The Chinese Opera is not 'opera' in the sense that
we think of it in the West. This fascinating art form combines Chinese folklore,
symbolism and drama and includes dancers, singers, clowns and acrobats. Elaborate
costumes, traditional make-up and masks make it easy to identify the traditional
characters. The Yi Fu Theatre, at 701 Fuzhou Road, Huangpu district, specialises
in Chinese Opera performances.
The Shanghai Grand Theatre was designed by the French
architect, Jean-Marie Charpentier and is located on Central Boulevard / Huangpi
Road South, in the northern part of the People's Square. Opened in August 1998,
the theatre now hosts operas, musicals, ballets, symphonies, chamber music concerts,
spoken drama and Chinese operas. The Shanghai Grand Theatre building contains
three separate theatres: the 1800-seat Lyric Theatre, the Drama Theatre with
750 seats and the smaller Studio Theatre with 300 seats.
The Shanghai Concert Hall, located at No. 523 Yan'an
Road (E) in the Huangpu district, was built in 1930 in classical European style.
The city's major orchestras, including the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai
Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Opera, Shanghai Traditional Chinese
Orchestra and Shanghai National Music Ensemble have chosen the concert hall
as their regular venue and it also plays host to visiting orchestras and performers
from around the world.
Details of concerts and cultural events are available in English on the Shanghai
Cultural Information website.
Shanghai Museum
Located on the People's Square in the Huangpu District, the Shanghai Museum
houses a comprehensive collection of ancient Chinese art, including celebrated
collections of ceramics, paintings and calligraphy. The museum was originally
founded in 1952 and quickly developed into a major centre for research and preservation.
In 1992, the Shanghai municipal government allocated the museum the land for
its current location, and the new museum building was opened in 1996 after three
years of construction. The museum houses eleven permanent galleries, as well
as three halls for temporary exhibitions.
The Bund
The Bund is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai and is
protected from the adverse effects of new development by rigorously imposed
height restrictions for new buildings in the area. Its buildings represent many
architectural styles, including Art Deco, Neo-Classical, Gothic, Renaissance
and Romanesque and most have remained largely unchanged externally since the
1930s. Shanghai has one of the largest concentrations of Art Deco architecture
in the world, thanks to the huge growth of the city in the 1920s and 1930s.
The buildings originally housed banks, consulates and the headquarters of most
of the major financial institutions operating in Asia. The Bund was also home
to the Shanghai Club, located at no.3 the Bund, which was the meeting place
of choice for British expats in years gone by.
Yuyuan Gardens
Considered to be amongst the finest gardens in China, the Yuyuan gardens have
had a troubled history. Since they were first established in 1559, they have
seen periods of neglect, occupation of the Town God Temple by the British during
the Opium Wars in 1842, occupation of the gardens by Chinese troops during the
Taiping Rebellion and damage caused by the Japanese in 1942. The Shanghai government
undertook the task of restoring the gardens to their former glory between 1956
and 1961, after which they were opened to the public. Yuyuan garden occupies
2 hectares and includes six areas:
- Grand Rockery - including caves, gorges and cliffs reaching up to 12 metres
high
- Sansui Hall - built in 1760 as a place to entertain guests, it is the largest
structure in the garden
- Inner Garden - first laid out in 1709, with rockeries, ponds, pavilions
and towers
- Jade Magnificence Hall - furnishings include rosewood pieces from the Ming
dynasty
- Lotus Pool - includes a pavilion in the lake
- Ten Thousand Flower Tower Garden - has areas separated by tile edged walls,
each ending in a dragon's head
Jing'an Temple
Constructed in 247 AD, the Jing'an temple predates the founding of the city
of Shanghai in 1292. Originally built beside the Suzhou Creek, the temple was
relocated to its current position in 1216. The current temple was rebuilt during
the Qing Dynasty. During the Cultural Revolution, it was used as a plastics
factory. It was converted back into a Buddhist temple in 1983 and completely
renovated in 2003.
The temple houses the Hongwu Bell, a Ming Dynasty copper bell weighing 3.5
tons. The largest sitting jade Buddha in the country, at 3.8 metres, can be
admired in the Jade Buddha Hall of the temple.
Address: No.1686, Nanjing Road W.
Opening Hours: 7am to 5pm
Longhua Temple
Longhua Park, located on the Longhua Road in the south of Shanghai, is famed
for its temple and pagoda. Built in 242 AD, Longhua is the oldest temple in
Shanghai, as well as the largest. A huge, three-metre high copper bell, weighing
five tons, is struck in a ceremony on 31st December each year, to mark the coming
of the New Year. In front of the temple, the Longhua Pagoda stands 40 metres
high. The pagoda has been rebuilt several times but still remains in the style
of the Song Dynasty. The temple complex is particularly crowded in late spring,
when the peach trees are in bloom and the temple fair takes place.
Opening Hours: 7am to 4.30pm
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