Jin Mao Tower, aka "Golden Prosperity Building"

Heather, Kate, and I needed to make out way down to downtown Shanghai to purchase our bus tickets to Huangshan on Saturday morning, and I decided to backpack on their trip to the Fabric Market and then on Heather's skyline photo shoot in Pudong.

Pudong is officially known as the Pudong New Area (quite literally because it is so new, i.e. 20 years go there were only rice paddies and farm fields...)

"Since the beginning of its development in 1990 when plans were first announced, Pudong has become a New Open Economic Development Zone, and has emerged as China's financial and commercial hub. Pudong is home to the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and a skyline that includes the symbolic Oriental Pearl Tower, the Jin Mao Building, and the Shanghai World Financial Center, reflective of Shanghai and China's rapid economic development." (More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pudong)

I constantly remind myself how lucky to be in China at this time in its history, and even more so in Shanghai - a city that is essentially a representation of China's new development and race for modernisation.

Standing there in the middle of Pudong; in its new streets and looking up at its steel and glass giants reaching for the sky; I really had to remind myself that this had all appeared less than 20 years ago... A skyline that has taken North American cities like Toronto and New York decades to develop just suddenly 'appeared' across the Huangpu River in Shanghai.

It really does leave one in awe as China unapologetically sweeps the old under the new and removes all evidence of its past by erecting shiny new buildings in its place. Of course this was only possible because of the incredibly cheap and abundant labour. Migrant workers come from poorer farming provinces where labour is lacking and live on site and only go back home once the job is done; which means the job gets done quickly as both boss and worker want to get the next job started ASAP.

Apart from the sad state of China’s disappearing culture and history, Pudong still does make quite the impression in terms of wow factor. As much as one could argue the need for China to show off its new wealth in such an obscene manner, you could also learn to appreciate the enthusiasm and speed at which they can get The Job done. No other country has enough of an inferiority complex to pull this off and all you can do is join in on the party and take as many pictures before newer and taller buildings take place of the “old” ones.

Having been here for nearly 4 months, Heather and I decided it would be a good idea to get to the top of the Jin Mao tower and look over new and old Shanghai while it was still a potpourri of architecture. We probably didn’t spend more than 20 minutes
On the 88th floor but we definitely got away with some interesting pictures.

Hope you enjoy!

The Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center to it's right.

Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and the new Shanghai Tower being built on the Left... This new building will trump both the Jin Mao and SWFC in terms of height and size.

A view from the 88th floor of the Jin Mao Tower

Can you believe this skyline is only 20 years old??

New and Old Shanghai, seperated by the Huangpu River

xx