The Bund 大景点（景点概述）总领+位置+简述Ladies and gentlemen, we are now at Bund area.The Bund is a must for all tourists. If you want to have a better understanding of Shanghai you should not miss the Bund area.Since colonial times, this part was originally named by the British as ‘Bund’. Called Waitan(外滩) by Chinese, ‘Bund’ means waterfront.It stretches from the Waibaidu Bridge in the north to Yanan Road in the south about 1.5km with 26 buildings of different styles lining the riverbank. Although they were not designed by the same people nor built in the same period, they have achieved a harmonious outline when viewed as a whole.历史沿革+轮廓线At the beginning of the 19th century, this area was merely a mud bank covered in weeds. There were little farmland and a small village nearby. At the end of the First Opium War in 1840s, when Shanghai was opened as a treaty port and the Bund area became one of the earliest foreign settlements, meanwhile one of the famous areas was used as the site of British Consulate which was built in 1849. That’s the origin of the Bund. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many buildings were built, such as hotels, banks and so on, which make the Bund became the financial and political center of the international community in China. It was even called the Wall Street of the Far East. The present exotic building cluster took its shape in the 1930s, such as the former HSBC, Custom House, Sassoon House and so on.It has experienced two comprehensive transformations. The first one took place in the 1990s. Since then the Bund has served as a central business district (CBD) and a tourist attraction as well. In 2007 the Bund was renovated for the coming of 2010 Shanghai Expo. The renovation turned the Bund from a vehicle dominated area to a pedestrian dominated areaAlthough the Bund went through great physical changes, the skylines of this area did not change. As you can see, there are over 20 buildings standing in a line, projecting an imposing city skyline. When night falls, these buildings look magnificent and charming, and they remind people the history in that times功能The Bund is where modern Shanghai began and it remains the hub of the city. Apart from being the financial hub, it is also a transportation hub. Many main streets run from here to the city proper, such as Nanjing Road and Jiujiang Road…EndingAs the most popular tourist attraction in the city, it is a place to enjoy the beautiful sceneries along the Huangpu River. To some extent, the history of the Bund is epitome of the history of modern Shanghai.Pudong Development Bank (former HSBC Building) 1923总领Ladies and gentlemen, the Building in front of us is Pudong Development Bank, which was the former HSBC building.HSBC is the short name for (HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corportation), it was once the biggest foreign banking corporation at the Bund. Nowadays The HSBC Group is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations.历史In 1864, HSBC was established in Hong Kong by Thomas Sutherland, a powerful banker. And one year later HSBC set up its Shanghai Office. Since as the transportation hub, the Bund served as the business center at that period, That’s reason why HSBC was built here is to dominate the Bund.The British Spent about two years of profit from the bank Shanghai branch on the new office which was claimed the most magnificent building from the Bering Strait to the Suez Canal. The building was completed in 1923 and became the landmark of the financial center of the Far East.外观+三宝The building is in an ancient Greek style, a rectangular establishment and looks gorgeous and outstanding. The entrances are decorated with three arched gates and 6 Corinthian pillars standing between the 2nd floor to the 4th floor.At the main entrance outside is a pair of bronze lions, they are Stephen with the mouth opening and Stitt with a closed mouth, named after the first two managers of banks in Hong Kong and Shanghai.Inside, the lobby is 20 meters in height and 1500 square meters in size supported by 28 13-meter-high marble columns. Four of them are one piece marble. It is said there are 6 marble columns of that kind in the world totally and two are in the Louvre Paris.The most wonderful spectacle of the building is definitely the 8 mosaic pictures on the ceiling. Each of the pictures is in the same size representing the skyline of the international cities in which HSBC had offices. They are the Hong Kong, Shanghai, London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, and so on.物权交替The HSBC Shanghai branch operated in this building until 1955 when it moved out. Between 1955 and 1995, the building housed the municipal government. In 1996, Pudong Development Bank became its new tenant.EndingThat’s all for HSBC, thank you for your listening.Custom House 海关大楼小景点-1927Ladies and gentlemen, the Building in front of us is Custom House.For a long time, Shanghai custom House and the neighboring HSBC Building are sister buildings and they are symbols of the Bund.