(Mandarin) Chinese holiday courses: Shanghai, China

Eternal sovereign of the "river of rivers"

Shanghai!... Shanghai!...The mere mention of the city still fills the Western mind with fantastic and exotic images. A mysterious China, a legendary port, opium, games and traffics of all kinds, revolts, adventure...so many clichés maintained by the tales of sailors, the literature and cinema which crop up behind this name. This imagery is no more. Formerly, the foothold of the colonial powers in a breathles China, the former fortified city built in 1554 against Japanese pirates has become the first industrial centre of the country, as well as one the largest cities in the world. Its vitality, its influence, the sometimes rebellious spirit of its inhabitants sometimes give it a feeling of superiority, even with regard to Beijing. Seeing the phenomenal expansion of Shanghai these last few years, one would almost forget the wealth of the trimmings and that archeologists make miraculous findings in around thirty sites around. The Shanghai Museum, perhaps the richest of this giant country, with a hundred thousand treasures of all origins, is enough to show this and the ultramodern streets of Pudong which push to the top the art of neon lighting and vertical lines. From the Song monochromes to the Ming blue and white porcelains, as well as the wucai, celadon and other three-coloured Sancai Tang which evoke the Silk Road...a nice stopover which also allows you to refresh your knowledge before negociating with the "antique dealers" who are legion in this mirage town. Used to visitors, Shanghai entertains with art. Puxi or Pudong, XuJia Hui, Jian'Ang Temple, Dagu Lu or Xintiandi...Fascinating with contrasts, the largest Chinese city will show you each day why it is the "Pearl of the Orient"!

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