I made my great return to Shanghai! Last time I visited in 2010, I came to attend the World Expo. That was just before I left for business school, and so much has changed since then (both for the city, and for me). Specifically, I’ve now gained a level of Chinese language proficiency that has made it possible for me to take in much more of what this city has to offer. Previously, I had no proficiency. Also, now that I’ve had time to explore many of China’s ancient cities, I feel better equipped to connect China’s ancient past with the modern version of itself. 

In my opinion, no other Chinese city does a better job of blending Chinese modernity and ancient history than Shanghai. For instance, the Bund (third photo in this section), was formerly a British and American settlement. It’s located north of and a short distance from Shanghai’s ancient walled city. During the 1940s, many of the largest Western banks had offices here. That all changed after the Chinese Communist Revolution. Shortly thereafter, these banks fled China.

It was only after Mao’s death in 1976 and China’s economic reforms of the 1970s and 1980s that these international banks returned. This is just one of countless examples where Shanghai has shown its resilience as both a significant historic center and modern hub.