历史沿革The first Custom House was set up in Shanghai in 1685 to collect duties. In 1846 a new office building was set up to deal with foreign trade. Since the new one lay to the north of the original one, it was named Jiang Hai Bei Guan or the North Costom House. In 1854, the Custom House was taken over by the Western treaty powers. In 1893, a Tudor-style architecture was erected with a clock tower in the middle. The present custom house building was completed in 1927.When we are talking about the history of Chinese Custom, we should never forget Robert Hart the most influential foreigners who was in charge of Chinese Custom for nearly half a century.建筑特色It is a magnificent eclectic building combining European classical and renaissance architectural features. With 11 stories, it has 4 huge Roman granite Doric columns in front of the main entrance. At the center of the hall is an octagonal dome, with mosaic on the eight sides.The clock tower is the most eye-catching part of the Custom House. It serves as the vertical axis and gives a solemn look. As the largest clock in Asia, the clock was made after the clock on the top of British Parliament House. It has four faces and each face of the clock is in the same size. It strikes every quarter with a piece of music. Shanghai Custom House has been reporting time for 90 years. From Since 2003, the music ‘The East is Red’has been used as the background music for the time reporting.That’s all for Custom House. Thank you for your listening.Peace Hotel 和平饭店1929-North 1908-SouthPeace Hotel comprises two buildings. The North Building is the former Sassoon House and the South Building is the former Palace Hotel. The two buildings both face the Bund, but are divided by the famous Nanjing Road.历史沿革The North building was invested by Sir Victor Sassoon, a Jewish merchant. It is a luxurious Art-Deco style of the Chicago school at the Bund. This building is 77 meters high with 10 floors. The east side roof looks like a green pyramid. After its completion in 1929, it gained the glory as the ‘Number One Mansion in Far East’.Lobby 大厅The building has been famous for its luxurious decorations since its completion. There are beautiful woodwork decorations in the lobby areas, the shopping arcade used to be described as Shanghai’s answer to London’s Bond Street. The Peace Gallery, where special articles of Peace Hotel in early times are displayed, is fabulous. The hotel has 270 guest rooms. On the fifth to seventh floors are famous Nine Nations Suites, decorated in the theme of different countries.The Sassoon House originally housed the Cathay Hotel in 1956.It became the north wing of Peace Hotel in 1965. In 2010, after 3 years’ renovation, it was renamed Fairmont Peace Hotel.The Old Jazz Bar 老年爵士乐队The Old Jazz Bar is the most legendary place for locals and tourists. It is a 1930-establised bar. The band has entertained millions guests from home and abroad including the former US presidents Mr. Carter and Mr. Reagan.Here is more information for Former Palace HotelAs the earliest western hotel in Shanghai, Palace Hotel was completed in 1908.In 1911, The celebration for the election of DR. Sun Yat-sen as the acting President of China was held in this very building.In 1965, it became the south wing of Peace Hotel. In 2010, the building changed into the Swatch Art Peace Hotel.That’s all for peace hotel. Thank you for your listening.Bank of China 1937Brief facts:Next to the Peace Hotel is former Bank of China building. Previously it was the headquarters of Bank of China, and it now houses the Shanghai Branch of Bank of ChinaThe building was designed and constructed by Chinese; after its completion in 1937, it is a very rare modern building with traditional Chinese decorations on the Bund. History:Bank of China Building was built on the site of the old German Club. After WW 1, German was defeated; the Chinese took over the club.It is said that the building was originally designed to be 34 storied and would be the tallest building in Shanghai at that time. But Victor Sassoon, the powerful neighbor of Sassoon House, insisted that no other building on the Bund could be higher than his. As one of the biggest taxpayers in the international concession, Sassoon forced the authority not to issue the construction permit.As a result, Bank of China Building was cut nearly half with 17 stories. It was 30 centimeters lower than Sassoon Building.The so-called ‘War of layers’ is not simply a matter of architectural dispute, but a mirror of the time when China was bullied by foreign powers.Physical features:The outlook carries many traditional Chinese decorations. You could see roofs covered with green glazed tiles. Above the main gate there are carvings about Confucius making his lecture tours in various states.At the front of the bank is guarded by a pair of PI XIU Instead of lions. PI XIU is a legendary animal in Chinese traditional culture, who are in charge of the money world.There are 9 steps leading to the Bank. In Chinese culture, 9 is a symbol of permanent. Therefore, it is often used in the construction of ancient Chinese architectures. All the fences and windows are well decorated in oriental style.Importance:In Shanghai’s concessions days, the erection of the Bank of China among numerous foreign buildings was so important to the Chinese.It was funded and constructed by Chinese, which broken the foreign dominance of Shanghai’s grand building. By the other hand, it once was one of the greatest buildings in local citizen’s memory which can compete with western banks in China That’s all for Bank of China. Thank you for your listening..Waibaidu Bridge. 