Editor's note

Jing'an sits at the heart of Shanghai. It represents the essence of the history and culture of the city, home to century-old buildings, big-name attractions, glitzy retail malls and charming art galleries. Annual music and art events give the district a distinctive ambience. In this series, we showcase the highlights of Jing'an.

February Keywords

BOOMING CONSUMPTION

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#Jing'an District has ushered in the Year of the Tiger with robust consumption. During the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday, consumer spending in physical stores was 927 million yuan (US$146 million), a year-on-year increase of 7.9 percent, showing Jing'an is well on its way to becoming an international consumption center.

Notsurprisingly, Nanjing Road W.has remained a top shopping destination.

Widely considered the first choice for retail businesses entering China, it features the highest density of luxury brands and first stores in Shanghai.

In the first three quarters in 2021, more than 70 percent on Nanjing Road W. They include the first "Wallpaper" magazine physical store in the world, the world's first HOKA ONE ONE direct-sale experience store, the first Acqua Di Parma flagship store in China and the first Bremont flagship store on the Chinese mainland.

Wang Yan, deputy director of the Jing'an Commerce Commission, knows why this area is so attractive to businesses, though it covers only 1.8 square kilometers.

She compares Nanjing Road W. to a forest, featuring "tall trees" such as the high-end Plaza 66 shopping mall where top brands such as LV, Hermes and Chanel are situated,"thick shrubs" such as Jing'an Kerry Center, HKRI Taikoo Hui and Jiuguang malls, and "blooming flowers" consisting of flagship, boutique and convenience stores. Moreover, backstreets with distinctive features feed back to the Nanjing Road W.

For example, Yuyuan Road, dotted with traditional alleyway houses and garden villas, is a community of exquisite lifestyle, with dessert bars, book cafes and boutique stores. Jiangning Road aims to rival New York's Broadway or London's West End. It is home to the historic Majestic Theater, the modern Yihai Theater and the popular immersive theater McKinnon Hotel.

New commercial complexes

slated to open this year

JC Plaza

Built on the former site of Shanghai JC Mandarin Hotel, one of the city's oldest luxury hotels dating back 30 years, JC Plaza will be a high-end commercial complex on Nanjing Road W. The five-floor podium will feature luxury outlets and Michelin-starred restaurants.

Zhangyuan

A new commercial complex is taking shape in Zhangyuan, one of

the city’s best-preserved historical communities. The houses were

later partitioned into many units and soon became too dilapidated

to live in. Relocation and renovation started in 2018. Forty-three historical buildings in 28 different styles will be converted into boutique hotels, small guesthouses, art galleries, museums and other cultural venues. Phase 1 of the project is planned to open in July.

Hopson Moho

The new complex on Jiangning Road will include a shopping mall, service apartments and office buildings. It will focus on beauty products, fine dining and a virtual idol experience catering to young people, and will feature Tsutaya Bookstore, G-Super and other popular stores.

Suhe Bay MixC

The project along Suzhou Creek is scheduled to open in mid-2022. It will serve as a new lifestyle landmark in Shanghai, highlighted by new interactive retailing experiences and a pet-friendly environment.

An auspicious beginning to

Year of the Tiger in Jing'an

Li Qian

Smallest coronavirus risk area in world reopens

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#The “China Fresh Tea” outlet in Shanghai — once deemed the smallest coronavirus risk area in the world — reopened on the first workday in the Year of the Tiger on February 7.

The 20-square-meter milk tea store at 228 Yuyuan Road closed in January when three employees tested positive for COVID-19 after coming into contact with an infected customer. It was then listed as a medium-risk area and the lockdown was lifted on January 27.

Many showed up to celebrate its reopening.

Chen Zhaotai was the first customer, ordering a cup of black tea at 12:13pm. Interestingly, he was in transit between flights when he stopped by for the drink.

Chen flew from Jinan in east China's Shandong Province to Shanghai en route to Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. He had a six-hour layover so he decided to check out the store.

