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92-631: The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum is a museum commemorating the Jewish refugees who lived in Shanghai during World War II after fleeing Europe to escape the Holocaust . It is located at the former Ohel Moshe or Moishe Synagogue , in the Tilanqiao Historic Area of Hongkou district, Shanghai, China. The museum features documents, photographs, films, and personal items documenting the lives of some of

184-552: A Torah ark , Ark cover , and reader's platform , it does not have a Torah scroll or prayer books , precluding its use for prayer services. The No. 2 Exhibition Hall, completed in 2007, displays more than 140 historical photographs and other artifacts including artworks, a refugee's passport, copies of the Shanghai Jewish Chronicle , and a stone tablet engraved with the words of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin during his visit to Shanghai. A documentary film about

276-407: A gross metropolitan product ( nominal ) of nearly 13 trillion RMB ($ 1.9 trillion). Shanghai is one of the world's major centers for finance, business and economics , research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism , and culture . The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port . Originally a fishing village and market town, Shanghai grew in importance in

368-713: A center for radical leftism during the 1950s and 1960s. The radical leftist Jiang Qing and her three allies, together the Gang of Four , were based in the city. During the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), Shanghai's society was severely damaged. The majority of the workers in the Shanghai branch of the People's Bank of China were Red Guards and they formed a group called the Anti-Economy Liaison Headquarters within

460-438: A comparatively heavy contributor of tax revenue to the central government; in 1983, the city's contribution in tax revenue was greater than the investment received in the past 33 years combined. Its importance to the fiscal well-being of the central government also denied it from economic liberalizations begun in 1978. In 1990, Deng Xiaoping permitted Shanghai to initiate economic reforms, which reintroduced foreign capital to

552-445: A contraction of 沪渎 ( Hù Dú / wu-doq , " Harpoon Ditch"), a 4th- or 5th-century Jin name for the mouth of Suzhou Creek when it was the main conduit into the ocean. This character appears on all motor vehicle license plates issued in the municipality today. 申 ( Shēn / sén ) or 申 城 ( Shēnchéng / sén-zen , "Shen City") was an early name originating from Lord Chunshen , a 3rd-century BC nobleman and prime minister of

644-851: A cramped ghetto in the Hongkou District and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , even the Iraqi Jews who had been living in Shanghai from before the outbreak of WWII were interned. Among the refugees in the Shanghai Ghetto was the Mirrer Yeshiva , including its students and faculty. On 3 September 1945, the Chinese Army liberated the Ghetto and most of the Jews left over the next few years. On 27 May 1949,

736-421: A curved forepart. The most notable features of this era included domes and arches that contained geometrical polychrome designs. Many synagogue styles from the 16th to the 19th century can be seen across American and throughout Europe. However, after World War II , the ark design evolved into an art form. New experimental forms and materials were employed in the making of modern arks based on the unique interests of

828-548: A house of prayer. The Torah was brought into the synagogue for reading purposes. In synagogues outside of Jerusalem, the ark is placed in a chamber that is in a recess in the wall, facing Jerusalem , and worshipers face this direction when reciting prayers of the service such as the Amidah . The ark is often closed with a parochet ("curtain") placed either outside the doors of the Holy Ark ( Ashkenazi and Mizrachi custom) or inside

920-682: A mere county seat such as Shanghai. Scholars have theorized that this likely reflected the town's economic importance, as opposed to its low political status. During the Qing dynasty , Shanghai became one of the most important seaports in the Yangtze Delta region as a result of two important central government policy changes: in 1684, the Kangxi Emperor reversed the Ming dynasty prohibition on oceangoing vessels—a ban that had been in force since 1525; and in 1732,

1012-461: A powerful faction in the central government known as the Shanghai Clique , which has often been viewed as competing against the rival Youth League Faction over personnel appointments and policy decisions. However, Xi Jinping, successor to Hu Jintao as General Secretary and President , was largely an independent leader and took anti-corruption campaigns on both factions. Shanghai is one of

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1104-478: A visa to enter, the most of any city in the world. The Ohel Moshe Synagogue was the primary place of worship for the Jewish refugees in Shanghai. Soon after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and declared war on the allies, Japan invaded Shanghai's foreign concessions and occupied the whole city. The war ended the flow of American funds to the impoverished Jewish refugees. The Japanese imposed restrictions on

