Shanghai FASHION

Author: Cheng Nai Shan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-06
Features: FASHION, which can be interpreted as fashion and charm. In fact, behind the urban fashion, what guides its direction is still tradition, which is the root of the city's spirit. Following the Shanghai series of documentary essays such as Shanghai Tango, Shanghai LADY, and Shanghai Saxophone, the Shanghai-style writer Cheng Nai Shan continues to focus on "Old Shanghai Fashion," penning Shanghai FASHION. Unlike before, the illustrations are now newly drawn by the octogenarian master of Chinese comic books, He Youzhi, replacing the old Shanghai photographs that previously adorned Cheng's works, together interpreting the charm of Shanghai. For the first time, these two masters collaborate on a book, once again presenting the changes in folk customs and sentiments of Shanghai over the past century and a half to the world, a rare occurrence. History is most important in its details, and this Shanghai FASHION collects 30 articles by writer Cheng Nai Shan, with a broad perspective and a long temporal span. It recalls the past "FASHION" of Shanghai—clothing, food, housing, transportation, human relationships, customs, famous items, local and foreign men and women, the high and the low, every corner—each vividly described, like an old film with a camera that captures everything, taking us on a tour of the many facets of Shanghai over the past hundred years, from "rice bowls" and "portraits" to "alleys" and "attic apartments," from "tea houses" and "bureaucrats" to "sewing," "qipaos," from "toilets," "kettles" to "side dishes," "big meals," and "ice cream," from "foreign nannies" to "Pontoise English." It has everything others think of, and yet, it surprises with what it reveals unexpectedly—"pockets" reveal the vastness of the "universe," and "drawers" uncover the wonder of "lace." Cheng Nai Shan, this "Old Shanghai," writes with vivid, concrete history, rooted and well-structured, full of flavor. Similarly, as an authentic Old Shanghai, painter He Youzhi's 45 illustrations for the book are no less expressive than the text, entirely treasures of Old Shanghai's social and cultural memory, such as the Shanghai definition of "rice bowls," the "pockets of the fashionable ladies," and their "hair styles." The illustrations by He Youzhi are imbued with profound humanistic spirit, often a single painting can evoke memories of an entire era of Shanghai. Shanghai FASHION is such a wonderful. This book collects 30 articles by writer Cheng Nai Shan and 45 illustrations by painter He Youzhi. Cheng Nai Shan's family has lived in Shanghai for generations, and He Youzhi moved to the city in his youth, both considered true Old Shanghaiers. One transforms the lively and spirited way of speaking and storytelling of Shanghai people into literary language, while the other depicts firsthand experiences. The two brushes complement each other perfectly. Thus, their collaboration is truly a double beauty. This book recalls the past "FASHION" of Shanghai—clothing, food, housing, transportation, human relationships, customs, famous items, local and foreign men and women, the high and the low, every corner—all touched upon. From "rice bowls" and "alleys" to "attic apartments," from "kettles" and "side dishes" to "big meals"… you name it, and it's there, allowing us to revisit the fading old faces of Shanghai and savor the lingering fragrance of the past. Shanghai FASHION is a book that tells the story of Shanghai's folk customs and sentiments since its opening to the outside world 150 years ago. He Youzhi, as an authentic Old Shanghaier, has created illustrations for this book that are no less expressive than the text, truly treasures of Old Shanghai's social and cultural memory.
The Shanghai-style writer Cheng Nai Shan has always been in awe of He Youzhi's works: "This book includes over 30 of He's works, mostly depicting Shanghai's folk customs and sentiments. For example, the Shanghai definition of 'rice bowls,' the 'pockets of the fashionable ladies,' and their 'hair styles.' The illustrations by He Youzhi are imbued with profound humanistic spirit, often a single painting can evoke memories of an entire era of Shanghai. FASHION, which can be interpreted as fashion and charm. The chaos and rapid changes of urban fashion seem to have no 'eternity,' but in fact, what guides its direction behind the urban fashion is still tradition, which is the root of the city's spirit. Writer Cheng Nai Shan, with heartfelt emotion, uses elegant and language to analyze familiar urban life scenes like ice cream, Western food, lace, sewing machines, alleys, tea houses, and attic apartments, showcasing the traces of Shanghai's fashion development over the past hundred years. And contemporary master painter He Youzhi has poured his heart into creating 45 illustrations of Shanghai that are vivid and captivating, a rare achievement. For the first time, these two masters collaborate on a book, like twin peaks emerging together, highlighting the landscape, making it a rare and wonderful publishing story. This book can serve as a simple and interesting ABC textbook for today's new Shanghai people to learn about Shanghai-style culture."