Shadows of Late Qing Shanghai

Since Shanghai opened to foreign trade in 1842, its foreign concessions, known as the “Ten-Mile Foreign Settlement,” have served both as a shameful symbol of China's colonial status and as a source of fascination for their rapidly rising prosperity. It was only natural that they came to be regarded as a beachhead for China's early modernization. Drawing on topics such as Shanghai's earliest travel guide, horse racing in late Qing Shanghai, the Cellini Circus Company's performances in the city, and the opening of Feilong Island's bicycle business, this book offers a lively journey between past and present, piecing together scenes from late Qing Shanghai. Since Shanghai opened to foreign trade in 1842, its foreign concessions, known as the “Ten-Mile Foreign Settlement,” have served both as a shameful symbol of China's colonial status and as a source of fascination for their rapidly rising prosperity. It was only natural that they came to be regarded as a beachhead for China's early modernization. Western culture, both material and spiritual, flowed into China through Shanghai, where it gradually became familiar and acceptable to the wider society.