"It took me about an hour to get from the airport to the store by Metro," he said."It gained national fame as the smallest risk area. I wanted to try it and the tea tasted really good."

He was lucky to have arrived on the day the store reopened.

"It's located in a bustling area with modern yet traditional charm. I will surely come again," Chen said as he rushed back to the airport.

Cynthia Wang, who works at nearby Wheelock Square, entered the store around 12:30pm. Unlike Chen, she's been to China Fresh many times.

"Its drinks are popular in our office," she said, joking that the coupons sent to her could be used as poker cards."I didn't know it reopened today but I just came on a lark. I’m so glad it has finally reopened. I couldn't wait to share with my colleagues."

To ensure a safe reopening, the staff prepared well, including fully disinfecting the store and drawing yellow lines to remind customers to keep a safe distance while queuing up.

"All of us have received the third booster shot," store manager Xu Wenqin said of the seven staff members on duty, alluding to the two vaccine shots and the booster.

Zeng Can, founder of the milk tea chain, said he had worried about business after the outlet reported the confirmed cases. However, netizens have shown great understanding and support.

"They didn't blame us but instead encouraged us. Also, some of our other outlets reported a nearly 20 percent increase in sales," Zeng said."I can feel the city's warmth."

Li Qian

More renovation in store for waterfront along Suzhou Creek

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#The district government released a series of good news on the first workday of the Year of the Tiger.

The most exciting news is that more than 15,000 square meters of waterfront area along Suzhou Creek will be renovated this year.

About 11,000 square meters of land below the bridge on Gonghexin Road will become a hub of sports and fashion, and 4,200 square meters along Beisuzhou Road will become a high-quality waterfront leisure area, according to the plan,

The revamp of Suzhou Creek’s waterfront in Jing’an — the 4.7-kilometer northern bank from Yuanjing Road to the Henan Road M. Bridge and the 1.6-kilometer southern bank from Anyuan Road to Chengdu Road N.— was completed at the end of 2020.

Over the past year, the district government has improved greenery and light displays on the waterfront areas.

In December, Jing'an turned on all the landscape lights along Suzhou Creek, marking the completion of the waterfront illumination project.

In Butterfly Bay Park, the lights create a fairytale mélange of flying butterflies, jumping squirrels and falling leaves wreathed in smoke.

At the park gate, the water light show depicts lotus bursting into a carnival of purple and whales swimming in mid-air.

Li Qian

No mountains but thriving ski scene in Jing'an

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#It's a pity that only three athletes from Shanghai took part in the Beijing Winter Olympics, but there might be more in the next Winter Games. Alas, in Jing'an District, young skiers are earning their stripes.

In the final week of 2021, Shanghai's teen ski team took three gold, one silver and two bronze medals at a national competition held in northeast China's Jilin Province, and all 11 members are from Jing'an.

It rarely snows in Shanghai, and Jing'an, known as a commercial hub, doesn't have any professional ski areas. So how did the district produce such outstanding performers?

In 2019, Jing’an established the city’s first skiing association. One year later, it formed the city’s first teen ski team.

"It’s a surprise but it makes sense," Wang Dong, chairman of the district's skiing association, said of the team's progress.

"To be honest, winter sports are much more popular in the northern areas, but we have top coaches, including those recruited from the Swiss national team. Also, the children are required to train on snowy mountains for at least two months every year."

Moreover, Jing'an is promoting winter sports in local schools. Daning International Elementary School, Fenghua Junior Middle School and Fenghua Middle School have been designated to foster budding skiers.

Skiing in general has become more popular in Shanghai.

"Ten years ago, when we checked in ski backpacks to the airport, the staff always mistook the ski gear for guzheng, Chinese zither. But now, when we check in our luggage, we find ski gear everywhere,” Wang said.“It has gradually evolved into a lifestyle."

Young skiers from Jing'an pose for a picture during the national competition in Jilin.

