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Concession Era

Shanghai’s Preserved Heritage Roads

In 2007, the Shanghai government implemented a plan for the preservation of heritage roads within the city. A total of 144 roads, including lilongs, in 12 historic areas were identified for protection. These included 64 ‘first class roads’ which were ‘never to be widened’ in order to protect both historic buildings ...

Roar, China! Langston Hughes in Shanghai

February is Black History month, and Shanghai has a fascinating, hidden history of Black American poets, activists, and musicians. Our inaugural Shanghai Black History walk is sold out, but you can sign up for the wait list here. Langston Hughes, the poet laureate of the Harlem Renaissance, spent three months in ...

Old Shanghai Film Weekend

Our upcoming weekend of old Shanghai film fun (June 3-5 2016) will include a visit to the Shanghai Film Museum, a trip to see the old Shanghai sets at the Shanghai Chedun Film Park, but the heart of it all are the screenings and discussions of movies from the golden age of Shanghai film. Linda Johnson (bio below), an expert ...

Sikhs in Shanghai

Our "Indians in Old Shanghai" walk (Sat October 21, 2pm) explores a rich and fascinating history that stretches back to the establishment of the International Settlement and includes Parsi traders, Gujerati businessmen, Bengali poets, and--of course--the Sikh policemen of Shanghai. The Sikh policeman was the most visible ...

Bookshelf: Death in Shanghai

MJ Lee’s Death in Shanghai is a delicious crime novel set in old Shanghai. Terrific plot, great characters, superb writing – and oh, the historical detail! It truly brings old Shanghai to life, infusing the characters, and even the crime. We wanted to know more, and author Martin Lee obliged us with an ...

The Interview: Katya Knyazeva on Shanghai’s Old Town

The original Shanghai – the “old town” – is hidden in plain sight, in center of China’s wealthiest city. Yet it is but a shadow, unexplored territory for both foreigners and locals. And it's vanishing quickly. Journalist, photographer, tour guide, and blogger Katya Knyazeva has spent six years painstakingly ...

Historic Shanghai’s Year in Review 2015

A look back on the tours, the talks, and that splendiferous World Congress on Art Deco that made up our 2015. [caption id="attachment_632" align="alignleft" width="255"] Stained glass dragon at the T'ou-se-wei orphanage, seen on our Easter Walking tour.[/caption] The Year in Numbers  14 tours 25 World Congress ...