1196-496: Is a cultural blend of elements found in Western architecture with traditional Jiangnan Chinese architecture and social behavior. Like almost all traditional Chinese dwellings, it has a courtyard , which reduces outside noise. Vegetation can be grown in the courtyard, and it can also allow for sunlight and ventilation in the rooms. Some of Shanghai's buildings feature Soviet neoclassical architecture or Stalinist architecture , though

1288-436: Is also a global major center for research and development and home to numerous Double First-Class Universities , including Fudan University and Shanghai Jiaotong University . The Shanghai Metro , first opened in 1993, is the largest metro network in the world by route length. Shanghai has been described as the "showpiece" of the economy of China . Featuring several architectural styles such as Art Deco and shikumen ,

1380-794: Is known for its rich water resources as part of the Lake Tai drainage basin . Downtown Shanghai is bisected by the Huangpu River, a man-made tributary of the Yangtze created by order of Lord Chunshen during the Warring States period. The historic center of the city was located on the west bank of the Huangpu ( Puxi ), near the mouth of Suzhou Creek, connecting it with Lake Tai and the Grand Canal . The central financial district, Lujiazui, has been established on

1472-927: Is located nearby at the northern tip of Lujiazui. Skyscrapers outside of Lujiazui include the White Magnolia Plaza in Hongkou, the Shimao International Plaza in Huangpu, and the Shanghai Wheelock Square in Jing'an . Like all governing institutions in mainland China , Shanghai has a parallel party-government system, in which the CCP Committee Secretary , officially termed the Chinese Communist Party Shanghai Municipal Committee Secretary, outranks

1564-580: Is located on an alluvial plain . As such, the vast majority of its 6,340.5 km (2,448.1 sq mi) land area is flat, with an average elevation of 4 m (13 ft). Tidal flat ecosystems exist around the estuary, however, they have long been reclaimed for agricultural purposes. The city's few hills, such as She Shan , lie to the southwest, and its highest point is the peak of Dajinshan Island (103 m or 338 ft) in Hangzhou Bay. Shanghai has many rivers, canals, streams, and lakes, and it

1656-677: Is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River , with the Huangpu River flowing through it. The population of the city proper is the third largest in the world , with around 24.87 million inhabitants in 2023, while the urban area is the most populous in China , with 29.87 million residents. As of 2022, the Greater Shanghai metropolitan area was estimated to produce

1748-451: Is the shikumen ( 石库门 , "stone storage door") residence, typically two- or three-story gray brick houses with the front yard protected by a heavy wooden door in a stylistic stone arch. Each residence is connected and arranged in straight alleys, known as longtang ( 弄堂 ). The house is similar to western-style terrace houses or townhouses , but distinguished by the tall, heavy brick wall and archway in front of each house. The shikumen

1840-456: Is the modern-day Shanghai Exhibition Center . Shanghai—Lujiazui in particular—has numerous skyscrapers , making it the fifth city in the world with the most skyscrapers . Among the most prominent examples are the 421 m (1,381 ft) high Jin Mao Tower , the 492 m (1,614 ft) high Shanghai World Financial Center , and the 632 m (2,073 ft) high Shanghai Tower , which

1932-460: Is the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world . Completed in 2015, the tower takes the form of nine twisted sections stacked atop each other, totaling 128 floors. It is featured in its double-skin facade design, which eliminates the need for either layer to be opaqued for reflectivity as the double-layer structure has already reduced the heat absorption. The futuristic-looking Oriental Pearl Tower, at 468 m (1,535 ft),

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2024-883: The Aron Kodesh ( אָרוֹן קׄדֶש ) or aron ha-Kodesh ('holy ark') in Ashkenazi communities and as the Hekhal ('sanctuary') among Sefardi communities. The name Aron Kodesh is a reference to the Ark of the Covenant , which was stored in the Holy of Holies in the inner sanctuaries of both the ancient Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem . Similarly, Hekhál ( הֵיכָל 'palace'; also written hechal , echal , heichal or Echal Kodesh —mainly among Balkan Sephardim)

