Most people have something to say about a given topic, and the staff members here at AboutShanghai are no different. On these pages, we offer you our advice, opinions, and insight into various topics regarding Shanghai. Whether we're writing about a specific experience we had in Shanghai, a local hotspot, or a problem we had, you're sure to find something interesting here amongst our editorials.

Think Twice Before Getting a Tattoo in Shanghai Shanghai has a reputation with many Westerners it hasn't earned in the past 150-years. It's not a city where you'll get Shanghaid, with massage and tattoo parlors on every corner with opium dens in between. It's as modern and progressive a metropolitan as you'll find anywhere in the world, but that doesn't mean you can't find trouble. What it does mean is that you shouldn't go trying to find trouble, because like any city, you'll find it...READ MORE

Taking a Taxi with Guidebooks or Concierge Notes On my first trip to China I brought with me the name and address of my hotel that I printed off the internet in Chinese. I couldn’t read it, of course, but I knew that it was my one way to get to my hotel, and I knew my cabbie would know that too...READ MORE

Sure It’s a Beautiful Building, But Why? Shanghai is a blossoming city, even if many of the pedals have already fallen from the bloom since the boom of the 1990s. It’s still a city on the grow and nothing says this to you like the constant concert of spiraling cranes above the city. It’s now as bad as it used to be, but it’s still better than any other city I’ve ever seen. It’s easy to understand why they’d want all the space, but why all the beautiful art in architecture?READ MORE

Great Wall of China Can Not Be Seen from Space I’ve heard it everywhere and so have you, “the Great Wall of China is the only manmade structure that is visible from space.” I’ve heard it twice on the Discovery Channel, once on the Travel Channel, at least a half dozen times in the news, and even from my friend Danny, the one Chinese-American I’ve really been close with over the years. Sadly, it doesn’t make it any more true nor any less ridiculous. Let’s put this legend to bed, you can not see the Great Wall of China from space...READ MORE

Countdown to Safety on Trial in Shanghai Shanghai police set up countdown timers next to traffic lights over the weekend in an attempt to curb drivers from running red lights, a habit that is far too common in the city...READ MORE

Thoughtful Tourists Don’t Photograph Strangers Children Photographs are still considered with more cautious guard than they may be in whichever first world country you are from. The Chinese do not smile upon you taking unauthorized photos of their children, but if you think about it, how would you feel about a foreigner who doesn’t speak your language taking pictures of your child without permission? READ MORE

Shanghai’s Pollution Cleanup Efforts - Working The Wusong Industrial Zone, which had long been a source of pollution in Shanghai, has been cited as a showcase for recovery and improvement of the ecology and environment. The turnaround was accomplished by revamping and optimizing the city’s industrial structure and production technologies. Meng Zhongwei, deputy director of the office in charge of cleaning up the Wusong Industrial Zone stated, “Our concept was to improve the environment while revamping structure.”READ MORE

Listening to the Old Man in the Market When wandering the streets of Shanghai -- a fantastic way to spend an afternoon I might add -- you may meet the old man in the market. I’m not talking about an actual, specific, old man in any specific market, but his general type. They’re in every market, really, and they’re as interesting and insightful as they are, well, old...READ MORE

Just Say "Mayo" to Beggars If you see a beggar come up and latch on to you with a sad look and an outstretched hand, you know you must be on the streets of any city in any nation of the world. China has taken great steps to insure that visitors are not troubled by beggars, but no amount of preparation against this can ever make it go away. Only you can make them go away, and if you don’t, they’ll call in reinforcements until all your money is gone... READ MORE

Haggling for Fun and Profit If you hit any market outside your hotel or the comfy confines of one of the many easy Friendship Stores throughout the town, you will fairly be able to say that you lived the Chinese shopping scene. Expect it to be busy, hectic, chaotic, bustling and loaded to the gills with an opportunity at every turn to haggle unto your heart’s content.... READ MORE

Starbucks Embodies Feeling (and Prices) of Home Pedestrians beware of the craziest of all attempts to swindle you from your hard earned money. It’s not the worst because it tries to sell you goods of little value or even take much of your money. No, it’s the craziest of all because it will come in the form of an old guy who will stop you, waste what time you’re kind enough to patronize, vandalize what goods you have on hand, and then still have the gall to ask for money in trade for it....READ MORE

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