By the time the Dianshizhai began publication, Shanghai was about to surpass Canton (Guangzhou) as a hub of trade with the West. It had also become one of three Chinese cities most likely to be mentioned in Western travel accounts and
fiction. The images here,
however, show Shanghai as Chinese writers and artists saw it. Shanghai was a city drenched in myth as well as commercial activity. Both Westerners and Chinese created myths of Shanghai as they contacted each other. These images give a brief overview of the many visions Chinese held of their new global city and the culture it represented.
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