Nanjing Road

» Shanghai, Jiang Su

Nanjing Road Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Nanjing Road is the main shopping street of Shanghai, China, one of the world's busiest shopping streets. In a broad sense, Nanjing Road includes East-Nanjing Road and West-Nanjing Road, while in narrow sense, it only refers to the Nanjing Road before 1945 (todays East-Nanjing Road), which is pedestrianized. Prior to 1949, the road's English name was rendered "Nanking Road" using the standard romanization of the time.

Where do "Nanjing Road" locate

Nanjing Road is located in the city center, Shanghai, running in a west-east direction. Its eastern section is in Huangpu District and extends from The Bund west to People's Square. The western section begins at People's Square and continues westward towards Jing'an District.

How it got its name

The history of Nanjing Road can be traced back to the year 1851. At that time it was called "Park Lane", which comes from the Bund to He'nan Road. In 1854, it was extended to Zhejiang Road, and eight years later, once more extended to Xizang Road. In 1865, it was named formally "Nanking Road" by the Municipal Council, which administered the International Settlement.

In Chinese it was usually referred to as the Main Road (literally Great Horse Road). In 1943 the International Settlement was annulled, and after World war Two the government changed its name from Nanking Road to East-Nanjing Road, meanwhile named the former Bubbling Well Road WestNanjing Road, and give a general name of the two roadsNanjing Road, which with five kilometres total length.

"Pedestrian Street" Nowadays

In 2000, as a part of the development plan held by the local government, Nanjing Road was reconstructed to be a characteristic pedestrian street (areas of a city or town in which automobile traffic is prohibited). The width is about twenty-eight meters and the total length is one thousand two hundred meters, which extends from Henanzhong Road to Xizangzhong Road.

What used to be

Nanjing Road is the earliest significant shopping street in Shanghai. As early as the beginning of the 19th century, a wide variety of merchants gradually established hundreds of stores on both sides of the road because of the good fengshui there. Some of them obtained nationwide fame shortly after. The four famous global department stores at that time were "Yongan", "Xianshi", "Xinxin" and "Daxin", among which "Daxin" become the largest. By the end of the 1920's, Nanjing Road was flourishing and blazing with colorful neon lights.

After 1949, more and more stores rose up on both sides of Nanjing Road. Great prosperity came to many of the well established stored. Many new buildings, such as large shopping centers, sprang up like mushrooms.

What going to be

The remodelling of Nanjing Road has aroused interest from many world-famous enterprises. Executive officers from 28 top multinationals such as AOL Time Warner, Louis Vuitton and Nike, gathered at a two-day Nanjing Road International Forum that started on November 21, 2001 to seek investment opportunities and to share each other's experiences.

The project will be completed by 2010. The Nanjing Road will be built into a leading world-class commercial destination, like the Champs Elysees in Paris and Fifth Avenue in New York.

Holidays celebrated in "Nanjing Road"

Tourists and guests often celebrate various holidays at Nanjing Road, such as the Chinese New Year, New Year's Eve, Christmas and Easter. Some parts of the buildings and shopping malls seen in front of the Nanjing Road today may host a fireworks display over the main isle of the street.

Getting around

Based on the success of those streets and in depth study on the strengths and insufficiencies of Nanjing Road, Mckinsey presented a plan to divide the street into three sections. Najing Road won't be turned into an expensive consumption district like Ginza in Tokyo. It will maintain its character: to serve the people.

Three sectione-The first section

From the Bund to Henan Zhonglu, will be known as Heritage Shanghai. The section is mainly for sightseeing and quality goods shopping.

Three sectione-The second section

From Henan Zhonglu to Xizang Zhonglu, will be called as Cosmopolitan Shanghai. The section will house China's largest street mall. Apart from dozens of flagship fashion boutiques, an 8,000-square-meter market selling sedans will also be included in this section.

Three sectione-The third section

Running from Xizang Road to Chengdu Beilu, will be known as A Taste of Tomorrow. The section will be designed mainly for recreation and entertainment. Of the 18 billion yuan (around $ 2.17 billion) to be invested, only a small section of the infrastructure is being paid by the government.