Where to experience winter

sports and buy winter sports

gear in Jing'an

Temporary ice rink at the Imix Park mall

The outdoor, 600-square-meter ice rink is big enough for more than 10 people to skate. It’s a good place for children to learn how to skate, as there are professional coaches and protective equipment provided. Fantastic light installations illuminate the night, creating a fairytale-like vibe.

Address: 1111 Hutai Rd

Dates: Through March 5

SNOW51 X BURTON

SNOW 51 is an urban indoor ski experience hub and professional ski training institution. It opened in 2018, with 18 branches in Shanghai, enabling people to enjoy skiing through simulator machines.

Address: Jing’an Kerry Center, 1515 Nanjing Rd W.

iSKI

It’s like SNOW 51 but features coaches from the national ski team and is a member of Get into Snow Sports, the official skiing and snowboarding education and certification program created by the International Ski Federation.

Address: 777 Wanrong Rd

Shanghai Cold Mountain Snow Gear Shop

Known as the largest snowboard gear shop in Shanghai, it covers more than 180 square meters with the latest snowboards and other gear on the first floor and clothes on the second floor. It also includes on-site technicians to repair and maintain snow gear.

Address: 464 Haifang Rd

Photo by Qian Kun

All compiled by Li Qian

New wall paintings

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#Three new wall paintings can be seen in a historical neighborhood near the Shanghai Natural History Museum. The neighborhood consists of brick-and-wood shikumen buildings built about a century ago.

As residents have been relocated, it will be renovated for an urban renewal project. Meanwhile, the plain walls were painted to enliven the area. The three new wall paintings are near the intersection of Xinzha and Datian roads. They depict local life past and present, making people feel like they're in a time machine.

In one painting, a man walks out of a Siberian Fur Store, one of the most reputable fur stores in Shanghai back in the 1920s and 1930s, with a new purchase, while a man and a woman walking hand in hand pass by window displays of new arrivals. Not far away, people from the 1980s and 1990s pick up different products in a traditional department store, next to which today's young trendsetters wait for a cup of coffee made by robot baristas.

Giant wall paintings have made the area a popular photo-taking site. In the paintings, a woman in cheongsam dress walks out of a shikumenbuilding just as a rickshaw passes, children play outdoor games in an alleyway while their mothers cook upstairs and young people ride on shared bikes.

Tiger painting exhibition

An exhibition displaying ink and wash paintings of tigers in different styles, ferocious and cute, is underway at the Jing'an Culture Center at 459 Wulumuqi road n. through February 28 with free admission. The center is open from 9am to 9pm.

Photos by Xing Beilin

Classic beauty in modern urban space

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A painting depicting flowers and sculptures sits beneath the hengfeng road bridge.

The work is inspired by “shijing,” or “The Classic of Poetry,” known as the oldest existing collection of Chinese poems. A deer sculpture walks on the book that falls open to poems in a classic Chinese garden featuring narrow alleyways, delicate flower displays and traditional ornaments like red folding fans.

It was displayed at the 10th China flower expo in Chongming and awarded the most popular work.

City terminal under renovation

A city terminal in the bustling Jing’an Temple area is being renovated after 20 years of service. When completed in 2023, it will be a multi-function complex including office space and retail stores.

There will also be a new entrance inside the complex leading to Metro Line 2.

A warmhome away from home holiday

The district government has organized a special gathering for front-line workers who chose to stay in shanghai to spend the Chinese new Year holiday. They received gifts and took part in a variety of folk activities such as writing chunlian, or Chinese new Year couplets, and solving lantern riddles.

Happy winter

A variety of activities replaced homework during the winter holiday, after education officials vowed to reduce the burden on students. The first Central Primary school of Jing’an encouraged students to write stories about their families, perform them on stage and take part in the district’s family drama show. Zhabei no. 2 Central Primary school asked students to exercise every day during the beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Daning international elementary school encouraged students to take part in folk activities such as writing chunlian, or Chinese new Year couplets, to learn more about Chinese traditions.

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