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Shanghai witnesses cultural rebirth
By Pan Guang |
November 14, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AFTER 10 years of cultural isolation during the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976), Shanghai has re-opened to foreign influence.
So far foreigners residing in Shanghai number 200,000, more than their peak circa the 1930s. East is again meeting West in this cultural rebirth. Shanghainese are going overseas in droves for study, business and travel and coming back more cosmopolitan in their outlook.
In the meantime, the government is making efforts to better protect foreign cultural heritage in Shanghai, including European architecture, churches and residences of foreign personalities. Already a part of Shanghai society, expats bring with them fresh cultural elements to be added to the emerging, more colorful genre of haipai wenhua.
In this cultural renaissance, it's hard to say which culture best suits locals' tastes.
Some are accepted and liked, others are unpopular and have faded from memory. Korean pop culture, characterized by its music and soap operas, has swept Shanghai over the past few years.
Yet Korean culture historically had little influence over Shanghai's course of history. Cultures have improved themselves by learning from others and survived in Shanghai. Exchange and interaction continue to be the channel through which haipai wenhua stays open, tolerant and eclectic.
Nonetheless, since economic power and technological development is uneven between nations, and cultural hegemony of some nations tends to sideline cultures they don't approve of, the advent of the Internet age has posed a serious threat to many countries' cultural sovereignty.
How can haipai wenhua remain intact and grow in the face this challenge is something we need to explore at length.
Dr Pan Guang is vice chairman and professor of Shanghai Center for International Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. This is the second and final of a two-part article adapted from the author's speech at the 10th Shanghai Culture Symposium held on November 5. The first part was published on November 11. Shanghai Daily reporter Ni Tao translated Pan's speech from the Chinese.
So far foreigners residing in Shanghai number 200,000, more than their peak circa the 1930s. East is again meeting West in this cultural rebirth. Shanghainese are going overseas in droves for study, business and travel and coming back more cosmopolitan in their outlook.
In the meantime, the government is making efforts to better protect foreign cultural heritage in Shanghai, including European architecture, churches and residences of foreign personalities. Already a part of Shanghai society, expats bring with them fresh cultural elements to be added to the emerging, more colorful genre of haipai wenhua.
In this cultural renaissance, it's hard to say which culture best suits locals' tastes.
Some are accepted and liked, others are unpopular and have faded from memory. Korean pop culture, characterized by its music and soap operas, has swept Shanghai over the past few years.
Yet Korean culture historically had little influence over Shanghai's course of history. Cultures have improved themselves by learning from others and survived in Shanghai. Exchange and interaction continue to be the channel through which haipai wenhua stays open, tolerant and eclectic.
Nonetheless, since economic power and technological development is uneven between nations, and cultural hegemony of some nations tends to sideline cultures they don't approve of, the advent of the Internet age has posed a serious threat to many countries' cultural sovereignty.
How can haipai wenhua remain intact and grow in the face this challenge is something we need to explore at length.
Dr Pan Guang is vice chairman and professor of Shanghai Center for International Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. This is the second and final of a two-part article adapted from the author's speech at the 10th Shanghai Culture Symposium held on November 5. The first part was published on November 11. Shanghai Daily reporter Ni Tao translated Pan's speech from the Chinese.
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