Shanghai Xujiahui

Xujiahui is the most popular commercial area of Shanghai. It lies in the southwestern section of central Shanghai and is clustered with a number of large-scale department stores and shops, which cover XujiahuiDistrict’s 5 major roads. Xujiahui is located in downtown Shanghai making it very accessible by Metro Line 1.

Xujiahui is considered the second busiest area in Shanghai after Nanjing Road . There, you can find everything from cucumbers to cosmetics, to cars, catering for all budgets. It also provides quality dining and gaming services.

History

The land where Xujiahui sits right now was donated by Xu Guangqi’s family. The grand cathedral was established there by the Society of Jesus as well as an entire one square mile complex. The French Jesuits also built monasteries, orphanages, schools, and the Xujiahui observatory.

During that time, Xujiahui has largely controlled by the Catholic Church. A few years later, Jesuits abandoned the Xujiahui after the People’s Liberation Army entered Shanghai. From 1949, most of the houses and estates in Xujiahui were seized by the government and were converted to factories. By 1990, Xujiahui became predominantly an industrial area. It slowly became a shopping hub as huge malls were built.

Transportation

Xujiahui is very accessible, thanks to Metro Line 1. Xujiahui Station is one of the biggest in Shanghai. The stations are mostly connected. Xujiahui commercial circle and big shopping malls contain an underground market all the way along the station from Hongqiao Road to Nandan Road.

From the airport, take bus No 3 that will take you to Xujiahui station.

Main Malls

Xujiahui Commercial district is clustered with shopping malls. The most popular are Grand Getaway Plaza, Metro City, Orient Shopping Centre, and Pacific Digital Plaza, Pacific Department Store, and Huijin Deparment store. Electonic malls that sell variety of software, electronic components, and computer parts are Metro City and TaipingYang Suma Plaza.

Main Attractions

Xujiahui Cathedral

Also known as St. Ignatius Cathedral in Shanghai, this is one of the most famous churches in all of China. The Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral can be found on Puxi Road and is attended by 2,000 people every Sunday.

Once known as the grandest cathedral in Far East, it was designed by English architect William Boyle and was built in 1905-1910 by French Jesuits.

The cathedral was featured in the 1987 film Empire of the Sun by Steven Spielberg.

Visitors are encouraged to visit the church on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Once there, church volunteers tell the visitors about the history of the church and help visitors explore the old building. The tour itself and the architecture are extremely impressive.

You will not be allowed entry if you’re wearing flip-flops. Visitors wearing tank tops are offered shawls for a fee. The church is very famous for wedding and pre-nuptial photography.

Address: No.158 Puxi Road, XujiahuiDistrict
Phone number: 021-64690930
Admission: Free
Hours: Daily Mass 7am
Transportation: Xujiahui Station of Metro Line 1.
http://www.cathedral.sh

Longhua Temple

Longhua Templer is considered the largest and oldest in Shanghai. It was originally built during Song Dynasty with imposing Buddhist appearance. In here, you’ll find magnificent statues and Buddhist scriptures from Qing, Ming, and Tang Dynasties.

The temple holds two important Buddha statues; Maitreya Buddha found in the Hall of Heavenly Kings and Maitreya Buddha’s incarnation in Maitreya Hall.

Address: 2853 Longhua Road, Xujiahui District
Phone number: 64576327
How to get there: Take Bus73，87,41,44,104,733
Hours: Daily 7AM-4:30pm
Entrance fee: 10 Yuan/person

Tushanwan Art Museum

The museum was opened to the public in 2010. It serves as a traditional art exchange platform combining old structure models, paintings, and other priceless exhibits. The museum was named after a hill where it was built.

Tushanwan play an important role in Chinese’ art area and in painting history. The first generation of painters in Shanghai was students of Tushanwan Painting School. One area that visitors shouldn’t miss is the printing house, which is the first to introduce collotype technology, lithography printing, and western crafts.

Arts and crafts from the museum were featured on Expo 1915 Panama and Expo 1900 Paris where pagoda statues did not fail to impress enthusiasts.

Address: No.55-1 Puhuitang Road, Xujiahui District
Phone number: 021-54249688
Hours: Tue-Sun，9am-11am, 1pm-4pm
Website: xuhuiart.xuhui.gov.cn

Shanghai Botanical Gardens

Visitors, who are fond of plants and flowers, can head to Shanghai Botanical Gardens to relax and just get away from the crowd. This is a 200-acre urban garden where you’ll find more than 2,000 bonsai trees, more than 3,000 varieties of tropical plants, azaleas, orchids, and hundreds of bamboo trees. Don’t forget to visit Penjing garden that features the Chinese art of making miniature landscapes using containers.

Address: 1111 Longwu Lu, Xujiahui
Phone: 021/5436-3369
Entrance fee: 15 Yuan/person
Hours: Daily 7am-5pm
Website: www.shbg.org

Longhua Martyrs Cemetery

Understand a bit of China’s history by visiting Longhua Martyrs Cemetery. During 1928 to 1937, political agitators and Communist party members were executed and buried here. In 1950’s the bodies of murdered Communists were found still wearing leg irons. Despite of its bloody history, the place seems tranquil and peaceful now. However, there is still a chilling part which is the unkempt, small grassy execution area that visitors can accessed by a tunnel.

Address: 180 Longhua Lu, Xuijiahui District
Phone: 021/6468-5995
Fees: Museum Y5: Park Y1
Hours: Museum 9am-3:30pm: Park 6am-5pm
Bus Route: Bus 104,44,41,87,73,932,933
Website: www.slmmm.cn