Shanghai skyline at night, Dec 2014 – Emily Martin
上海
在庆祝英国文化协会建立在中国35周年的聚会， 一个演说者告诉听众她把北京作为中国的曼彻斯特。北京和北京人都有跟曼彻斯特的定性一样的粗犷，产业魅力。如果北京是曼彻斯特，上海一定是有表示丰富的新建设的伦敦经济中心。
我们对上海的猛一看一定表示这个。我们晚上一达到上海就去外滩以便偷看江浦和光辉烂烂空中轮廊线。各种各样新潮的高楼有五彩灯火照了它们让天空看起来跟像巨大的糖果店一样。
上海并不都是多这新潮和光滑。如果你去法国租界观光，你会发现漂亮殖民建构。田子坊中有像迷宫的弄堂和小购物街道。不过， 虽然上海一定是一个很美好的城市，对我来说，上海缺乏在北京胡同发现的传统文化。这个看中消费者主义的看法让上海看起来华而不实。在每个街道你会找到许多卖比萨和意大利面的饭馆。
上海给我们一个机会看见中国的将来。上海的新高楼以及购物在 世界性百货商店的摩登年轻专业人员一定表示政府想世界都看见的中国方面。上海完美地表示在中国越来越流行的消费者文化。 这个文化可能替代中国传统的文化在中国人的身份。有的可能把这个作为转变会破坏中国传统文化的转变，可是我把这个当不断地 文化进步的一部分看待。虽然失去传统文化很可悲，中国成为新潮，五方杂处的国家很扣人心弦的。我切身体验这个巨大的文化转变、关注这个历史性的进步感到非常荣幸。
Shanghai Art Museum, Dec 2014 – Emily Martin
Shanghai
At the recent event to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the British Council in China, one speaker described Beijing as the Manchester of China. The city and its inhabitants alike do have a rough industrial charm that fits the stereotype of the British city. If Beijing is Manchester, Shanghai would undoubtedly be The City in London with its new wealth evident in a multitude of shiny new developments.
My first impression of Shanghai couldn’t be more representative of this. We arrived in the evening and immediately went to the Bund to get a glimpse of the river and the fantastic skyline. The array of futuristic skyscrapers of all shapes and sizes were lit with multi-coloured lights, giving it the appearance of an over-sized candy shop.
Not all of Shanghai is so new and glossy. A trip to the French concession reveals pretty colonial era architecture and the area of Tianzifang houses a maze of alleys and shopping streets. However, while undoubtedly a pleasant city, Shanghai lacked the traditional Chinese culture found in Beijing’s hutongs, and left a somewhat hollow taste of mass consumerism. You were sure to find a pizza or pasta restaurant on the corner of even the most traditional of streets.
Shanghai offers glimpse into the future of China. With its glossy new skyscrapers and fashionable young professionals shopping in cosmopolitan department stores, it shows the side of China the government wants the world to see. Shanghai is the perfect illustration of the consumer driven mass culture taking China by storm, replacing traditional culture in the identity of modern China. Some may see this change as a negative process destroying China’s heritage, but I feel it is better to see to as part of the constant progression of culture. While it would be sad to see the loss of traditional culture, the evolution of China into a modern, cosmopolitan, yet still eminently Chinese state is fascinating and exciting. It is a privilege to witness this seismic cultural shift first hand and follow China’s historic transformation.