A Museum City, Pearl of the East

Our destination is Shanghai, reached via high-speed train. The 1,200 km journey from Beijing to Shanghai takes about four hours. Boarding the train involves security checks similar to those at airports. Rigorous inspections of luggage and belongings are conducted, with flammable items like lighters strictly prohibited. The trains depart precisely on time, and delays are unheard of. Cleaning staff are continuously at work between platforms. Even if someone throws a cigarette butt on the ground, it disappears almost immediately as a worker promptly cleans it up.

The view during the train ride is delightful: lush green plains, tree-filled small towns, and the silhouettes of buildings against a fiery red sky at sunset. Upon arrival, we’re greeted by towering, radiant skyscrapers. As we drive through the city, the vibrant colors evoke a sense of passing under a rainbow. Without stopping at the hotel, we head straight to our first destination: the Pudong River and the Bund, Shanghai’s famous waterfront.

A Region Equivalent to Three Türkiye:

The Bund and Its Bull

Shanghai is the second most populous city in the People’s Republic of China, with Chongqing being the first, boasting a population of 33 million. As China’s economic, financial, and trade hub, Shanghai is also one of the world’s major centers. Its gross domestic product (GDP) is $660 billion (4.72 trillion yuan). The Shanghai Stock Exchange ranks as the fifth-largest globally. In front of the exchange building, we notice a bull statue, larger and more prominent than the one in Istanbul’s Kadıköy. The bull holds significant cultural importance in China, symbolizing determination, diligence, and prosperity. The Bund Bull, leaning forward with its tail raised, represents China’s prosperous future and embodies the symbolism of a strong Chinese nation.

Entering the pier through a colorfully illuminated gate, we board a three-story boat. Surrounding us are skyscrapers on all sides, with one towering above the rest: the Oriental Pearl Tower, which glows in red, pink, and various other hues. The reflections of red, yellow, and blue lights shimmer on the river as the boat sails through a sea of colors. Laser lights from certain buildings catch our attention, and everyone onboard is busy taking photos, whether with a partner, friend, or family member. As I watch the city from the boat, Tahsin Yücel’s novel of “Gökdelen” (The Skyscraper) comes to mind. This dystopian novel describes the privatization of justice and the transformation of Istanbul into a “modern” city resembling New York. I wonder if anyone resisted the skyscrapers here. However, these skyscrapers don’t seem to require the privatization, destruction of green spaces, or suffering described in the novel. China has achieved this under state supervision, with careful planning and environmental conservation. Walking through streets lined with trees that converge overhead, creating a green canopy, I am further convinced of this.

Green in Nature, Streets, and Energy

Environmental planning is as serious in Shanghai as it is in Beijing. Most taxis and many vehicles here are electric. China prioritizes “green” not only in its streets but also in its energy sector. With 1.2 billion kilowatts of renewable energy capacity, China now leads the world in this field. Reforestation efforts have accelerated, with China adding as much forest area in the past decade as the rest of the world combined. Furthermore, China’s success in cleaning rivers and lakes is remarkable. The percentage of drinkable surface water rose from 61.6% in 2012 to 87.9% in 2022. ¹ Between 1990 and 2018, China’s forest area expanded by 591,000 square kilometers—a size equivalent to the combined areas of France and the Netherlands. Annually, 21,000 square kilometers of forests are created, roughly half the size of Switzerland. ²

A Bird’s-Eye View from 400 Meters High

Our first visit on the second day in Shanghai is to the Oriental Pearl Tower, which we admired from the outside the previous night. Standing 468 meters tall, this tower serves as a television broadcasting facility but also features a glass terrace offering a 360-degree view of the city and a museum. From here, you can observe the city, river, roads, and even people below, as if from a bird’s perspective. The tower attracts a large number of tourists, both local and foreign, who relish the views and take countless photographs.

Inside the tower is a museum showcasing Shanghai’s history, offering exhibits ranging from everyday life and transportation to art schools and trading houses. Visitors can explore holograms, large-scale models, and other digital displays, creating a vivid journey into the past. Another section of the museum presents a futuristic vision, combining cities, vehicles, health, and the environment in a way that makes you feel as though you’re on the deck of a spaceship.

The Oriental Pearl Tower thus offers more than a glimpse of modern Shanghai. It connects the past and future, educating and inspiring visitors.

THE MUSEUM WHERE THE PAST AND THE FUTURE MEET

Shanghai holds a significant place in the history of the People’s Republic of China. . When China lost the 1st Opium War, a Nanking Treaty was signed. This opens the city to foreign trade. Foreign concession zones were established in Shanghai. In fact, the Chinese could only enter these concession zones with special permission. In other words, Shanghai was an important colonial city for a while. Here in the museum, the history of Shanghai, the daily life of the people, public transport, maritime transport, art schools, vehicles used, commercial establishments, and various reenactments take place. Massive models in the museum vividly portray past times and lifestyles. Visitors can watch digital reenactments through holograms within these models, taking a journey back in time.

Within the same building, utopian reenactments are also created through videos. In a section where the future is envisioned through reflections on everything from people and cities to transportation, health, and the environment, the experience is quite fascinating. You feel as if you are on the deck of a spacecraft. With its museum that merges the past and the future, it not only educates but also encourages visitors to think.

On the Water:
The First Congress

After visiting a few historical buildings in Shanghai, we head to another museum that narrates a turning point in Chinese history. This is the building where the First Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) convened in 1921. The museum, which spans a large area, showcases 1,100 artifacts, including exhibits on China’s colonization after the Opium Wars, the administration and flags established by Western imperialists, the rising interest in Marxism, the growing labor movements, the early leadership of the CCP, and tools and equipment used during the Chinese Revolution. The museum also features video presentations enhanced with rich digital visuals.

Shanghai was referred to in the Soviet press as “the bastion of Chinese communists.” This historic building was located in the French concession area. When the congress was secretly convened, French forces raided the building. As they entered through the front door, the CCP leadership escaped through the back door and boarded a boat. The congress was completed on this boat, which was later named the “Red Boat.”

Shanghai, where Chinese revolutionaries endured hardships, is today one of the centers of great advancement. At the museum’s exit, you can write small notes and pin them to a wall. This place attracts the attention of both the elderly and the young. While we write our note, members of the Chinese Communist Party youth next to us take an oath under the CCP flag.

We spend the evening strolling along Nanjing Road, where there are numerous shops and shopping malls. As we head toward the Bund, a line of people and photographers in front of a hotel catches our attention. Mao once stayed in this hotel, and a scene from a television series about the CCP currently airing in China was filmed here. This explains the interest—it is said that sometimes the crowd becomes so large that the police set up barricades to organize the line.

Shanghai was once a place where the imperialists’ flags flew. Today, it is where the flag of China’s freedom waves. Shanghai was once a city steeped in the suffering of Chinese patriots. Now, it is a place of prosperity and happiness.

The “Pearl of the East” is not just the name of a tower here; it is a fitting description for Shanghai itself. The skyscrapers here symbolize planning, discipline, and progress—not imperialist domination. Although Shanghai is famous for its museums, the city itself is an open-air museum where the past and the future blend on a colorful horizon.

1. Adnan Akfirat, How rivers became clear in China, 18 August 2023, Aydinlik ↩︎
2. Adnan Akfırat, The contribution of the Rising Asian Civilisation to the world forest wealth, 25 March 2022, Aydınlık.
   
   Source : https://www.aydinlik.com.tr/koseyazisi/somurgecilikten-ileri-atilima-sanghay-dogunun-incisi-olan-muze-kent-496576 ↩︎