Acrobatics Acrobatics is a traditional performance art with a long history in China. Its performances are breathtaking, humoristic and interesting. In Shanghai there are many acrobatic troupes, such as Shanghai Xingguang Acrobatic Troupe, Shanghai Yunzhimu Acrobatic Troupe, Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe etc. among them the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe is the most famous one. This troupe has experienced many performance tours in different countries and received a high reputation in the world and copped many international awards. If you are interested in acrobatic performances please buy ticket(the travel agency will assist you) in these theatres: Shanghai Centre Theatre, Shanghai Circus World, Baiyulan Theatre, Yunfeng Theatre, Shanghai Grand Theatre etc. in any one of them you can enjoy the gapemouthed performances, which will leave you a deep and happy memory.
Shanghai Opera Shanghai Opera is the local opera of Shanghai, originated from the Shange (a kind of folk song) of Jiangnan (areas south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River). With the sweet music and the gentle Shanghai dialect it sounds like the songful tones in the "Jiangnan Shuixiang "(the towns or villages with Canals, lakes and rivers in areas south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River),it is very popular with people in the areas of Shanghai and Zhejiang province. If you are interested in Shanghai Opera, you can go and see it in Yi Fu Theatre, Tian Chan Peking Opera Art Centre, (address: NO. 701Fuzhou Road, Shanghai.) This centre is the only one traditional opera perform theater in Shanghai. It was built in 1925. In the meridian period of Beijing opera, there was ever a much-told tale in the opera circle--- Peking Opera actor or actress who does not perform in Tian Chan Peking Opera Art Centre cannot rise to fame.
The folk art form in Shanghai-Ping tan Pingtan (storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou or Shanghai dialects) is originated from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province and palmy in Shanghai. It is a very old grazioso folk rap art which includes Tanci (fiddle ballads in Chinese southern dialects) and Pinghua (popular stories telling). Tanci is also called "small storytelling" usually performed by couples. When in performance, one performer plays the Sanxian, the other one plays the Pipa, but sometimes there are three performers or only one performer in the performance. Alternately, the performer(s) Sing and tell in the performance. There are many excellent traditional theatrical pieces of Pingtan, such as Pearl Tower, A Depicting Golden Phenix (a love story with more involved plots), Jade Dragonfly (it is a very complicated story), Three Smiles (a very romantic love story) etc. Pinghua is also called “big storytelling”, most of the performers of the storytelling are male. When in performance, they tell but seldom sing, it something likes the storytelling in northern China. Its traditional theatrical pieces are The Romance of Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of the Marshes, the Heroic Deeds of Ming Dynasty etc. The story plots of Pinghua are uncanny, involved and gripping. With a folding fan, a big handkerchief, a lump of Jingtang wood (used to hit the table or desk when began to or finish perform the storytelling) and the gentle and songful Suzhou dialect, the performers will lead you into the elegant and enchanting historical atmosphere. This folk art is very popular with all walks of life in Shanghai. There are many good places for you to see the Pingtan performances, such as Tian Chan Peking Opera Art Centre and Lyceum Theatre etc. In some ancient-style tea houses you also can see the Pingtan performances, for instance, the mid-lake pavilion in Yu Garden is a base for the fanciers of Pingtan. To enjoy Pingtan you'd better experience personally to this place. Sitting on the bank of lake, seeing the Pingtan performance over drinking the longjing tea and tasting the Xiaolongbao (small steamed meat bun) are very good sense.