2116-569: The Broadway Mansions ; and Austrian architect C.H. Gonda , who designed the Capitol Theatre . The Bund has been revitalized several times. The first was in 1986, with a new promenade by the Dutch architect Paulus Snoeren. The second was before the 2010 Expo , which includes restoration of the century-old Waibaidu Bridge and reconfiguration of traffic flow. One distinctive cultural element

2208-460: The Kotel which is considered as a synagogue itself, this custom also exists). Originally, the scrolls were placed in moveable containers that were risen up. The more permanent placement of the ark was designed as the tribes settled and built temples. As early as 245 C.E. in the synagogue of Dura-Europos a slit within the holy wall (or wall facing Jerusalem ) was created for the ark. In ancient times,

2300-570: The May Thirtieth Movement broke out when a worker in a Japanese-owned cotton mill was shot and killed by a Japanese foreman. Workers in the city then launched general strikes against imperialism , which became nationwide protests that gave rise to Chinese nationalism . The golden age of Shanghai began with its elevation to municipality after it was separated from Jiangsu on 7 July 1927. This new Chinese municipality covered an area of 494.69 km (191.0 sq mi), including

2392-769: The Mayor . The CCP committee acts as the top policy-formulation body, and is typically composed of 12 members (including the secretary), and has control over the Shanghai Municipal People's Government . Political power in Shanghai has frequently been a stepping stone to higher positions in the central government. Since Jiang Zemin became the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in June 1989, all former Shanghai party secretaries but one were elevated to

2484-507: The People's Liberation Army took control of Shanghai through the Shanghai Campaign . Under the new People's Republic of China (PRC), Shanghai was one of only three municipalities not merged into neighboring provinces (the others being Beijing and Tianjin ). Most foreign firms moved their offices from Shanghai to Hong Kong , as part of a foreign divestment due to the PRC's victory. After

2576-522: The Politburo Standing Committee , the de facto highest decision-making body in China, including Jiang himself (Party General Secretary), Zhu Rongji (Premier), Wu Bangguo (NPC Chairman), Huang Ju (Vice Premier), Xi Jinping (current General Secretary), Yu Zhengsheng (CPPCC Chairman), Han Zheng (Vice Premier and Vice President), and Li Qiang (Premier). Zeng Qinghong , a former deputy party secretary of Shanghai, also rose to

2668-471: The Qianlong Emperor moved the customs office for Jiangsu province ( 江 海 关 ; see Customs House, Shanghai ) from the prefectural capital of Songjiang to Shanghai, and gave Shanghai exclusive control over customs collections for Jiangsu's foreign trade. As a result of these two critical decisions, Shanghai became the major trade port for all of the lower Yangtze region by 1735, despite still being at

2760-758: The Shanghai Museum , the Shanghai Grand Theatre , the Oriental Art Center , and the Oriental Pearl Tower . Despite rampant redevelopment, the Old City still retains some traditional architecture and designs, such as the Yu Garden , an elaborate Jiangnan style garden. As a result of its construction boom during the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai has among the most Art Deco buildings in the world. One of

2852-782: The Small Swords Society in 1853, but control of the city was regained by the Qing government in February 1855. In 1854, the Shanghai Municipal Council was created to manage the foreign settlements. Between 1860 and 1862, the Taiping rebels twice attacked Shanghai and destroyed the city's eastern and southern suburbs, but failed to take the city. In 1863, the British settlement to the south of Suzhou Creek (northern Huangpu District ) and

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2944-675: The Spring and Autumn period (approximately 771 to 476 BC), it belonged to the Kingdom of Wu , which was conquered by the Kingdom of Yue , which in turn was conquered by the Kingdom of Chu. During the Warring States period (475 BC), Shanghai was part of the fief of Lord Chunshen of Chu, one of the Four Lords of the Warring States . He ordered the excavation of the Huangpu River . Its former or poetic name,

3036-658: The Third Front campaign to develop basic industry and heavy industry in China's hinterlands in case of invasion by the Soviet Union or the United States, 354,900 Shanghainese were sent to work on Third Front projects. The centrepiece of Shanghai's Small Third Front project was the "rear base" in Anhui rear base which served as "a multi-function manufacturing base for anti-aircraft and anti-tank weaponry. Since 1949, Shanghai has been