Getting there

By subway

Shanghai Metro Line 2 runs along Nanjing Road, including the following stations and other stations:

• Nanjing Road (E.) (formerly Henan Zhong Road), closest station to the pedestrianised part of East Nanjing Road and The Bund.
  
• Nanjing Road (W.) (formerly Shimen No. 1 Road), at the beginning of the western section of the street, close to People's Square.
  
• Jing'an Temple, in the farther western section of Nanjing Road.

Where to eat

Today over 600 businesses on Nanjing road offer countless famous brands, superior quality, and new fashions. KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and other world-famous food vendors line both sides of the street.

Something suggest to buy

Upscale stores include Tiffany, Mont Blanc, and Dunhill could find there. In addition, approximately a hundred traditional stores and specialty shops still provide choice silk goods, jade, embroidery, wool, and clocks.

Attractions around » Shanghai, Jiang Su

Natural Scene

• Huangpu River
• The Bund
• Port Wusongkou
• Shanghai Wild Animal Park

Historical Site

• Ancient Town of Zhouzhuang
• Jade Buddha Temple
• Town God Temple
• Oriental Pearl TV Tower
• Old Town of Xitang
• Zhujiajiao Old Town
• Former French Concession
• Qibaozhen Ancient Town
• The First National Congress of the Communist Party of China Shanghai Site
• Longhua Temple
• Former Residence of Sun Yat-sen

Cultural Site

• Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
• Shanghai World Financial Center
• Shanghai Museum
• Yuyuan Garden
• Shanghai History Museum
• Nanpu and Yangpu Bridges
• Guyi Garden

Nightlife

• Night Club Street on Hengshan Road
• Shanghai Concert Hall
• Shanghai Grand Theater
• Xintiandi Bar Street
• Maoming South Road Bar Street
• Tongren Road Bar Street
• Yandang Road Bar Street
• Sasha's Bar
• Bourbon Street Bar
• Julu Road Bar Street
• Mexican madness night at Zapata's Bar

Day Entertainment & Sports

• Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
• Sheshan Golf Club

Shopping & Leisure

• Nanjing Road
• Shopping Heaven on Xujiahui Street
• Dongtai Road Antique Market
• Shopping on Fuzhou Road
• Pudong New Area
• Yandang Road Bar Street
• Xintiandi Area

Nanjing Road Highlights

Shopping Street in Great China

• Wangfujing Walking Street
• Tunxi Ancient Street
• Nanjing Road
• Shopping Heaven on Xujiahui Street
• Barkhor Street
• Foreign Tourist Street
• West Street
• Liulichang Culture Street
• Central Street
• Hefang Street
• Grand Bazaar
• Panjiayuan Collection Market
• Quanyechang Bazaar
• Dongtai Road Antique Market
• Shopping on Fuzhou Road
• Kaili Sunday Market
• Wai Chai
• Moslem Street
• Shiban Street
• Kundu Bar Street
• Lhasa Carpet Factory
• Shuyuanmen Street
• Fishermans Wharf
• Ancient Culture Street
• Pudong New Area
• Yandang Road Bar Street
• Kashgar Bazaar
• Jinli Street
• Tian Xia Shua Du
• Xi'an Antique Market
• Stanley Market
• Binhai Road
• Chunxi Road
• Senado Square
• Nanshi Food Street
• Xintiandi Area
• Wenbaozhai Tourist Shopping Center
• Red Market

Nanjing Road FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. What should we need to know when visiting Shanghai in different seasons?
2. What's the best season for traveling there?

  Transportation

1. What about the transportation between Shanghai and its surrounding cities?

  Food

1. What's the specialty of Shanghai cuisine?
2. What are the must-eat Shanghai snacks? And what to notice?

  Shopping

1. Where is the most famous area for shopping here?
2. Where can we visit on our spare time?

  Travel

1. How about Shanghai's nightlife?

  Other Hints

1. How many airports do Shanghai have?
2. What is the city code of Shanghai?

• What should we need to know when visiting Shanghai in different seasons?

  The four seasons are easy to tell apart. The weather is pleasant, and the number of all kinds of products is large in Spring and Autumn.