The folk art form in Shanghai-Farce The Farce is also called monodrama, which is the Shanghai local drama. The artistic characteristics of farce are playful, humorous, jeering and satiric. Most of the materials of farce are from the city news in daily, the spoken language and dialects of the common people are very widely and flexibly used. According to the local custom, whenever there is a joyous event, the household would hold private theatricals performance at home. Amusement is the principle of farce, so the farce performance is an indispensable program in the list. The farce performance needs not to make up and dress up the stage costume, sometimes, the actor or actress puts on a robe with Qing Dynasty (A.D1616～1911) style to perform farce. The performance technique of farce is not always fixed, to raise laughs with the drolleries in the audiences is its aim, therefore, the performers learn different dialects and different dramas (usually, they need not learn well, be out of tune is their standard), commentate on historical facts and current events at random or disseminate some touch phrases to amuse the audiences. So being a farce performer must be saponaceous and keen. In daily life some people are so saponaceous and humorous that they are commonly deemed to be farce actors by shanghai people. Jiangnan Sizhu A kind of music plays with the traditional stringed and bamboo-wind instruments of the areas south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The name of the Jiangnan Sizhu stems from the instruments when the bands used in their performances. The stringed instruments (such as erhu,yangqin,pipa,sanxian,qinqin,)and bamboo-wind instruments ( such as bamboo flute, vertical bamboo flute and reed wind pipe ) are mainly utilized in the performances. The Jiangnan Sizhu is very prevalent in the south part of Jiangsu province, the west part of Zhejiang province and the area of shanghai. Its performing styles are absolutely different in the cities and the rural areas. The style of the Jiangnan Sizhu in the cities is elegant and gorgeous，and many performing skills are largely used in the bands. While the rural style use the gongs and drums in their performances. Its performing atmosphere is spiritoso and its style is simple. If you want to enjoy the real simon-pure Jiangnan Sizhu, please go and sit in the teahouse of the mid-lake pavilion in Yu Garden, order a cup of Longjing(Dragon well) tea and enjoy music. Here now, you can have ease of mind in the melodies and shrug off your troubles.
Xin Tian Di Xin Tian Di is one of the newly-built scenic spots, located in South Huangpo Road and Taican Road, This spot is a public house complex with Europ-style and its main part of construction is Shi Ku Door (Shi Ku Men) style. In day time, here you can see thousands of sightseers from the other parts of the country or the other counties taking pictures keeping as souvenirs. In the evening, this place permeates through the romantic Europe flavor. The open public houses, Cafés are so popular with the young and foreigners here. The restaurants with different characters fabricate romantic atmosphere with the bright myriad twinkling lights or the faint lights. Furthermore, you can see all kinds of handicraft articles exhibition halls with different styles, picture galleries and article stores with distinct individuality. At 9 o'clock or 10 o'clock the mysterious lovers would appear here ghostly. Maybe now, under a phoenix tree or in a primitive and simple old villa, a whingding party is held. If you walk tired or drink full, you can go to the nearby lawn of Taipingqiao(peace bridge) to enjoy another atmosphere.
Cruise on the Huangpu River Huangpu River is the mother river of Shanghai. Both sides of the river have put the galaxy of Shanghai landscapes together. The cruise begins from the Bund. The ships stem the current towards the Nanpu Bridge in the South first, there ships make a u-turn and go through under the Yangpu Bridge towards the north. Going through under the Yangpu Bridge, the ships go forwards and end at the Wusong Kou then return to the Bund. Wusong Kou is the confluence of Huangpu River and Yangtze River, where is also the influx of Huangpu River, Yangtze River and East China Sea. In the floodtime, you can see the wonder of "three-water mix" here. When Yangtze River flows down Wusong Kou it meets with the cross current of Huangpu River, and while the tides flow from 80 kilometers in the estuary of East China Sea ,they meet with the two rivers. The water of Huangpu River is caesious, the water of Yangtze River is yellow and with sands, whereas, the water of the East China Sea is green. Since the colors of the water of the two rivers and the sea are so entirely different that you can tell which water is from. If you experience the night cruise of Huangpu River, the sceneries at night are more distinctive and wonderful. In the blaze of lights, the tall buildings and great mansions in the east bank of Huangpu River and the universal architectural complex in the west bank is more beautiful and bewitching with Shanghai characteristics.
Bars One part of the night life of some Shanghai people and the foreigners is to indulge in bars at night. In Shanghai, nobody can count out how many bars in the city and no body can say the styles of bars. Only can he says is that there are many bars cater to different people, any people can find his favorite bars. In Shanghai, some of these bars’ street should be highly recommended: Julu Road (the famous are Manhatten, For You, Goodfellas Bar, SoHo Pub, Shadow Pub, Woodstock Pub), Xintiandi (the famous one is Zenzibar), Henshan Road (the famous two are Cottonclub and GeorgeV), South Maoming Road (the famous two are Babyface and Judystoo) and Duolun Road (the famous three are 1920 Café, Old Film Café and Northern Jaken Café). Besides the Bar on the bars' streets, the bar on the Jinmao Tower is also a good choice, which is the highest bar in height in the world and listed in the record of Guinness, but its price is as high as its location. |