3128-400: The state of Chu , whose fief included modern Shanghai. Shanghai-based sports teams and newspapers often use Shen in their names, such as Shanghai Shenhua and Shen Bao . 华 亭 ( Huátíng / gho-din ) was another early name for Shanghai. In AD 751 during the mid-Tang dynasty, Huating County was established by Zhao Juzhen , the governor of Wu Commandery , at modern-day Songjiang,

3220-566: The " New York of China", in reference to its status as a cosmopolitan megalopolis and financial hub , the "Pearl of the Orient", and the "Paris of the East." This is similar to Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon), in Vietnam, which has also been nicknamed as "Paris of the Orient," due to Vietnam's historical French status. The western part of modern-day Shanghai was inhabited 6,000 years ago. During

3312-493: The 14th and 15th centuries, Spanish and German Jewish Hebrew texts depict a new design. These texts placed the scrolls inside the ark standing upright, decorated, and wrapped with the appropriate cloth and covers. A Sephardic synagogue based in Amsterdam (c.1675) contains a baroque style ark, which takes up the entire width of the central hub of the building. The Sephardic synagogue based as far north as London (c. 1701) adopted

3404-433: The 1920s and 1930s, almost 20,000 White Russians fled the newly established Soviet Union to reside in Shanghai. These Shanghai Russians constituted the second-largest foreign community. By 1932, Shanghai had become the world's fifth-largest city and home to 70,000 foreigners. In the 1930s, some 30,000 Jewish refugees from Europe arrived in the city. On 28 January 1932 , Japanese military forces invaded Shanghai while

3496-652: The 19th century due to both domestic and foreign trade and its favorable port location. The city was one of five treaty ports forced to open to European trade after the First Opium War , which ceded Hong Kong to the United Kingdom until it was handed over back to China on 1 July 1997. This followed the Second Battle of Chuenpi in 1841, more than 60 km (37 mi) east of the Portuguese colony of Macau . Macau

3588-612: The American settlement to the north (southern Hongkou District ) joined in order to form the Shanghai International Settlement . The French opted out of the Shanghai Municipal Council and maintained its own concession at the city's south and southwest. The First Sino-Japanese War concluded with the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki , which elevated Japan to become another foreign power in Shanghai. Japan built

3680-441: The Bogue , the Treaty of Wanghia , and the Treaty of Whampoa (signed in 1843, 1844, and 1844, respectively) forced Chinese concession to European and American desires for visitation and trade on Chinese soil. Britain, France, and the United States all established a presence outside the walled city of Shanghai, which remained under the direct administration of the Chinese. The Chinese-held Old City of Shanghai fell to rebels from

3772-401: The Chinese resisted. More than 10,000 shops and hundreds of factories and public buildings were destroyed, leaving Zhabei district ruined. About 18,000 civilians were either killed, injured, or declared missing. A ceasefire was brokered on 5 May. In 1937, the Battle of Shanghai resulted in the occupation of the Chinese-administered parts of Shanghai outside of the International Settlement and

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3864-453: The Chinese sections of Shanghai, but the foreign concessions—the Shanghai International Settlement and the Shanghai French Concession —were still under the control of the European powers. In the 1930s, Nazi Germany encouraged German and Austrian Jews to emigrate, but most countries closed their borders to them, Shanghai and the Dominican Republic being the only exceptions. 20,000 European Jews sought refuge in Shanghai, which did not require

3956-429: The Chunshen River, gave Shanghai its nickname of "Shēn." Fishermen living in the Shanghai area then created a fish tool called the hù , which lent its name to the outlet of Suzhou Creek north of the Old City and became a common nickname and abbreviation for the city. During the Tang and Song dynasties, Qinglong Town ( 青龙镇 ) in modern Qingpu District was a major trading port. Established in 746 (the fifth year of

4048-530: The French Concession. People who stayed in the occupied city suffered on a daily basis, experiencing hunger, oppression, or death. The foreign concessions were ultimately occupied by the Japanese on 8 December 1941 and remained occupied until Japan's surrender in 1945; multiple war crimes were committed during that time. A side-effect of the Japanese invasion of Shanghai was the Shanghai Ghetto . Japanese consul to Kaunas , Lithuania , Chiune Sugihara issued thousands of visas to Jewish refugees who were escaping

