Tai Chi Works

Day 18

Thursday

August 27, 2015

Shanghai (B/L/D)

Optional tai chi and qigong class 6:30am - 7:15am.

Daily program: One day city tour of Oriental Pearl Tower with Shanghai Municipal History Museum, Yuyuan Garden, Nanjing Road, People's Square, The Old Street and The Bund.

Scenic spots: Oriental Pearl Tower with Shanghai Municipal History Museum -- The Oriental Pearl Tower is located in Pudong Park in Lujiazui, Shanghai. The tower, surrounded by the Yangpu Bridge in the northeast and the Nanpu Bridge in the southwest, creates a picture of 'twin dragons playing with pearls'. With a unique design composed of balls and columns, the tower has become Shanghai's newest landmark and a big magnet for tourists. The whole design is rich in poetic and pictorial splendor, which gives the tourist the impression that pearls of various sizes are dropping onto the emerald plate. As one of the modern symbols of Shanghai, the 468 meter tall tower is the tallest in Asia and the third tallest TV tower in the world.The bird's eye view from the Tower is breathtaking, especially at night, when the nearby Bund is lit up. Municipal History Museum (inside the TV Tower) is located in the tower's pedestal, the Shanghai Municipal History Museum is a wonderful introduction to the city's interesting history. Multitudes of dioramas and models of Shanghai's historical streets give the visitor an eye into what life was like before private cars and skyscrapers ruled Shanghai.

Yuyuan Garden -- Yuyuan Garden is located in the heart of Shanghai's old Chinese quarter and links to Yuyuan Market. Built in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty in the Suzhou style by a high official Pan Yunduan in honor of his father, the garden has maintained its classic beauty over the centuries. The Yuyuan Garden was considered the best garden in Southeast China. It is a renowned traditional landscape garden in Jiangnan. It is also a historical site and tourist attraction famous at home and abroad. There are hundreds of precious stele carvings which are done by famous artists in the past. The garden is a virtual maze of caves, gardens, rockeries, paths, bridges, and buildings. Even though many people have had a hand in rebuilding the garden over the centuries, it is seamlessly blended. Every corner you turn has a new surprise, and a total different view.

Nanjing Road -- China's premier shopping street, the 3.4-mile-long Nanjing Road is a must-see metropolitan destination attracting thousands of fashion-seeking shoppers from all over the world. It is the earliest shopping street in Shanghai. It is one of the landmarks of Shanghai. It's said that if you have never been to the Nanjing Street, it is equal that you have never been to Shanghai. Besides shopping tips, the most outstanding characteristic of Nanjing Street is the absolutely different sight at day-time and at night. At day-time, people may enjoy the green plants. There are more than 70 fragrant camphor trees, all kinds of flowers and trees. At night, colorful lights and beautiful music fountain make the street romantic. The cultural atmosphere is another sight in Nanjing Street. There are 26 culture facilities along the two sides of Nanjing Street. Owing to all these, tourists may taste the "culture food" of different places, appreciate the art of all around the world, and feel the connotation of different culture.

People's Square -- Like other squares abroad, you could also feed the pigeons at the People's Square, play with them. There are more than 1, 000 pigeons here! You really could enjoy yourself. The People's Square ranks the most important and prosperous area in Shanghai because of its geographical conditions and the developing plan of Shanghai. Around the square there are so many skyscrapers, among which the most famous are Shanghai City Hall, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre and Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. Therefore, it's the political, commercial and cultural center of Shanghai. You could always see there holds many ceremonies and the cultural activities at the People's Square.

The Old Street -- From the middle of the last century, Shanghai has been known as a romantic oriental city. Her mysterious charm and beauty were all hidden in the night neon lights, gramophone records, and cheongsam (chi-pao) As the new China was founded and society improved, Shanghai now appears to be simply a large modern metropolis like many others in the world. To explore the shadows and dreams from the past, you should know where to look.

The Bund -- The Bund is a 1.5-kilometer-long boulevard on the western bank of the Huangpu River. It is the long corridor of Shanghai. For more than 100 years, it has been the symbol of Shanghai. Shanghai people are proud of the Bund. It shows the culture of Shanghai and the creation of modern civilization to people. The architecture along the Bund is unanimously honored as a "World Architectural Fair", including all kinds of tall buildings like the Gothic style, the Baroque style, the Roman style, the classical style, the Renaissance style and the combination of Chinese and Western style. Generally speaking, the beauty of a city should contain three elements: architectures, sculptures, and evanescence. Of the three elements, sculptures are also called the eyes of a city. It is an important part for a city's beauty.