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Historic Events

The Shanghai Paper Hunt

Our April 4 walk takes us to Historic Hongqiao, where Shanghailanders partook in all kinds of outdoor activities, none stranger or more quintessentially Old Shanghai than the Paper Hunt. "In the beginning, as we can well understand, means of recreation were somewhat limited. Indeed, an old resident has described ...

Presents from the Past: Christmas Shopping in Old Shanghai

"Watch the crowds on Nanking Road these days. Happy faces everywhere, and nearly everyone carrying huge bundles wrapped in colored paper. Yes, Christmas is just around the corner…” –China Press, December 1936 Need a little inspiration for your Christmas shopping? Take a look at what was on offer in Old Shanghai! ...

Thanksgiving in Old Shanghai

A service of Thanksgiving. A big turkey dinner, with all the trimmings. A hotly contested football classic. It all sounds very traditional, very American, and so it was: it was Thanksgiving in 1930s Shanghai. Thanksgiving Service at Holy Trinity Left: Holy Trinity Cathedral, where Thanksgiving services were ...

Queen Elizabeth II in Shanghai

September 9, 2022 – As the world bids a sad farewell to Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s much beloved and longest-serving monarch, we take a look back on her historic trip to Shanghai, in October 1986. Embed from Getty ...

The Battle of Shanghai: An Illustrated Guide

On August 14 1937, the day after the Battle of Shanghai began, misfired bombs rained death and destruction on downtown Shanghai, a devastating aerial bombardment on defenseless civilians that shocked the world. "Bloody Saturday," as it came to be known, saw two bombings in crowded civilian areas: first, the bombs hit the ...

The Creative Ambiguity of the Shanghai Communiqué

February 2025 - This month marks the 53rd anniversary of the Shanghai Communiqué, the world-startling diplomatic letter that marked the beginning of the rapprochement between the People’s Republic of China and the United States. The communiqué was signed on February 27 1972, at the end of a week-long visit to China by ...

1972 Nixon Visit: How Shanghai Changed Since 1946

Fifty-three years ago this month, on February 21, 1972, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon flew into Shanghai on a landmark trip that would lead to the Shanghai Communique, signalling the beginning of a rapprochement between the United States and the People's Republic of China.  America suddenly had China fever, and China ...