Shanghai is a cultural city with a long history. By the end of 2000, the city had 13 sites listed in the state key cultural relics protection program and 112 cultural relics, 22 memorial sites and 15 venues under the city protection. The city still maintains a number of ancient gardens from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The scenic spots and historical sites in Shanghai include the more than 1,000 years old Longhua Ancient Temple; the Jing'an Ancient Temple and the Jade Buddha Temple built in the Three Kingdoms Period; Yuyuan Garden, a classic garden of the Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River) genre; the Confucius Temple in Jiading; and the Square Pagoda and Zuibei Pond in Songjiang.

-- Yuyuan Garden

 Construction of Yuyuan Garden started in 1559. Its layout features the garden architectural styles of the southern part of the country during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Enjoying a lasting reputation as "Wooded Hill in City," the garden is very well preserved. Carved dragons wind across atop the walls which divide the garden into different scenes. The pavilions, ponds, man-made stone formations have formed 48 scenic spots in this small garden. The "Spring Reckoning Hall," once the northern city headquarters of the Small-Sword Society Uprising, displays weapons, bulletins, coins and other relics of the time.

-- Longhua Temple

 Longhua Temple is the oldest, largest and most magnificent Buddhist architecture in Shanghai area. It is said that the temple was built in 247 AD. The temple, the pagoda, the temple fair and the evening bell chiming constitute a religious tourist attraction. Many Buddhist scriptures, gold seals and statues from the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties, the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty are housed in a hall built in the Song Dynasty. Longhua Temple had been destroyed several times in history and today's temple was rebuilt during the Daoguang Reign of the Qing Dynasty. However, the octagonal, seven-story and 40-meter-high pagoda was rebuilt in the Song Dynasty.

-- Jade Buddha Temple

 Jade Buddha Temple was built in 1882 after Hui Gen, a monk from Putuo Mountain, brought back two jade Buddhist statues from Burma. In the temple, there are several grandiose halls housing one 1.9-meter-high jade sitting statue of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, and several sleeping jade statues and bronze statues, including the 96-centimeter-long sleeping jade Buddha brought back from Burma more than 108 years ago.

-- Confucius Temple

Confucius Temple was built in 1219, always  known as the number one temple in this area of the country. The temple has exhibition halls displaying articles related to the traditional Chinese examination system and three high stone tablets, representing people's respect to education and Confucius. The 270-year-old "Danghu Academy" in the temple is one of the best-protected such buildings in Shanghai area. Among the stone tablets there, one is carved with the calligraphy by Zhu Xi, a great Chinese educator. Many others are also of very high art values.

 -- Square Pagoda

 Located in Songjiang, the Square Pagoda was built in 949 AD. Made of wood and bricks, the nine-story, 42.5-meter-high square pagoda features the architectural style of brink pagodas of the Tang Dynasty. Many parts of the building are original from the Song Dynasty. The pagoda today is surrounded by a "classical garden," which is dotted with bridges, pavilions and stone formations.
 
 

Historical Sites of Revolutionary Activities 
 
 

Shanghai is a city with a glorious revolutionary history. Many revolutionary activities have left behind precious relics and sites. They include the site for the first congress of the Communist Party of China; the residence of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and his wife Madame Soong Qing-Ling; the residence of Zhou Enlai, the first premier of the People's Republic of China and that of Lu Xun, a great Chinese writer.
 

-- Site of the first congress of the Communist Party of China

Situated at No. 76-78 Xingye Road, this is the birth place of the Communist Party of China and is now under the state protection. In these two houses with stone-framed gates, typical Shanghai residences in 1920s, the first meeting of the Party was convened in one of the sitting room on the ground floor on July 23, 1921. Now, the furniture in the sitting room is replica. There are also wax statues of participants, precious documents and other exhibits, recording the historic period of the beginning of the Party and its activities in the following years.

-- Residence of Dr. Sun Yat-sen

 No.7 Xiangshan Road is the address of the residence, which was bought by some Chinese living then in Canada for Dr. Sun to support his revolutionary activities. Dr. Sun lived in this house in 1920-24. In 1961, it was listed as an important historical site under state protection. During his stay here, Dr. Sun reformed the Kuomingtang and entered the first round of cooperation with the Communist Party of China. In addition, he had written several books in this house. Now, articles on display in this residence include the officer's sword, military maps and writing tools once used by Dr. Sun.

-- Zhou Residence

 Zhou Residence is located at No 73 Sinan Road. The red door of this French style garden house bears the words reading "Zhou Residence" and "Residence of General Zhou Enlai." During 1946-47, this was the Shanghai representative office of the Communist Party of China. Zhou held many important press conferences and met with many famous patriotic personages here. Officially turned into a memorial hall in 1979, the house exhibits some of the precious articles and documents written by Zhou.

-- Residence of Lu Xun

 The former residence of the great Chinese writer is at No. 9, Lane 132 Shanyin Road. A three-story red brick house was once where Lu Xun lived and worked. The writer did a lot of writing, translating, editing in this house and created the "China Freedom Movement Alliance" and the "Leftists' Alliance" here. One display in the house are some writing tools and articles once used by the writer.
 
 

Tourist Scenes 
 
 
Since 1990, Shanghai has built a batch of landmark architectures that are known both at home and abroad. These buildings have become new tourist scenes in the city, reflecting its new appearances. They include the Bund -- the symbol of Shanghai, the green People's Square, the Orient Pearl Broadcasting and Television Tower (which has created 10 world number ones), Jin Mao Tower (China's tallest building), the pedestrian mall of Nanjing Road, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theater and the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall.

-- New Bund   

 The New Bund lies along the west bank of the Huangpu River between Waibaidu Bridge and Nanpu Bridge. The four-kilometer-long thoroughfare was listed as one of the top 10 new scenes and tourist attractions in the city in the past decade. Along the Bund, there are buildings of different Chinese and western architectural styles, nicknamed the contemporary world expo of architectures. This cultural heritage of mankind has epitomized the modern history of Shanghai. At night, with lights on, they look just fantastic.

-- People's Square   

Located at the very center of the city, People's Square is a garden-type open space surrounded by buildings and facilities for administration, cultural activities, transportation and commerce. On its north is the People's Mansion, to its northwest the Shanghai Grand Theater, to its northeast the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, and to its south the Shanghai Museum. Flanked on both sides by 17-meter-wide green belts, People's Avenue goes across the center of the square. The total green areas in the square reach 80,000 square meters. It is an oasis in the city.

-- Orient Pearl Broadcasting and Television Tower   

Serving for radio and television broadcasting as well as recreation and sightseeing, the 460-meter-tall tower is the highest TV tower in Asia and the third highest in the world. It has not only greatly improved the quality of radio and television broadcasting in the city, but also melted itself with Yangpu Bridge and Nanpu Bridge into a new scene, nicknamed "double dragons playing with the pearl."

-- Jin Mao Tower   

 As the tallest building in China and the third tallest building in the world, Jin Mao Tower is located in the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone in Pudong. It is an intelligent building offering services for business, hotel, recreation, sightseeing and shopping. It covers a total construction area of 290,000 square meters and is 420.5 meters high. It has 88 stories above the ground, three stories underground and a six-story annex. From the third to the 50th floor are offices and starting from the 53rd floor, the building is occupied by the Grand Hyatt hotel. The 88th floor is the highest and largest sightseeing hall in China. Jin Mao Tower is not only a new tourist attraction, but also a window through which people from other parts of the world may get a better understanding of Shanghai and Pudong.