Shanghai: Old Town

After the First Opium War, Shanghai opened up to the world, with the British being the first to establish the British settlement. Shortly after, the United States and France also arrived and established the American settlement and French Concession respectively.

Eventually, Shanghai became divided into three zones, each governed by different rules.

One of these zones is Shanghai Old Town, which was once referred to as a small fishing village. Initially, Shanghai was a village during the Tang Dynasty and later developed into a town during the Song Dynasty. It was finally promoted to a county-level administration in the Yuan Dynasty in 1291.

In 1553, Shanghai constructed city walls as a defense against Japanese Pirates. During our walk, we will have the opportunity to encounter these 400-year-old walls and learn about their history.

Additionally, the walk includes visits to other notable sites such as Siming Guild Hall, Ziyuan Garden, Ten Thousand Bamboos Elementary School, and the Confucius Temple.