4140-444: The Japanese invasion. In the 1920s, shidaiqu became a new form of entertainment and was popularised in Shanghai. The city flourished, becoming a primary commercial and financial hub of the Asia-Pacific region in the 1930s. During the ensuing decades, citizens of many countries and all continents came to Shanghai to live and work; those who stayed for long periods⁠⁠—some for generations⁠—called themselves " Shanghailanders ." In

4232-467: The Jews, and in 1943 officially established the Restricted Sector for Stateless Refugees, better known as the Shanghai Ghetto, in Hongkou, forcing most Jews to live there. After World War II, China soon fell into a civil war , which ended in the victory of the Communist Party in 1949, and almost all the Shanghai Jews emigrated by 1956. The Ohel Moshe congregation was established by Russian Jewish immigrants in Shanghai in 1907. This Ashkenazi congregation

4324-434: The Nazi's Final Solution to the Jewish Question . They traveled from Keidan , Lithuania across Russia by railroad to the Vladivostok from where they traveled by ship to Kobe, Japan . Their stay in Kobe was short as the Japanese government transferred them to Shanghai by November 1941. Other Jewish refugees found haven in Shanghai, not through Sugihara, but came on ships from Italy. The refugees from Europe were interned into

4416-404: The Ohel Moshe Synagogue building, two additional exhibition halls, and a courtyard. The synagogue exhibition presents a "small collection of artifacts" depicting the lives of Jewish refugees who found shelter in Shanghai during the Holocaust. One exhibit on the second floor of the synagogue is devoted to the life of the Chief Rabbi of Shanghai, Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi. While the synagogue still contains

4508-409: The Politburo Standing Committee and became the Vice President and an influential power broker. Li Xi , another former deputy party secretary of Shanghai, has become the Politburo Standing Committee and Secretary of CCDI member in 2022. The only exception is Chen Liangyu , who was fired in 2006 and later convicted of corruption . Officials with ties to the Shanghai administration collectively form

4600-408: The River Pu"), the newer part of urban and suburban Shanghai on the east bank of the Huangpu River, is governed by Pudong New Area ( 浦东新区 ). Seven of the districts govern suburbs, satellite towns, and rural areas farther away from the urban core: Baoshan, Minhang , Jiading, Jinshan, Songjiang, Qingpu, and Fengxian. Torah ark The ark is also known as the ark of law , or in Hebrew

4692-407: The Tang Tianbao era ), it developed into what was historically called a "giant town of the Southeast," with thirteen temples and seven pagodas. Mi Fu , a scholar and artist of the Song dynasty, served as its mayor. The port experienced thriving trade with provinces along the Yangtze and the Chinese coast, as well as with foreign countries such as Japan and Silla . By the end of the Song dynasty ,

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4784-471: The United States featured built-in arks in synagogues, such as the 1763 Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island , which was inspired by a trend of grandeur in architectural design. The United States Jewish community continued to favor the grand or classical design style until around 1840. In the mid-1800s the Moorish style synagogues influenced by the Oriental style became the latest fashion in synagogue design. The Oriental ark design included sliding doors and

4876-435: The ark is open and the Torah is being moved to the reading table (or podium). However, there is no actual obligation (law) to remain standing when the ark is open, but it is a universally accepted custom. In addition to this custom is the custom to never turn ones back towards the ark even when leaving the sanctuary. Instead one must back out until they have left the vicinity of the ark, and only then can they turn their back (by

4968-523: The ark is the second holiest part of a synagogue after the Torah scrolls themselves. Customs call for the congregation when reciting key prayers (such as Avinu Malkeinu – "Our Father Our King", in many communities), to stand and face the ark, on fasting days, the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (also called the High Holidays), and for many piyyutim (poems, songs, etc.) recited during High Holy Day services. Many who partake in these customs consider it respectful to stand as long as

5060-420: The bank of the Huangpu River, is home to a row of early 20th-century architecture, ranging in style from the neoclassical HSBC Building to the Art Deco Sassoon House (now part of the Peace Hotel ). Many areas in the former foreign concessions are also well-preserved, the most notable being the French Concession. Shanghai is also home to many architecturally distinctive and even eccentric buildings, including

