The most dynamic city in the world’s fastest-changing nation, Shanghai is setting the pace for the rest of the globe. The city's development in the past few decades has made it the most important economic, commercial, financial and communication centre of China and the busiest container port in the world. For many centuries, Shanghai has been impressing foreigners with its seductive mix of tradition and sophistication. Today, European-style cityscapes and tempting, tree-lined neighborhoods rub shoulders with the science-fiction skyline of Pǔdōng. But tucked between the shopping malls and the modern architecture is the old Shanghai, where temples nestle down alleys, along with street markets and classical Chinese gardens. Shanghai is a city of stunning contrasts, where visitors can go from sipping a cocktail in a designer bar overlooking the Bund to eating dumplings at a street stall, or gazing at a 10th-century Buddhist monastery, in the space of a few hours.
