The name “Shanghai” is made up of two Chinese Characters that mean up or on or above the sea. Shanghai is becoming a hotspot of modern China, a cosmopolitan going through a swift cultural change. Shanghai is one of the busiest ports in the world and is the business centre of China.

Shanghai may not have the grandeur of Beijing or Xi’an but it boasts of some lovely sites. A short distance of 40 km away is the ancient China. Yuyuan is an old Chinese garden in the old part of Shanghai. The four hundred year old garden has beautiful pavilions, miniature lakes, crisscrossing bridges and enchanting rockeries.

The Jade Buddha Temple or Yùfó Sì is an active Zen Buddhist monastery. It’s popular tourist attraction are the two gorgeous white jade Buddhas and the monks’ serving ceremony. Shanghai Museum on People’s Square houses ancient Chinese art. The museum has a big collection of ceramics, calligraphy, bronzes, ancient coins and paintings.

The Bund is a famous tourist attraction. It has 52 buildings influenced over hundreds of years by European architecture. They all face the Huangpu River. The Bund waterfront has smart restaurants and shops.

Zhujiajiao is Shanghai’s Venice. It is a 1700-year-old water town. The town is crisscrossed with ancient bridges. The bridges, the ancient North Street and Ke Zhi Yuan (Course Plant Garden) were built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Shanghai is a must-see city for anyone who visits China.