Attractions in Shanghai
Shanghai Musuem
The world-renowned Shanghai Museum, is a museum of ancient Chinese art, established in December of 1952 at the West Nanjing Road, which was once the club of the Shanghai horse race track. In 1959, it moved to 16 South Henan Road. It is a treasure house of Chinese cultural essence with a rich collection of 120,000 valuable antique items. Together with the museums of Beijing, Xian, Nanjing, the four are honored as the China's Four Major Museums. Shanghai Museum is especially famous for its treasure of bronzes (bells, knives, axeheads, chariot ornaments), ceramics, Chinese calligraphy and traditional paintings. It is a must-see for foreign visitors to Shanghai.
The museum is divided into eleven galleries and three exhibition halls. The eleven Galleries cover most of the major categories of Chinese art: Ancient Bronze, Ancient Ceramics, Paintings, Calligraphy, Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins, Ming and Qing Furniture, Seals, and Minority Nationalities.
Shanghai Museum has installed advanced security and fire alarm systems, educational services, a computerized library, and an automation system. Besides this, we have facilities for multi-media guide, an information center, a High Definition Graphics system, an audio tour, the lecture room is equipped with a system of spontaneous interpretation. The library in the museum has 200,000 volumes of books in collection. Located on 201 Renmin Avenue, People's Square.
Yuyuan Garden
Yuyuan Garden, a place of peace and comfort in the heart of bustling Shanghai. It was constructed in the period of Ming Dynasty from 1559 and completed in 1577. Now a popular tourist destination, Yuyuan began as a private garden created by Pan Yunduan, who spend almost 20 years and all his savings to build a garden in older to please his parents in their old age. That is why he called the garden "Yuyuan", because "yu" in Chinese means "peace and health".
Its exquisite layout, beautiful scenery, 
and the artistic style of the garden architecture are where the charm of Yuyuan lies. At the same time, Yuyuan Garden is frequented by shoppers who want to purchase traditional Chinese products as well as gold and jewels. The main scenic spots in the Yuyuan Gardens are the Urban Mountain Forest, Hualin Charming Valley, Spring Famous Historical Site, the Most Enjoyable Water-Stone site, Treasure in the Universe and Garden within Gardens. In the Gardens, ridges, peaks, and zigzag paths are beautifully decorated. On the walls are brick-made dragons curling around, as vivid as life, an unique sight of their kind. They have maintained the artistic style of the Southern China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Located on 218 Anren Street, Old City.
Oriental Pearl TV Tower
The Oriental Pearl TV 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". The entire scene is a photographic jewel that excites the imagination and attracts thousands of visitors year-round.
This 468 meters high (1,536 feet) tower is the world's third tallest TV and radio tower after the 553-meter CN Tower in Toronto and the 535-meter Moscow TV Tower. However, even more alluring than its height is the tower's unique architectural design that makes the Oriental Pearl TV Tower one of the most attractive places anywhere. The base of the tower is supported by three seven-meter wide slanting stanchions. Surrounding the eleven steel spheres that are "strung" vertically through the center of the tower are three nine-meter wide columns. There are three large spheres including the top sphere, known as the space module. Then there are five smaller spheres and three decorative spheres on the tower base. The spheres are supposed to represent pearls (as in "Shanghai, Pearl of the Orient"). The whole design is rich in poetic and pictorial splendor, which gives the tourists the impression that pearls of various sizes are dropping onto the emerald plate.
Visitors travel up and down the tower in double-decker elevators that can hold up to fifty people at the rate of seven meters per second. The elevator attendants recite an introduction to the TV Tower in English and Chinese during the rapid 1/4-mile ascent. Once you reach your destination, you will be amazed at the variety of activities available as the various spheres and columns actually house places of interest, commerce, and recreation. The inner tower is a recreational palace, while the Shanghai Municipal History Museum is located in the tower's pedestal. The large lower sphere has a futuristic space city and a fabulous sightseeing hall. From here, on a clear day a visitor can see all the way to the Yangtze River. The base of the tower is home to a science fantasy city. The five smaller spheres are a hotel that contains twenty-five elegant rooms and lounges. The pearl at the very top of the tower contains shops, restaurants, (including a rotating restaurant) and a sightseeing floor. The view of Shanghai from this height fills you with wonder at the beauty that surrounds you. The beautiful view of Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the surrounding buildings. When viewed from the Bund at night, the tower's three-dimensional lighting makes it a delight of brilliant color. Located on No. 2, Lane 504, Lujiazui Road, Pudong.
People's Plaza
People's Plaza is a spectacular space located at the center of the city, where no tourist forgets to visit. Dotted with flower beds where flowers of various kinds and of all seasons, the plaza is brimming with vigor and vitality. Swift dancers follow the rhythmical beat of the music fountain in front of the City Hall; children express their love for animals by feeding hopping pigeons with corn; families of three stroll along the winding lanes enjoying familial harmony and love; Shanghai Museum, surrounded by greenery, attracts thousands of history-lovers daily.
The Square is particularly beautiful at night, when steam appears to seep out of the roof of the Shanghai Museum and the light bounces off the glass walls of the Grand Theatre. Located on Renmin Boulevard, Pu Xi District
Yu Fo (Jade Budhha) Temple
Yu Fo Temple is the most famous Buddist temple in Shanghai, and has a history of over one hundred years. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Monk Huigen from Putuo Mountain, on his way home after paying homage to Buddha in India, brought back from Myanmar 5 jade statues of Buddha of various size, and left in Shanghai 2 white-jade statues of one seated and one reclining of Sakyamuni for the specially built temple in Jiangwan, hence the name of the Temple. Yufo Temple constructed in the style of the palace architecture of the Song Dynasty comprises the Hall of Heavenly King, the Precious Hall of Sakyamuni, the Hall of reclining Buddha, the Pavilion of Jade Buddha, etc.
The temple's great treasure is its 6.5-ft-high, 455-lb seated Buddha made of white jade with a robe of precious gems, the gems were donated by Buddhist believers. The statue was carved out of a single piece of white jade, the jade is soft in luster, even in color, pure and flawless and carved with exquisite workmanship. The statue looks life-life, with gentle and soft features and is considered a precious relic of the Buddist art. The reclining Buddha is Sakyamuni on his death-bed, or entering nirvana, the statue is 96 cm long carved out of a single piece of jade. This statue was also exquisitely done, it has delicate feature and a slender figure. With eyes looking slightly upward and reclining on his right arm, he looks calm and carefree. The temple is located on 170 An Yuan Road
Longhua Temple
Longhua Temple is the biggest and oldest temple in Shanghai. Its main hall and all other halls are stately and splendidly structured. The chiming of "Longhua Bell" in the monastery is one of Shanghai's eight tourist attractions.
The Longhau Pagoda is equally an imposing and splendid structure with seven stories in octagonal shape, with upturned eaves, and hte hanging bells on the eaves' corners.
It is said that Longhua Temple was first built in 242 AD during the period of the Three Kingdoms and therefore, has a history of 1,700 years. By the end of the Tang Dynasty the temple was destroyed in war. By the year 977, the temple was rebuilt and until now the restored temple also has a history of more than 1,000 years. 
In 1064, during the Song Dynasty, the temple was renamed Kong Xiang Temple. The name Longhua was restored during Emperor Wan Li's reign in the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620). In the early years of Emperor Tong Zhi's reign in the Ding Dynasty, the temple underwent a thorough renovation and it is what we see today. Located on 2853 Longhua Road.
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Last Updated: August 14, 2005