Nanjing Road – First Encounter

I had a chance to visit Nanjing Road last weekend, but haven’t had time to collect my thoughts until today. I’m sure I’ll be back again, but for now I’ll record my initial impressions.

To use a simple analogy, Nanjing Road is the Robson Street of Shanghai. It’s a place where opulence meets history, and is perhaps the most iconic embodiment of China’s internal struggle for national identity.


Nanjing Road is a long street, passing through some of Shanghai’s most famed landmarks. Jing An Temple, a Buddhist institution that was at one point converted to a bomb shelter, can be found in close proximity to Nanjing Road West, which then stretches to People’s Square and ultimately meets with the Bund.

It was actually quite by accident that I first stumbled into the area, which is the epicenter of Shanghai nightlife. I had no intention of visiting that area so soon, and was initially oblivious to its existence. The reason I went was because I wanted to buy some Chinese language books to study. However, bookstores don’t seem to be in great abundance here, much less bookstores selling books that provide English instruction for learning Chinese. Fortunately, the Lonely Planet guide my sister bought me has been very useful and I learned that the Foreign Languages Bookstore is located on the intersection of Central Fujian Road and Fuzhou Road, a few blocks away from Nanjing Road East.

I got out at the People’s Square station, as I had become familiar with it and emerged from Exit 6. For a moment, I felt like I stepped into New York City. Post modern sculptures were on display and behind me was People’s Square Park, a small green refuge area surrounded by concrete towers. Many expats and tourists were there, walking leisurely. As it was 1730 and the bookstore closed at 1900, I was in a bit of a rush, but I still took the time to inspect my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the shiny entrance to the Radisson Hotel, which neighboured the Samsung building. Madame Tussaud’s was close by, and I got probably the best chance I’ll ever have to meet Yao Ming. Next door was an ultra high end mall, sporting international brands like Omega, Rolex, Cartier, Brooks Brothers and even Vertu, retailer of the $10,000 mobile phone is slated to open a store there.


I walked along the street and came across a giant Nike store. Crass commercialism bombarded my senses. The same stores sprang up again and again, as if companies lived in fear of being forgotten on Nanjing Road. There was also a cosmetics promotional booth set up in the middle of the street, and they got two ladies to play classical instruments, which was very popular with the guys. However, I don’t think they were playing as the music came from the speakers didn't match their actions, and it must have been very awkward for the women trying out cosmetics to have a huge mass of men watching them. I don’t know if that marketing strategy was madness or sheer genius. In China, I’m never sure.


One strange thing about Shanghai is that the street signs are not at the corner of the street. They are usually a little further in, or sometimes do not even exist, so for awhile I was quite disoriented. Eventually I realized that Nanjing Road East continued on a street beyond a fenced off construction area. While I was waiting at the intersection to cross, a bus hit the gas and blew a huge dense cloud of black smoke in front of me. I immediately jumped back but I realized I was no match for diffusion. All the Westerners were shocked. The locals crossed the road as usual.

Nanjing Road, the French Concession and the Bund are very beautiful areas of the city, due to the rich European architecture that survived the ousting of foreign influence. Ever pragmatic, many heritage buildings remain in use, though their status is protected. Commercial lighting from street lamps and advertisements bounce off the buildings, creating an almost surreal effect.


All romantic notions were spoiled by the various vendors of Nanjing Road. Some offered cheap plastic toys while others offered massages by “very beautiful girls.” A simple “no thanks” did not suffice, and sometimes I had to tell people off. Because I took my guidebook out from time to time, I was an easy mark. At one point a girl came up to me and introduced herself, and asked if she could walk with me. Naturally, I was suspicious and half expected two accomplices to jump me in a dark alley. She spoke some broken English to me and asked me why I didn’t speak Mandarin. I unleashed upon her the most intense case of Western apathy, the leftovers of unused teenage angst, but she persisted and followed me for another three blocks before realizing how boring I was really trying to be.


At 1855, I found the Foreign Language Bookstore, ignored the guards and managed to buy a copy of “Intermediate Mandarin for Business” before the store closed. Afterward, I ate a decent meal for 25 kuai. On my way back to the subway station, I saw a third Cartier store, retailing a watch that listed for 278,000 RMB.

Dialogue

- Nick, I was thinking about that but the other day they finally posted a sign telling us their "real hours," for now at least...
- Fong, I think the next chapter could potentially lead our group to disband ;)
- Jeff, yeah I'm glad too. And I am thinking about asking the shop keeper about what happened to 24 hours.
- Em, unfortunately no one in ANT seems to be Christian, but my roommate may go to SCF with me this week. Glad you're enjoying my misadventures.
- Snerk, I talked to my manager and he said that because of how new ANT is, the buildings here are built to a much higher standard. Being on the fifth floor, my ceilings are also quite high. However, I heard the rent for my apartment costs 5000 RMB per month, which is quite expensive this far out of downtown, in my opinion.