1907Lead-in:There are many famous bridges in major cities such as Tower Bridge in London and Golden Bridge in San Francisco. Shanghai has no exception the Waibaidu Bridge is the most famous bridge after its completion in 1907. Not only because it is the first steel bridge in this city, but also it raises many memories of the local people. Location & Basic factsIt is located at the confluence of Suzhou Creek and Huangpu River, the Bridge is 18 meters wide and 104 meters longHistoryIn the 1850s, there was no bridge across Suzhou Creek and ferries were the only means of transportation. After the establishment of the British and American concessions on both sides of the creek a bridge was badly needed. In 1856, a British businessman named Wells built a 120-meter-long wooden bridge. The Wells’ Bridge was built for making money. Locals soon found that the toll was only charged for Chinese while foreigners could cross the bridge free of charge.In 1873, another wooden bridge was built to replace the Well’s Bridge. It was free for all people. Locals called the new bridge ‘Waibaidu Bridge’. In Chinese ‘Wai’means ‘outside’; ‘bai’means ‘free of charge’‘Du’means ‘to cross’. So ‘Waibaidu Bridge’means the outsides bridge which is free to cross.In 1907, this wooden bridge was disassembled to make way for a strong steel bridge. Foreigners called the steel bridge as the Garden Bridge, since it was quite close to the Public Garden, now it is the Huangpu Park.FunctionsToday the bridge still plays an important role in traffic system, because of its goldenlocation. The bridge is also a popular scene for film and television productions. In addition, it is a good place for lovers to have their wedding-pictures taken.EndingIn an ever-changing metropolis, Waibaidu Bridge still remains a popular attraction. Standing on Waibaidu Bridge, You can enjoy the beautiful scenes, cruises on the river, and outstanding buildings on the opposite bank.That’s all for Waibaidu Bridge. Thank you for your listening.Huangpu Park 1886Ladies and Gentlemen the park in front of us is Huangpu Park. It is located at the northern end of the Bund near the Waibaidu Bridge.The park was established in 1886 with its original name---Public Garden. It was famous as the first park in China opened to the public. After the first opium war, Shanghai became to be a treaty port. Many foreigners came here from different countries. In order to meet the needs of the increasing number of foreigners living in Shanghai, that’s the why park was built.Although the park was built in the land of China, the public Garden was closed to Chinese people after its completion, which revealed the international statues of China in the 19th and early 20th centuries.After the foundation of new China, the Public Garden was renamed Huangpu Park. And in 1990s, the park was underwent a serial of renovations, the monument to the People’s Heroes and a small museum were constructed. In a distance, the monument tower looks like three rifles standing together.Now we may see there are some green lawns and sculptures. A large platform has been built, on which stands ‘the monument to the People’s Heroes in Shanghai’. At the base of the monument, there is a 120-meter-long granite relief work, describing the people’s revolutionary struggle over a century in Shanghai since the Opium War. Beneath the monument is the bund historical museum with exhibits about old Shanghai.It is the great place to memorize the people’s heroes who sacrificed themselves in struggling with the foreigner invaders during first opium war to liberation of China. That’s all for the Huangpu Park let take a rest for 20 mins.HuangPu RiverAlmost every major metropolis in the world has a river the runs through it. There is the River Thames in London, The Seine River in Paris; The Hudson River in New York Shanghai is no exception.Huangpu River is the mother river of Shanghai which flows through the city, nurturing people here for thousands of years, which divided shanghai into two parts, the eastern part and western part. The East Bank of the River named Pudong, and the west bank of the river named Puxi.Huangpu River can also be called Chunshen River or Huangxie Pu. Do you know whyit is so called?In the 3rd century B.C, Shanghai was a part of the fief of Huangxie, a famous nobleman and prime minister of the State of Chu. His fief included modem Shanghai. To commemorate his achievements, the river was named after his as Huangxie Pu.’Pu’ in Chinese means river. In Southern Song Dynasty, Huangxie Pu was shortened as Huangpu. Since ‘Chunshen’ was the title of Huang Xie, the river was also known as Chunshen