The word "Shang Hai" is literally translated to "above the sea" as the city of Shanghai was built 500 years ago on the bank of the Yangtze River Delta, with East Sea in the east and Hangzhou delta in the south. Shanghai summers are hot and humid with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius. The rainy season begins in June. Fall is mostly mild. In winter (January to February) temperatures can reach below freezing. Spring begins again in March.

Housing a population of over 16 million at present, it was once a small town supported by fishing and weaving before the first Opium War. This blending of eastern and western styles has given the Bund a reputation as a "World's Fair of Architecture." A visit to the Old City section gives an overview to buildings of the 1920s and 1930s style. A good collection is displayed in Yu Garden, a well-restored Suzhou-style garden created during the Ming Dynasty. The garden is immensely popular with local residents and visiting Chinese. Late in 1990, the central government started developing the area, and Shanghai has since become the well-known booming metropolis city.

A first sight at Shanghai is an overwhelming impression of towering skyscrapers and the sheer number of bicycles. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with a giddy height of 468 meters, stands as the world's third tallest TV tower and has become the new symbol of Shanghai.Shanghai story usually begins at the Bund, where many buildings constructed in various foreign styles are well preserved. Western tourists will feel a sense of familiarity when strolling around the long street, which resembles those in European cities. Jade Buddha Temple in northwest is the most popular Buddhist temple in Shanghai, drawing both worshippers and tourists.

Pudong, the east side area of the Huangpu river, has been transformed from farmland to mega-metropolis. The 88-floor Jin Mao Mansion is another outstanding building in the Pudong New Area. Because of its brightly illuminated skyscrapers, Shanghai enjoys international fame as the "Pearl of the Orient".