Shanghai and Yu-Yuan Garden

Shanghai - on top of the sea.



Shanghai is the largest city in China, and the third largest city in the world. The 2000 census put the population of Shanghai to 16.738 million The city has one of the biggest ports, and is the center of China's modern day economy. It's biggest economic rival in the country is Hong Kong. Shanghai is also a large political hub. The city of Shanghai actually has province level status in China.



There is no single "downtown district" in Shanghai; the center of urban life is scattered throughout many districts. The city has a very extensive public transportation system, and for a city of it's size, traffic is relatively smooth and convenient. It is considered to be the "birthplace of everything modern in China."



Now for the weather in Shanghai. The climate is classified as humid subtropical. In normal terms, it experiences all four seasons - freezing temperatures in he winter, and an average of 90 degrees in the summer months of July and August. Heavy rain is frequent in the early summer. It says that it gets ridiculously hot in the summer months, but as we're going in May, it probably shouldn't be as bad as it would be in July or August.





The Yu-yuan Garden is considered to be one of the four finest Chinese gardens in China, and is located in the center of the Old City in Shanghai. It took 20 years to build the garden, and Pan Yunduan began the construction in 1558. It was a private garden built to please his father, who was a high ranking officer in the Ming Dynasty.

The garden takes up 5 acres of land and is divided into 6 general areas. These are: the Grand Rockery, Heralding Spring Hall, the Inner Garden, Jade Magnificence Hall, the Lotus Pool, and the Ten Thousand-Flower Tower. Each area is separated by a dragon wall.

Much damage was done to the garden over the years, and finally the Shanghai government repaired it in 1956-1961. At the end of this time, it was opened to the public once again. In 1982, it was declared a national monument.