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    LIVING IN SHANGHAI: IN THE EYES OF A SHANGHAINESE

    Written by: Huzi Azhong
    Posted on: July 2012 | | 中文

    The city I live in has been a port, a carnival for adventurers --- the Paris of the East.

    Chinese people living in a foreign country must think of the crowded and bustling streets whenever they come across the word “Shanghai”, --- the neon lights floating on the buildings, the music and dances in the halls, the brick forest on the Bund, and the elegance of the women wearing chi-pao walking on  the bank of the Suzhou River.

    I used to live in the old section of Shanghai which has a history of over a hundred years, and now it is the only old downtown area left in this modern city. I like the endless, sprawling lanes. Their names evoke the fragrance of the ancient country, such as Wangyun Street (Cloud-Watching), Menghua Street (Dream of Flowers), Anren Street (Peace and Benevolence), and Jingxiu Street (Meditation). The place I used to live in was called Xundao Street (Road-Tracing), Tiandeng Nong (Heaven Lamp); it sounded very ancient.

    Occasionally I visit Yuyuan Garden. I pick a cool day with a light drizzling rain to step over Jiuqu Bridge, visit a tea house, and sip tea while I listen to traditional Chinese music and watch the roofs with traditional cornices on their sides. How can I possibly not feel the clarity and richness inside!

    Watching sakura in Lu Xun Park in the spring and taking a walk under Chinese parasol trees on Hengshan Road in the autumn are also a special enjoyment for me. I love the heavy gate of the New World, the outdoor bars, the shimmering candle lights, and the smiling faces of friends. I love Christmas and New Year too, when people with shopping bags and children, who seem to make Nanking Road as crowded as it could be, look around with joy.

    A friend of mine who studies textile once said: “Comparing China to a giant textile store, Chengdu is the dark blue batik coarse cloth, Beijing is the piles of bright yellow brocade, Hangzhou is the pink chiffon, Xi’an is a piece of unearthed linen cloth, and Shanghai is bright and brand new, like a piece of gorgeous, shiny silk; you just couldn’t possibly ignore it.”  

    I’d love to believe that the Yangtze River is a river of history. It is like a peaceful giant who, after a long journey, makes his final exploration in this rich land of Shanghai and then greets the world as he claps his hands.

    The glory of Shanghai doesn’t belong to a single spot or a single lane. It belongs to a two-dimensional face or a three-dimensional space. She is not just an oriental pearl, but thousands of glittering gems that would make one gasp. Flying above the city in a plane 3,000 feet high in the sky and looking down at this sparkling and sleepless city in all its splendour, how else would you feel but thrilled and amused?

    I always want to take a close look at the city where I was born and grew up. I’ve been with her every second, but I still long for her beauty. She is changing every day, becoming more charming. She is still a growing city.

    The best views of Shanghai can only be enjoyed in a convertible car. Driving all the way, tracing a few circles around Nanpu Bridge, flying on the highway, you will find that the buildings transform themselves into musical notes and that the view of Lujiazui turns to a riff. And then when you slow down, and take a deep breath of the fresh air generated by the trees, you enter the glamorous downtown with great surprise at seeing the beautiful shop windows and advertisements…this is the robust Shanghai: a friend of mine who is walking to you in chic poise, a friend of mine who will always be young.
     


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021