Puxi area of Shanghai
Brief indro
Shanghai is one of the four direct-controlled municipalities of People’s Republic of China, and is further divided into 16 districts and 1 county. There is no single downtown district in Shanghai as the urban core is scattered across several districts. Basically speaking, main part of Shanghai are divided into two parts: Puxi and Pudong. The character Pu is from a river in Shanghai–Huangpu river. Xi and dong in Chinese means west and east. So Puxi literally means westside of the river and Pudong means east side of the river.
Puxi area:
Eight of the districts are situated in Puxi (literally Huangpu West), or the older part of urban Shanghai on the west bank of the Huangpu River. These eight districts are collectively referred to as downtown Shanghai or the city centre:
Huangpu District (黄浦区; Huángpǔ Qū)
Huangpu is now the location of the city hall, The Bund, and shopping areas including the famous Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road, and Xintiandi.
Xintiandi–lifestyle center
Xuhui District (徐汇区 Xúhuì Qū)
The Xuhui District is centred on Xujiahui, after which it is named. Xujiahui was historically land owned by Ming dynasty bureaucrat and scientist Xu Guangqi, and later donated to the Roman Catholic Church. Being the core of Catholic Shanghai, the Xuhui District formed, together with neighbouring Luwan District, the former French Concession of Shanghai. Vestiges of the French influence can still be seen in the St. Ignatius Cathedral of Shanghai, Xuhui College, the Xujiahui Observatory, and some remaining boulevards and French-style districts.
St. Ignatius Cathedral of Shanghai
Xujiahui itself has been redeveloped as a commercial centre, with a proliferation of large-scale shopping centres and department stores. Now it is a major shopping destination in the city.
Xujiahui commercial centre
Changning District (长宁区 Chángníng Qū)
Changning District has a land area of 37.19 km² and a population of 690,000 as of 2010. The district government is located in 1320 Yuyuan Rd. Zhongshan Park and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport are located in the district.
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Jing’an District (静安区 Jìng’ān Qū)
Jing’an District was named after Jing’an Temple, an ancient traditional Chinese Buddhist temple located in central of the district. Many of Shanghai’s numerous expatriates live in Jing’an district and it houses several luxurious residential complexes in addition to having an extremely vibrant nightlife scene.
Jing’an Temple
Putuo District (普陀区 Pǔtuó Qū)
Putuo cover area of 54.83 square kilometers (21.17 sq mi). The name comes from the territory of Putuo Road. The Zhenru Temple, Jade Buddha Temple, and Changfeng Park are located here. The Shanghai West Train Station is in Putuo District. East China Normal University has a Putuo campus.
Shanghai West Train Station
Zhabei District (闸北区 Zháběi Qū)
Zhabei District is one of the downtown districts of Shanghai though the commercial potential has been continuously undervalued. Facilitated with the Shanghai Railway Station, which used to be the only railway terminal of Shanghai (until the completion of Shanghai South Railway Station in 2006), Zhabei District is famous for its connectivity, which becomes the reason hi-tech and creative industries begin to accumulate in the district.
Historically, the district has been highly populated with working class residents. However, due to the shift in the structure of industries and increasing number of immigrants from outside Shanghai, partly due to its reasonable real estate price (compared to its counterparts such as Putuo and Hongkou), the district has become increasingly appealing to local inhabitants.
Zhabei Park — Zháběi Gōnɡyuán
Hongkou District (虹口区 Hóngkǒu Qū)
Hongkou District is the location of the Astor House Hotel, Broadway Mansions, Lu Xun Park and the Lu Xun memorial. It’s home to the Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) and the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. Fuxing High School and Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to SISU (SFLS) are the best high schools in this area. During the Second World war when the city was occupied by the Japanese, 20,000 Jewish refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe lived in a notoriously overcrowded square-mile section known to the West as the Shanghai ghetto.
Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum
Yangpu District (杨浦区 Yángpǔ Qū)
Yangpu District is located in the northeast of Shanghai. The southern part of Yangpu District is only 4 km (2.5 mi) away from the Bund, a major tourist attraction. Situated in northern Yangpu District are two of China’s most distinguished universities, Fudan University and Tongji University.
Fudan University