5152-724: The beginning of autumn, the city is susceptible to typhoons . The most pleasant seasons are generally spring, although changeable and often rainy, and autumn, which is usually sunny and dry. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 28% in June to 46% in August, the city receives 1,754 hours of bright sunshine annually. (All the mean values mentioned in this paragraph are data observed in Baoshan District） According to China's seasonal division standard, from 2001 to 2024, Shanghai enters spring on 9 March, summer on 16 May, autumn on 5 October, and winter on 4 December. Extremes since 1951 have ranged from −10.1 °C (14 °F) on 31 January 1977 (unofficial record of −12.1 °C (10 °F)

5244-410: The branch. The Anti-Economy Liaison Headquarters dismantled economic organizations in Shanghai, investigated bank withdrawals, and disrupted regular bank service in the city. The Shanghai People's Commune was established in the city during the January Storm of 1967. Despite the disruptions of the Cultural Revolution, Shanghai maintained economic production with a positive annual growth rate. During

5336-439: The center of trading had moved downstream of the Wusong River to Shanghai. It was upgraded in status from a village to a market town in 1074, and in 1172, a second sea wall was built to stabilize the ocean coastline, supplementing an earlier dike. From the Yuan dynasty in 1292 until Shanghai officially became a municipality in 1927, central Shanghai was administered as a county under Songjiang Prefecture, which had its seat in

5428-467: The city and developed the Pudong district, resulting in the birth of Lujiazui . That year, the China's central government designated Shanghai as the "Dragon Head" of economic reform . As of 2020, Shanghai is classified as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , making it one of the world's Top 10 major cities. In early 2022, Shanghai experienced a large outbreak of COVID-19 cases. After localized lockdowns failed to stem

5520-405: The city has fewer such structures than Beijing. These buildings were mostly erected between the founding of the People's Republic in 1949 and the Sino-Soviet Split in the late 1960s. During this time period, large numbers of Soviet experts, including architects, poured into China to aid the country in the construction of a communist state. An example of Soviet neoclassical architecture in Shanghai

5612-427: The city is renowned for its Lujiazui skyline, museums and historic buildings including the City God Temple , Yu Garden , the China Pavilion and buildings along the Bund . The Oriental Pearl Tower can be seen from the Bund. Shanghai is also known for its cuisine , local language , and cosmopolitan culture, ranks sixth in the list of cities with the most skyscrapers , and it is one of the biggest economic hubs in

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5704-401: The city would occur when economic reforms initiated by paramount leader Deng Xiaoping during the 1980s resulted in an intense redevelopment and revitalization of the city by the 1990s, especially the Pudong New Area, aiding the return of finance and foreign investment. The city has since re-emerged as a hub for international trade and finance. It is the home of the Shanghai Stock Exchange ,

5796-426: The cloth wrapped scrolls are believed to have been placed flat within a low wooden box. Historical records or discoveries point to a variety of exterior designs becoming popular within the Jewish culture of the time. Archeologists found early Torah arks within the Jewish catacombs in Rome decorated with Pompeian frescoes, paintings, and graffiti. Throughout Europe, in the Middle Ages , designs favored taller arks. In

5888-638: The design as mainstream. In this period, most synagogues in Europe were designed with the reading table (or podium) in the center of the building. The ark was placed on the Eastern wall, so the congregation would be facing Jerusalem when praying. During the 18th century, German synagogues incorporated a baroque style design. Decorative features such as pilasters , columns, and vases became a standard practice. Wood and stone carvers in Eastern Europe began to employ unique local craft designs in synagogue architecture. Folk art and animals were popular design features added to arks created during this period. Early designs in

5980-404: The districts govern Puxi ( lit.  "The West Bank," or "West of the River Pu"), the older part of urban Shanghai on the west bank of the Huangpu River. These seven districts are collectively referred to as Shanghai Proper ( 上海市区 ) or the core city ( 市中心 ), which comprise Huangpu, Xuhui, Changning , Jing'an, Putuo, Hongkou, and Yangpu. Pudong ( lit.  "The East Bank," or "East of

