavours of the raw ingredients materials. Sugar is an important ingredient in Shanghai cuisine, especially when used in combination with soy sauce.[10] Another characteristic is the use of a great variety of seafood and freshwater food. Followings are Shanghai's signature dishes:
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Shanghai has a rich collection of buildings and structures of variousarchitectural styles.The Bund, located by the bank of the Huangpu River, is home to a row of early 20th-century architecture, ranging in style from theneoclassicalHSBC Building to theArt Deco Sassoon House (now part of thePeace Hotel). Many areas in the former foreign concessions are also well-preserved, the most notable being the French Concession.[16] Shanghai is also home to many architecturally distinctive and even eccentric buildings, including theShanghai Museum, theShanghai Grand Theatre, theShanghai Oriental Art Center, and theOriental Pearl Tower. Despite rampant redevelopment, the Old City still retains some traditional architecture and designs, such as theYu Garden, an elaborateJiangnan style garden.[17]
As a result of its construction boom during the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai has among the most Art Deco buildings in the world.[16] One of the most famous architects working in Shanghai wasLászló Hudec, aHungarian-Slovak who lived in the city between 1918 and 1947.[18] His most notable Art Deco buildings include thePark Hotel, theGrand Theatre, and theParamount.[19] Other prominent architects who contributed to the Art Deco style areClement Palmer and Arthur Turner, who together designed the Peace Hotel, theMetropole Hotel, and theBroadway Mansions;[20] and Austrian architect GH Gonda, who designed theCapitol Theater. The Bund has been revitalized several times. The first was in 1986, with a newpromenade by the Dutch architect Paulus Snoeren.[21] The second was before the2010 Expo, which includes restoration of the century-oldWaibaidu Bridge and reconfiguration of traffic flow.[22]
One uniquely Shanghainese cultural element is theshikumen (石库门, "stone storage door") residence, typically two- or three-story gray brick houses with the front yard protected by a heavy wooden door in a stylistic stone arch.[23] Each residence is connected and arranged in straight alleys, known aslongtang[a] (弄堂). The house is similar to western-styleterrace houses ortownhouses, but distinguishes by the tall, heavy brick wall and archway in front of each house.[25]
The shikumen is a cultural blend of elements found in Western architecture with traditional Jiangnan Chinese architecture and social behavior.[23] Like almost all traditional Chinese dwellings, it has acourtyard, which reduces outside noise. Vegetation can be grown in the courtyard, and it can also allow for sunlight and ventilation to the rooms.[26]
Some of Shanghai's buildings featureSoviet neoclassical architecture orStalinist architecture, though the city has fewer such structures than Beijing. These buildings were mostly erected between the founding of thePeople's Republic in 1949 and theSino-Soviet Split in the late 1960s. During this time period, large numbers of Soviet experts, including architects, poured into China to aid the country in the construction of a communist state. An example of Soviet neoclassical architecture in Shanghai is the modern-dayShanghai Exhibition Center.[27]
Shanghai—Lujiazui in particular—hasnumerous skyscrapers, making it the fifthcity in the world with the most skyscrapers.[28] Among the most prominent examples are the 421 m (1,381 ft) highJin Mao Tower, the 492 m (1,614 ft) highShanghai World Financial Center, and the 632 m (2,073 ft) highShanghai Tower, which is the tallest building in China and thesecond tallest in the world.[29] Completed in 2015, the tower takes the form of nine twisted sections stacked atop each other, totaling 128 floors.[30] It is featured in itsdouble-skin facade design, which eliminates the need for either layer to be opaqued for reflectivity as the double-layer structure has already reduced the heat absorption.[31] The futuristic-looking Oriental Pearl Tower, at 468 m (1,535 ft), is located nearby at the northern tip of Lujiazui.[32] Skyscrapers outside of Lujiazui include theWhite Magnolia Plaza in Hongkou, theShimao International Plaza in Huangpu, and theShanghai Wheelock Square inJing'an.
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Cultural curation in Shanghai has seen significant growth since 2013, with several new museums having been opened in the city.[33] This is in part due to the city's most recently released city development plans, with aims in making the city "an excellent global city".[34] As such, Shanghai has several museums[35] of regional and national importance.[36] The Shanghai Museum has one of the best collections of Chinese historical artifacts in the world, including a large collection ofancient Chinese bronzes. TheChina Art Museum, located in the formerChina Pavilion of Expo 2010, is the largest art museum in Asia.Power Station of Art is built in a converted power station, similar to London'sTate Modern. TheShanghai Natural History Museum and theShanghai Science and Technology Museum are major natural history and science museums. In addition, there is a variety of smaller, specialist museums housed in important archaeological and historical sites such as theSongze Museum, theMuseum of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, the site of theProvisional Government of the Republic of Korea, the formerOhel Moshe Synagogue (Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum), and theGeneral Post Office Building (Shanghai Postal Museum). TheRockbund Art Museum is also in Shanghai. There are also many art galleries, concentrated in theM50 Art District andTianzifang. Shanghai is also home to one of China's largest aquariums, theShanghai Ocean Aquarium. MoCA, Museum of Contemporary Art of Shanghai, is a private museum centrally located in People's Park on West Nanjing Road, and is committed to promote contemporary art and design.