River.HuangPu River rises from Dianshan Lake and joins the Yangtze River at Wusong mouth, The River is 114 kilometers long, 400 meters wide and 9 meters deep on average.FunctionsHuangpu River serves as the city’s shipping artery with a deep-water, all season harbor. In 2010, Shanghai Port became the world’s busiest container port.Now the area along Huangpu River is the most impressive district in Shanghai. Standing on the promenade, you can see many buildings with different architecture styles standing in a line, Such as the HSBC Building, the Custom House, etc on the opposite side, one can see many skyscrapers in Lujiazui, such as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jinmao Tower, SWFC, and Shanghai Tower etc. These skyscrapers are best records of the development of Shanghai.To better appreciate the impressive scenery of the river, you may take cruises. Cruises include day cruises and night cruises, and it was knows as the one of the most popular entertainment programs for local and tourists.Waterfront PromenadeLadies and Gentlemen, the scenic spot in front of us is the Waterfront Promenade. For all tourists, a ‘must do’ activity in the Bund area is to take a walk along the scenic corridor at night. It is located along the Huangpu River, stretches the Waibaidu Bridge in the North and Yanan Roan in the south.The Scenic Long corridor consists of two levels and four squares. The elevated promenade is 1800 meters long. It is built on the flood prevention wall which is decorated with fresh flowers. On the street level there is a wide walkway and four squares; Huangpu Park Square, Chen Yi Square, the Bund Financial Square and the Bund weather signal Square.At the northern end of the Bund near Waibaidu Bridge is Huangpu Park. It is famous as the first public garden in China. The highlight is monument and beneath the monument is a small museum with exhibits about old Shanghai.Chen Yi Square is the most crowded part of the Bund since it connects the Bund with the famous Nanjing Road. Chen Yi was the first mayor of Shanghai after liberation and later served as Foreign Minister of China. The bronze statue of Marshal Chen Yi is 5.6 meters tall. Due to its golden location, it is a favorable meeting point for many tourist groups.The Bund Financial Square is just opposite to Pudong Development Bank Building. It covers area of 6717 square meters. The highlight is a big bronze bull state. It is 3.2meters high and 5.2 meters long. It was designed by the world famous sculptor A.D. modica, who designed the world famous Charging Bull on the Wall Street. In Chinese culture, a bull stands for strength, diligence and wealth.The bund weather signal Square is located near Yan’an Road. It is the first weather signal station was built by a French missionary in 1884. The tower is 50 meters tall and it is one of the two remaining Atonobo-style buildings in the world.In the comprehensive renovation of the Bund in 1990s, it was moved 20 meters southeastward.Thanks to its golden position, the scenic corridor is the best place to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Bund and the opposite Pudong area.Waitan YuanLadies and Gentlemen the scenic spot in front of us is Waitan YuanIt is located at the Northern end of the Bund, WaitanYuan literately means Bund Origin. It is bounded by Suzhou Creek on the North, The Huangpu River on the east. After first Opium War in 1843, Shanghai was opened as a treaty port. When the British first came to Shanghai, they rent a house within the city wall as the consulate. Meanwhile a western-style building within the official settlement boundaries just to the south of Suzhou Creek was built.Completed in 1849, it soon became the center of the British Settlement.Then, the British expanded southward from the British Consulate along Huangpu River, followed by other foreign powers.Presently there are many outstanding buildings in this area, and five of them are extremely eye-catching.Building NO.1, a two-floor English Renaissance styled building is the former British consulate. It was built in 1872 when the original building was bunt down. Presently, it is served as the official hospitality site for the Shanghai Municipal Government Building 2, is the former residential house of English Consulate completed in 1882. Presently it is a flagship store of a luxury brand.Building 3, is the former church apartments originally completed in 1899Building 4 is the former Union Church. The original building was completed in 1886 It is called Bund Origin for two reasons. Firstly in terms of time, it is the area where the first Western-style buildings were built. Secondly, in term of space, it is the base or starting point on which the Bund developedIn addition, the construction time of these buildings recorded the development of foreign settlements.After setting down, they first built their offices, and with more people coming, they built religious constructions, after that, they began to construct leisure and recreational venues.If the history of the Bund is a book, Waitanyuan is no doubt the first page of the book.。
