Shanghai Street Stories

Far from the maddening crowds on the Bund, the Rockbund Art Museum on Huqiu Lu (虎丘路) is a favored destination that singularly embodies the East meets West history, design and architecture of Shanghai.
For many long-time expats of Shanghai, most know the building more as the former headquarters of the North China branch of the of the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS), evident in the engravings of RAS in both English (right at the top) and Chinese (above...

I’ve always liked the predictability and soothing effect of uncomplicated patterns. This was one reason why I found myself standing in front of a discreet entrance off the busy stretch of Zhapu Lu (乍浦路) in southwest Hongkou district.
At first glance, it was a rather non-descript doorway with a dusty stairwell. The real question should have been why the door was left wide open for passers-by....

It’s been a long time coming but I’ve finally pulled together a list on books and websites for anyone who wants to learn more about the origins of Shanghai’s lilong and shikumens, the origins of Shanghai’s Old Town, as well as the rich history of its...

What makes a shikumen (石库门) header an architectural tapestry so emblematic of Shanghai?
The grey stone pediment, shaped in a triangle or semi-circle, contains designs that range from the simple to the elaborate. In their heyday, headers (and the width of lanes) reflected the economic class of the neighborhood. Some lanes had cookie cutter...