The Songjiang School (淞江派), containing the Huating School (华亭派) founded byGu Zhengyi,[37] was a small painting school in Shanghai during the Ming and the Qing Dynasty.[38] It was represented byDong Qichang.[39] The school was considered as a further development of theWu School in Suzhou, the cultural center of the Jiangnan region at the time.[40]
In the mid 19th century, theShanghai School movement commenced, focusing less on the symbolism emphasized by theLiterati style but more on the visual content of the painting through the use of bright colors. Secular objects like flowers and birds were often selected as themes.[41]Western art was introduced to Shanghai in 1847 by Spanish missionary Joannes Ferrer (范廷佐), and the city's first western atelier was established in 1864 inside theTushanwan orphanage [zh;fr].[42] During the Republic of China, many famous artists includingZhang Daqian,Liu Haisu,Xu Beihong,Feng Zikai andYan Wenliang settled in Shanghai thus it gradually became the art center of China. Various art forms—photography,wood carving,sculpture,comics (Manhua) andLianhuanhua—thrived.Sanmao, one of the most well-known comics in China, was created then to dramatize the chaos brought to society by the Second Sino-Japanese War.[43]
Today, the most comprehensive art and cultural facility in Shanghai is the China Art Museum. In addition, the Chinese painting academy features theGuohua,[44] while the Power Station of Art plays an important role in thecontemporary art.[45] First held in 1996, theShanghai Biennale has now become an important place for Chinese and foreign arts to interact.[46]
TraditionalXiqu became the main way of entertainment for the public in the late 19th century. In the early 20th century,monologue andburlesque in Shanghainese appeared in Shanghai, absorbing elements from traditional dramas. TheGreat World opened in 1912 is a significant stage at the time.[47]
In 1920s,Pingtan expanded from Suzhou to Shanghai.[48] With the abundant commercial radio stations, Pingtan art developed rapidly to 103 programs every day by the 1930s. At the same time, Shanghai also formed a Shanghai-style Beijing Opera led byZhou Xinfang andGai Jiaotian [zh], and attracted many Xiqu masters likeMei Lanfang to the city.[49] At the same time, a small troupe from Shengxian (nowShengzhou) also began to promoteYue opera on the Shanghainese stage.[50] A unique style of opera,Shanghai opera, is formed when the local folksongs collided with modern operas.[51] As of 2012, the well-known Xiqu troupes in Shanghai includeShanghai Jingju Theatre Company,Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe [zh],Shanghai Yue Opera House and Shanghai Huju Opera House.[52]
Drama appeared inmissionary schools in Shanghai in the late 19th century. Back then, it was mainly performed in English.Scandals in Officialdom (官场丑史), staged in 1899, was one of the earliest recorded plays.[53] In 1907,Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly (黑奴吁天录) was performed at theLyceum Theatre [zh].[54] After theNew Culture Movement, drama had become a popular way for students and intellectuals to express their views.
Numerous influential musicals and operas have taken place in Shanghai, includingLes Misérables,Cats[55] andLa bohème byGiacomo Puccini.[56] Many dramas and stage plays set in Shanghai too, for example,The Bund series produced byTVB andSecret Love for the Peach Blossom Spring directed byStan Lai.[57]
Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre,Shanghai Opera House andShanghai Theatre Academy are four major institutes of theater training in Shanghai. Notable theaters in Shanghai include the Shanghai Grand Theatre, theOriental Art Center and the People's Theatre.
Shanghai was the birthplace ofChinese cinema[58] and theater. China's first short film,The Difficult Couple (1913), and the country's first fictional feature film,Orphan Rescues Grandfather (孤儿救祖记, 1923) were both produced in Shanghai. These two films were very influential, and established Shanghai as the center of Chinese film-making. Shanghai's film industry went on to blossom during the early 1930s, generating great stars such asHu Die,Ruan Lingyu,Zhou Xuan,Jin Yan, andZhao Dan. Another film star, Jiang Qing, went on to become MadameMao Zedong. The exile of Shanghainese filmmakers and actors as a result of the Second Sino-Japanese War and theCommunist revolution contributed enormously to the development of theHong Kong film industry.[59] Many aspects of Shanghainese popular culture ("Shanghainese Pops") were transferred to Hong Kong by the Shanghainese emigrants and refugees after the Communist Revolution. The movieIn the Mood for Love directed byWong Kar-wai, a native Shanghainese, depicts a slice of the displaced Shanghainese community in Hong Kong[60] and the nostalgia for that era, featuring 1940s music by Zhou Xuan.
