| After defeating China in the "Opium War" in
1842, Britain forced China to open a concession in Shanghai and
afterwards, all the Western powers, America and Japanese, turned
Shanghai into their heaven and made this city immune completely from
Chinese governing. "Dog and Chinese are not allowed". That was what some
restaurants posted on the door at that time. All the money they made
from selling opium and China trade had pour into the International
Settlement to build the highest buildings and the biggest banks in Asia.
Even after Qing was overturned, Kuomintang, now retreated to Taiwan,
still worked in cooperation with the foreign powers to suppress any
unrest in this city.
The Hongkou area in Shanghai is well known as the main asylum for
Jewish refugees during World War II. Fleeing from Austria, Poland,
Russia and Germany, these immigrants had to leave all their possessions
behind and came to Shanghai virtually penniless. Shanghai was the only
city over the world at that time to receive Jewish refugees without
identity and the Jewish community managed to retain its cultures,
traditions and social lifestyle during those war time. Comparing with
the Chinese immigrants settled down in North America and Europe, Jewish
immigrants were very lucky and fairly treated.
It is until 1949 that the current government took back the city and
abolished all the concessions and International Settlement. Child and
slave labors were eliminated. A new order was put in place. From there
on, the western gang and Japan, after being driven out of China, have
been teaming up to against China.
Today Shanghai is a brand new city with many foreign investments
competing fairly and equally in the market. New financial center, new
airport, many highway and industrial complex have been built. It is
still so colorful and dynamic but without drug, prostitute, foreign
concessions and gangster. It is more healthy and pleasant than the old
Shanghai
Places of interests:
- International Settlement
- America Settlement
- Frenchtown
- Jade Buddha Temple
- Pudong
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