Fading Shanghai Scenery

Author: Xue Liyong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Shanghai is a coastal city located at the midpoint of China's northern and southern coastlines, on the southern bank where the Yangtze River meets the sea. The Yangtze River serves as the boundary for China's maritime regions, with the area north of it referred to as "Beiyang" and the area south of it as "Nanyang." During the Qing Dynasty, the "Beiyang Navy" and "Nanyang Navy," as well as the "Beiyang Commercial Commissioner," were named accordingly. Shanghai is situated at the northern tip of Nanyang, which is why the old saying often refers to Shanghai Jiao Tong University's predecessor as the "Nanyang Public College." In the writing of this book, each chapter includes a "Zhuzhi Ci" (a type of folk poem) written by people of the time, merely reflecting their perspectives and understanding of Shanghai at that period. Readers can gain insights into the emotions and thoughts of people back then by interpreting these "Zhuzhi Ci." This book is also a collection of historical photographs. However, gathering photographs was a significant challenge, so the arrangement and accompanying texts were compiled based on the available materials. The inconsistency in style and the inability to cover everything comprehensively are inevitable. This situation perfectly aligns with a common Shanghai saying—"Whatever you pick up is a meal." The author can only prepare a meal from the ingredients at hand, but it is difficult to adhere to the strict standards of eight cold dishes, ten hot dishes, and four desserts. Therefore, the author kindly requests the readers' understanding.