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Discover the Top 5 Amazing Fun Facts About Shanghai You Never Knew!

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Dive into the world of Shanghai, where intriguing surprises lurk around every corner, as we unveil a treasure trove of fun facts about this vibrant metropolis!

1. Malibu, Eat Your Heart Out

If you ever got sand envy gazing at Malibu's pristine shores, Shanghai has you covered – with literal tons of imported sand that the sea never dared to kiss: Jinshan City Beach, accessible via 35 daily bullet trains, offers sand, artificially cleaned water, free-as-a-breeze entry, and beachside BBQs to send your tastebuds on a surf vacation.
Source => tripadvisor.com

2. Speed Dating with Shanghai Tower

If "speed dating" were a building, it would most certainly be Shanghai Tower: as the world's second tallest, it also houses the globe's second-fastest elevator, whisking you up and down at an impressive 20.5 meters per second! This colossal, municipally-owned structure designed by Gensler features 128 floors, nine cylindrical buildings—each filled with gardens, cafes, and retail spaces—and up to 270 wind turbines, all wrapped up in a majestic glass facade.
Source => magicbricks.com

3. Confucius Meets Shakespeare in Qibao

If Confucius and Shakespeare walked into a bar, the Shadow Play performers of Qibao Ancient Town might blurt, "To Cricket Fight, or not to Cricket Fight, that is the question!": Qibao, near Shanghai's city center, preserves ancient Chinese culture through its architecture and customs, including the Shadow Play performances that fuse folklore and history, and the Cricket Museum where cricket fighting is enshrined, with the pièce de résistance being a thousand-year-old temple featuring a Ming dynasty bell and the Gold Script Lotus Sutra.
Source => china-travel-guide.net

4. Sheng Jian Bao: Xiaolongbao's Tastier Sibling

Move over, xiao long bao, there's another tasty temptation taking Shanghai by storm: sheng jian bao - the flavorful lovechild of bread and dumplings, expertly pan-fried and steamed into a mouthwatering, crispy-yet-tender treat, featuring a scrumptious pork filling seasoned with an irresistibly savory blend of Napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, garlic, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and white pepper, and enveloped in a pillowy dough crafted from all-purpose flour, baking powder, cornstarch, yeast, sugar, salt, and warm milk.
Source => seriouseats.com

Kung Pao Architectural Fusion

5. Kung Pao Architectural Fusion

Shanghai, where architectural styles are as diverse as the flavors in a kung pao chicken: This city boasts an enthralling blend of Neoclassical, Renaissance, Art Deco, Modernist, and Shikumen architecture, with landmarks like the Shanghai Tower, Fairmont Peace Hotel, and Oriental Pearl TV Tower proudly showcasing its urban metamorphosis, while stone gate entrances and long alleys preserve its unique Shikumen housing charm.
Source => cubicoon.com

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