The history of Shanghai spans over a thousand years and closely parallels the development of modern China. Originally a small agricultural village, Shanghai developed during the late Qing dynasty (1644–1912) as one of China’s principal trading ports.
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Who colonized Shanghai?
British
The British occupied Shanghai during the First Opium War and it was opened to foreign trade by the terms of the Treaty of Nanking. The British settlement was established by the 1845 Land Regulations, undertaken on the initiative of the intendant Gong Mujiu.
What was Shanghai before?
As late as the 5th to 7th centuries ce the Shanghai area, then known as Shen or Hudu, was sparsely populated and undeveloped. Despite the steady southward progression of Chinese settlement, the exposed deltaic position of the area retarded its economic growth.
When did Shanghai develop?
Shanghai’s Resurgence
Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century. The rapid development of the city began in the aftermath of the Opium War of 1840 when the Western powers forced China to open five of its coastal cities, including Shanghai, to foreign trade.
Did the French own Shanghai?
For much of the 20th century, the area covered by the former French Concession remained the premier residential and retail district of Shanghai, and was also one of the centres of Catholicism in China.
How did Shanghai get its name?
The word shanghai comes from the name of the Chinese city of Shanghai. People started to use the city’s name for that unscrupulous way of obtaining sailors because the East was often a destination of ships that had kidnapped men onboard as crew.
Does Shanghai still exist?
Shanghai is the world’s largest city.
Shanghai’s city proper population was 24 million people in 2014, and it is continually rising. Shanghai’s extensive metro service is necessary to cover its many districts and keep this thriving city running each day.See more on China’s Largest Cities.
When did the Japanese leave Shanghai?
Battle of Shanghai
| Date | August 13, 1937 – November 26, 1937 (3 months, 1 week, and 6 days) |
|---|---|
| Location | Shanghai, Wusong, and proximity |
| Result | Japanese victory |
| Territorial changes | Japanese capture of Shanghai (excluding the Shanghai International Settlement and the Shanghai French Concession) |
When did the Japanese take Shanghai?
August 13, 1937
Why is Peking now called Beijing?
Westerners have over the years given their own names to Chinese cities, such as Peking for Beijing, taking their pronunciation from Cantonese (Hong Kong) rather than Mandarin.Thus the capital became “Beijing” rather than Peking, “Canton” became Guang zhou, etc.
What does Shanghai mean in Chinese?
On-the-Sea
The Mandarin Chinese name of Shanghai is Shànghǎi, which is written as 上海 in Chinese characters. This name means “On-the-Sea” because Shanghai used to be next to the East China Sea.
How did Shanghai get so big?
The city was already an established trading hub, but all of these foreign nations transformed it into a burgeoning metropolis during the 19th century. From here, the Europeans could trade with all of China and its neighbouring countries, and Shanghai – in the blink of an eye – became the richest city in East Asia.
Did Shanghai have another name?
Shanghai is also commonly called Shēnchéng (申城, “City of Shēn”). The city has had various nicknames in English, including “Paris of the East”, “Queen of the Orient”, “Pearl of the Orient”, and even “The Whore of Asia” (a reference to widespread corruption of vice, drugs, and prostitution in the 1920s and 1930s).
Why is Shanghai called Paris of the East?
The Teatry of Nanking between Great Britain and China granted trading concessions in Shanghai to European powers.During the 1920s and 30s, just before World War II, Shanghai was known as the “Paris of the East, the New York of the West” –synonymous with pleasure, decadence, glamour, power and money.
What language is spoken in Shanghai?
Shanghainese, also known as the Shanghai language, Shanghai dialect, or Hu language, is a Wu Chinese language spoken in the central districts of the City of Shanghai and its surrounding areas.
What is the difference between Shanghai and Hong Kong?
In one sentence, Shanghai is the most modern city in China mainland, famous for its high-rise buildings and water town; while Hong Kong is an international city, well known for its shopping and dining.
Why does Shanghai mean kidnap?
The verb “shanghai” joined the lexicon with “crimping” and “sailor thieves” in the 1850s, possibly because Shanghai was a common destination of the ships with abducted crews. The term has since expanded to mean “kidnapped” or “induced to do something by means of fraud.”
Is Shanghai the world’s largest city?
Shanghai is the most populous city in China, and some believe it is the largest city on Earth. As Brazil’s largest city, Sao Paulo is also one of the 10 largest metro areas on the globe.
The Largest Cities In The World By Population.
| Rank | 3 |
|---|---|
| City | Shanghai |
| Country | China |
| Population 2020 | 27,058,479 |
Is Taiwan part of China?
Both the ROC and the PRC still officially (constitutionally) claim mainland China and the Taiwan Area as part of their respective territories. In reality, the PRC rules only Mainland China and has no control of but claims Taiwan as part of its territory under its “One China Principle”.
Who saved China from Japan?
| John Rabe | |
|---|---|
| Employer | Siemens AG |
| Known for | Saving about 200,000 Chinese civilians during the Nanking Massacre Establishing the Nanking Safety Zone |
| Political party | National Socialist German Workers’ Party |
| Spouse(s) | Dora Rabe |
Who defeated Japanese in China?
Mao defeated Chiang four years later and the long story of the rise of modern China could begin. No one could ask for a better guide than Mitter to how that story began in the cauldron of the Chinese war.