Shanghai's cultural festivals includeShanghai International Television Festival,Shanghai International Film Festival,Shanghai International Arts Festival,Shanghai Tourism Festival [zh],Shanghai Spring International Music Festival [zh], etc. Shanghai TV Festival is the earliest international TV festival founded in China. It was founded in 1986. The Shanghai International Film Festival was founded in 1993 and is one of the nine major international film festivals in the A category. The highest award is the "Golden Goblet Award"[61]
Other Shanghainese cultural artifacts include thecheongsam (Shanghainese:zansae), a modernization of the traditionalManchurianqipao. This contrasts sharply with the traditional qipao, which was designed to conceal the figure and be worn regardless of age. The cheongsam went along well with the western overcoat and the scarf, and portrayed a unique East Asian modernity, epitomizing the Shanghainese population in general. As Western fashions changed, the basic cheongsam design changed, too, introducing high-neck sleeveless dresses, bell-like sleeves, and the black lace frothing at the hem of a ball gown. By the 1940s, cheongsams came in transparent black, beaded bodices, matching capes and even velvet. Later, checked fabrics became also quite common. The 1949 Communist Revolution ended the cheongsam and other fashions in Shanghai. However, the Shanghainese styles have seen a recent revival as stylish party dresses. The fashion industry has been rapidly revitalizing in the past decade. Like Shanghai's architecture, local fashion designers strive to create a fusion of western and traditional designs, often with innovative if controversial results.
Since 2001, Shanghai has held its ownfashion week calledShanghai Fashion Week. It is held twice every year in April and October. The April session is a part of the Shanghai International Fashion Culture Festival, which usually lasts for a month, while Shanghai Fashion Week lasts for seven days, and the main venue is inFuxing Park, Shanghai, while the opening and closing ceremony is in Shanghai Fashion Center.[62] Supported by the People's Republic Ministry of Commerce, Shanghai Fashion Week is a major business and culture event of national significance hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Government. Shanghai Fashion Week is aiming to build up an international and professional platform, gathering all of the top design talents of Asia.The event features international designers but the primary purpose is to showcase Chinese designers.[63] The international presence has included many of the most promising young British fashion designers.[64]
Shanghai has a thrivingLGBT community withgay bars and LGBTQIA+ institutions.Fudan University is the first university inmainland China to offer courses on LGBT studies in 2005.[65]Shanghai Pride, first held in 2009 as the first mass LGBT event in mainland China, is held in the city annually in June.[66]
Shanghai is home to severalsoccer teams, including two in theChinese Super League:Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C. andShanghai SIPG F.C. Another professional team,Shanghai Shenxin F.C., is currently inChina League One. China's top-tierbasketball team, theShanghai Sharks of theChinese Basketball Association, developedYao Ming before he entered theNBA. Shanghai also has an ice hockey team,China Dragon, and a baseball team, theShanghai Golden Eagles, which plays in theChina Baseball League.
TheShanghai Cricket Club is a cricket club based in Shanghai. The club dates back to 1858 when the first recorded cricket match was played between a team ofBritish Naval officers and a Shanghai 11. Following a 45-year dormancy after the founding ofthe People's Republic of China in 1949, the club was re-established in 1994 by expatriates living in the city and has since grown to over 300 members. TheShanghai cricket team was a cricket team that played various international matches between 1866 and 1948. With cricket in the rest of China almost non-existent, for that period they were thede factoChinese national side.[67]
Shanghai is home to many prominent Chinese professional athletes, such as basketball player Yao Ming,110-meter hurdlerLiu Xiang,table tennis playerWang Liqin, andbadminton playerWang Yihan.
Shanghai is the annual host of several international sports events. Since 2004, it has hosted the annualChinese Grand Prix, a round of theFormula One World Championship. The race is staged annually at theShanghai International Circuit.[68] It hosted the 1000th Formula One race on 14 April2019. In 2010, Shanghai also became the host city of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), which raced in a street circuit in Pudong. In 2012, Shanghai started to host6 Hours of Shanghai as one round from the inaugural season of theFIA World Endurance Championship. The city also hosts theShanghai Masters tennis tournament, which is part ofATP World Tour Masters 1000, as well as golf tournaments including theBMW Masters andWGC-HSBC Champions.[69]
On 21 September 2017, Shanghai hosted aNational Hockey League (NHL)ice hockey exhibition game in an effort to increase fan interest for the2017–18 NHL season.[70]
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