Shanghai's Early Cosmopolitan Stage and Its Revolution - Essay Example

Shanghai’s Early Cosmopolitan Stage and Its Revolution Shanghai, one of the most ostensible and vibrant cosmopolitan cities, has been China’s window to view the world, since centuries. The city boasts of a long and impressive tradition that glorified adaptability, embraced new customs and beliefs, exemplified the concept of peaceful co – existence and displayed unwavering tolerance throughout its history. The historic grandeur of the city that carries a legacy of over hundred years of colonization – from the period 1843 to 1943 and several years of compounding economic reforms has long been a topic of great interest and curiosity for authors and literary scholars alike, across the globe to probe into the city’s varied heritage. The book Shanghai Modern – The Flowering of a New Urban Culture in China 1930 – 1945” by a Harvard University Professor; Leo Ou – fan Lee, echoes the views of the author on Shanghai and traces its journey from being perceived as a treaty port in the early 1930s to its gradual evolution into a cosmopolitan metropolis with a blossoming economy and a radiating and heterogeneous cultural life. The author has presented an enthralling depiction of the bustling city during its golden age before its flamboyant spirit was seized by the antagonistic Communist ideology. He offers a non committal view of the diverse cultural facets including the architecture, music, movies and literature described by him as cultural imagery or contour of collective sensibilities (Lee, 1999, Pp.63) of that era and a meaningful insight into the interrelationship between old and traditional elements of China and the apparent modernity of Shanghai. Gender relations in China have been highly influenced by the orthodox Chinese culture which was largely, in Confucian terms, patriarchal in nature and hence could be perceived as a mere extension of a certain cultural continuity / compliance with the preset traditional social norms. The gender relations in orthodox China which were based on the Marxist ideology were representative of a common consensus – an extension of widely accepted social habits that set predefined roles for both males as well as females. The old Confucian norms were partial towards males which further forced women towards reluctantly accepting the position of subservience and social confinement. However, with the onset of the nineteenth century Shanghai pioneered the cause of women’s education thus setting up a new beginning towards eliminating gender biases. This period saw a flurry of dynamic reform policies which were further accelerated post the downfall of the Manchu empire in the year 1911 and the subsequent declaration of China as an independent republic nation. This period saw the emergence of innumerable women’s organizations that actively took part in politics and championed the cause of women’s liberation. This period witnessed the influx of western ideologies and the redefining of gender relations in the Communist regime. Today, after a series of economic, and socio political reforms in the country, although the gender roles still vary largely whereby women in China are still confined to household and child care there has been a remarkable deviation from the pre colonial era. The economic liberation of the country in the past several years and the subsequent inclusion of women in labor have in fact, put an additional burden on women who are still largely confined to their preset traditional and cultural norms. Such heterodoxy in Chinese culture should be addressed extensively in order to strive to eliminate gender disparity and review gender relations by radically questioning the same. Modern Shanghai could essentially be regarded as a by product of western invasion of China in the early nineteenth century. The country’s alteration at the hands of foreign capitalists further helped shaped Shanghai’s cultural, social, political, industrial and economic character which was in turn complimented by the parallel reforms that sped up the process of its urbanization as a result of arrival of several immigrants from various parts of China. The highly byzantine background of the city prevented it from fostering a homegrown tradition and hence the “foreign” traditions which were largely influenced by western civilizations dominated Shanghai and were eventually accepted and became intricately woven into the city’s own cultural fabric. Shanghai was a treaty port representing a land of divided territories whereby the southern and northern part of the city were highly dominated by the Chinese and remained relatively aloof of the international settlements and culture comprising of British, American and French colonization. In spite of such territorial aloofness and subdivision of land the various extraterritorial zones were linked together through bridges and roads built by the westerners which glorified the dominant presence of western civilizations embedded in a predominantly Chinese populace. Some of the other more apparent influences of foreign domination in Shanghai could be seen in the form of presence of banks, western style streets, and a modern infrastructure that resembled western standards. The cultural transformation that followed further shaped the city’s transformation into a cosmopolitan metropolis that incorporated the foreign lifestyles and cultural activities that were gladly embraced by Shanghai. As China takes rapid strides towards socio economic development brought about by pursuing a series of undaunted economic reforms, the resultant impact on its rapidly changing social life is unmistakable. In its bid towards modernization and evolution that solely focuses on two key aspects largely centered on economic gains – that of increased productivity and hurried economic growth the country is unwillingly made to sacrifice its social development which significant of Shanghai’s gradual decay of its moral values which includes the growing disparity between the urban and rural populace, the increasing gap in income, and mounting inflation, amongst others. This substantiates the fact that a burgeoning economic growth is not necessarily synonymous to a corresponding social progress. Moreover, the problems faced by the country today has not only local but national repercussions translated into growing income disparity, deteriorating health conditions, rise in poverty, unemployment, gender disparities and oppression of women, which acts as a stumbling block for the country’s progress towards the attainment of its economic goals. Thus for sustainable development of any nation, and in the national interest of its citizens it is imperative that the government strike a healthy balance between economic reforms and social progress and ensure that its economic gains are not achieved at the cost of its social and moral values. The various incidences of blood shed and violence experienced by the people of Shanghai – be it the infamous Shanghai massacre of 1927 or the cultural revolution in the later years, Shanghai has emerged victorious of all the battle and chaos to be counted as one of the most vibrant and vivacious cosmopolitan cities in the world. The struggle for power and exercising dominance over a territory which had left the city in ruins today stands proudly as an economic reformer and China’s window to the world. The streets of this once traumatized city, today, are littered with posters and billboards announcing the influx of multinational brands such as McDonalds, Cartier, Mickey Mouse and Remy Martin amongst several others. Foreign investments are pouring in to indulge in the newly created wealth of the city and its people offering a range of products and services and the city is once again reminiscent of the once unparallel spirit of entrepreneurship. The rebirth of the city from a tattered realm to an economic hub is truly remarkable. And although the old historic charm of the city is conveniently tucked away in illusive corners behind the new and impressive facades of the bustling city and glaring neon lights one may occasionally catch a glimpse of the old architecture now and then. Shanghai today is neither a faint glimmer of past glory nor represents a makeover of a truly historic land by western influences, but in fact is a healthy amalgamation of its origins and the cosmopolitan urban culture. References: Lee, L., (1999). Shanghai Modern: The Flowering of a new Urban Culture in China, 1930 – 1945, Harvard University Press. Read More