  Every June and July is the mold rain season, so it is usually humid in hotel rooms. Umbrella is a necessary thing to bring with during the rainy weather.

  The coldest time is from late January to early February. Even though there is not much snow, warm clothes are still needed, because cold wind is always unendurable. Hotel rooms are equipped with air-conditions, so please stay warm in the room.

  It is usually super hot in July and August. Weather with higher than 35 C usually stays for about ten days, so that prevention from overheat is very necessary.

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• What's the best season for traveling there?

  After humid mold rain season and cold winter, there comes the Spring with blooming flowers, or the Autumn with falling red leaves, which are the best the seasons for trevaling.

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• What about the transportation between Shanghai and its surrounding cities?

  Travel line in the east China includes Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. It usually takes about 2C3 hours to travel between cities. Medicine that prevents car-sickness is necessary.

  Multi-city traveling usually requires travelers to put up each night in different cities. Please take care of your belongings when checking out.

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• What's the specialty of Shanghai cuisine?

  Shanghai cuisine is a mixture of five different cuisines and western food. Apart from its local food, it also has Beijing cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Guangdong cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Yangzhou cuisine, Chaozhou Cuisine, Anhui Cuisine and vegetarian cuisine, etc.

  Of course, Italian food, Russian food, French food, Vietnamese food, Korean food and Japanese food can also be found in Shanghai.

  Local people like food with light seasoning and light sweetness. Rice is their main food. People that like strong seasoning can prepare their own seasonings.

  Travelers with special needs please give us notice before hand, so we can prepare for you earlier according to your requirements.

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• What are the must-eat Shanghai snacks? And what to notice?

  Shanghai Nanxiang Dumplings, Crab Roe Dumplings, Steamed Dumplings Filled with Minced Meat and Gravy, Fermented Rice with Pigeon Eggs, Rib Rice Cakes, Eggs Boiled with Five Ingredients, Five Ingredients Beans, etc. There are a lot of delicious local food.

  Please mind the sanitation when enjoying the tasty food.

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• Where is the most famous area for shopping here?

  The shopping heaven in Shanghai is Nanjing Road. It has a name of 'the number one shopping street in China.' Now all kinds of stores have been opened by all kinds of business people. There are not only old stores that have hundreds of years, but also modern shopping malls like Friendship Europe Shopping Mall, Mancton Square, HUalian Shopping Center, etc.

  Huaihai Road is as famous as Nanjing Road. Shopping malls are standing at each side of the road: Guangna World Center, Paris Spring, Meimei Shopping Center, Parkson, etc. World famous brand can all be found in the shopping malls, which make Shanghai a shopping center of world class.

  Sichuan North Road's stores offer reasonable prices, which attracts a lot of common people. Xizangzhong Road had developed food and travel industry.

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• Where can we visit on our spare time?

  Shanghai is where Chinese movie originated. It is also where a lot of international movie festivals take place. There are world-class theaters. Famous movies and latest movies can all be found in Shanghai's movie theaters.

  Huanyi Movie Theather on Nanjing West Road, Yongle Palace on Anfu Road are the most famous movie theathers in Shanghai.

  You can also go to teahouse. Different from traditional teahouse, the teahouse in Shanghai adds more modern atmosphere that attracts more and more young people.

  New theme parks and amusement parks in Shanghai are good choices too. Modern equipments and beautiful natural scenes will bring you to the ideal land.

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• How about Shanghai's nightlife?

  Bars, KTV and DISCO are indispensable in a busy city like Shanghai. Beautiful lights are like the reflection of the stars, lightening the whole city and bring the city endless liveliness.

  Blue Belt Night Club, Night Paris and the famous Big World are all well known and loved by young people. Dancing people and fragrant martini will make you forget about tiredness and start to enjoy the charm of Shanghai city.

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• How many airports does Shanghai have?

  There are two international airports in Shanghai, which are Hongqiao Aireport and Pudong International Airport.

  Hundreds of airlines are in service, which can reach to every big and medium city in China and some cities in each country.

  Air traffic is very convenient. Pudong International Airport is mainly for international airlines, while Hongqiao Airport is mainly for national airlines.

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• What is the city code of Shanghai?

  Shanghai's area code: 021

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