China's premier shopping street, 3.4-mile-long
Nanjing Road, starts at the Bund in the east
and ends in the west at the junction of Jingan
Temple and Yan'an West Street. Today Nanjing
Road is a must-see metropolitan destination
attracting thousands of fashion-seeking shoppers
from all over the world.
After the Opium War (1839-1842), Shanghai
became a treaty port. Nanjing Road was first
the British Concession, then the International
Settlement. Importing large quantities of
foreign goods, it became the earliest shopping
street in Shanghai.
Over time, Nanjing Road has been restructured,
undergoing significant change. For shopping
convenience, its eastern end has an all-weather
pedestrian arcade. Big traditional stores
no longer dominate the market since modern
shopping malls, specialty stores, theatres,
and international hotels have mushroomed
on both sides of the street.
Today over 600 businesses on Nanjing road
offer countless famous brands, superior
quality, and new fashions. KFC, McDonald's,
Pizza Hut, and other world-famous food vendors
line both sides of the street. Upscale stores
include Tiffany, Mont Blanc, and Dunhill.
In addition, approximately a hundred traditional
stores and specialty shops still provide
choice silk goods, jade, embroidery, wool,
and clocks.
Open-air bars, abstract sculptures, and
lingering sounds from street musicians enhance
evening strolls. A trackless sightseeing
train provides a comfortable tour of the
night-transformed pedestrian street. Flashing
neon signs illuminate the magnificent buildings
and spangle the night skyline of this lively
city.
|