6072-421: The doors of the ark ( Spanish and Portuguese and Moroccan or Sephardic custom). The parochet is an ornate cloth that resembles the same cloth that was once on the golden Ark. Both the aron kodesh and parochet are usually inscribed with verses from Judaic holy scripture . These inscriptions generally display the purity of the synagogue or the celebrated uniqueness of the scrolls placed within. Jewish law states

6164-912: The east bank of the Huangpu (Pudong). Along Shanghai's eastern shore, the destruction of local wetlands due to the construction of Pudong International Airport has been partially offset by the protection and expansion of a nearby shoal, Jiuduansha , as a nature preserve. Shanghai has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa ), with an average annual temperature of 17.5 °C (63.5 °F) for downtown areas and 16.2–17.2 °C (61.2–63.0 °F) for suburbs. The city experiences four distinct seasons. Winters are temperate to cold and damp—northwesterly winds from Siberia can cause nighttime temperatures to drop below freezing. Each year, there are an average of 4.7 days with snowfall and 1.6 days with snow cover. Summers are hot and humid, and occasional downpours or thunderstorms can be expected. On average, 14.5 days exceed 35 °C (95 °F) annually. In summer and

6256-494: The first county-level administration within modern-day Shanghai. The first five-star hotel in the city was named after Huating. 魔 都 ( Módū / mó-tu , "monster/fiend/magical city"), a contemporary nickname for Shanghai, is widely known among the youth. The name was first mentioned in Japanese novelist Shōfu Muramatsu 's 1924 novel Mato , which portrayed Shanghai as a dichotomous city where both light and darkness existed. The city has various nicknames in English, including

6348-420: The first factories in Shanghai, which was soon copied by other foreign powers. All this international activity gave Shanghai the nickname "the Great Athens of China." The Republic of China was established in 1912. The same year, the Old City walls were dismantled as they blocked the city's expansion. In July 1921, the Chinese Communist Party was founded in the Shanghai French Concession . On 30 May 1925,

6440-412: The former synagogue, though most have been demolished. The museum itself, and the remaining historic structures, are preserved as part of the Tilanqiao Historic Area. In 2014 the museum unveiled a monument to the refugees, which includes more than 13,000 names and a memorial statue commemorating their experience. The memorial was designed by artist He Ning. The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum encompasses

6532-594: The four municipalities under the direct administration of the Central People's Government , and is divided into 16 county-level districts . Although every district has its own urban core, the city hall and major administrative units are located in Huangpu District, which also serves as a commercial area, including the famous Nanjing Road . Other major commercial areas include Xintiandi and Huaihai Road in Huangpu District, and Xujiahui in Xuhui District . Many universities in Shanghai are located in residential areas in Yangpu District and Putuo District . Seven of

6624-469: The land area of Shanghai was further expanded to 5,910 km (2,281.9 sq mi) after more surrounding suburban areas in Jiangsu were added: Chongming , Jinshan , Qingpu , Fengxian , Chuansha , and Nanhui . In 1964, the city's administrative divisions were rearranged to 10 urban districts and 10 counties. As the industrial center of China with the most skilled industrial workers, Shanghai became

6716-723: The largest stock exchanges in the Asia-Pacific by market capitalization and the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone , the first free-trade zone in mainland China. Shanghai has been classified as an Alpha+ ( global first-tier ) city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . As of 2024, it is home to 13 companies of the Fortune Global 500 and is ranked 4th on the Global Financial Centres Index . The city

6808-533: The lowest administrative level in the political hierarchy. In the 19th century, international attention to Shanghai grew due to Europe and recognition of its economic and trade potential at the Yangtze . During the First Opium War (1839–1842), British forces occupied the city. The war ended in 1842 with the Treaty of Nanking , which opened Shanghai as one of the five treaty ports for international trade. The Treaty of

6900-617: The modern-day districts of Baoshan , Yangpu , Zhabei , Nanshi , and Pudong , but excluded the foreign concessions territories. Headed by a Chinese mayor and municipal council, the new city government's first task—the Greater Shanghai Plan —was to create a new city center in Jiangwan town of Yangpu district, outside the boundaries of the foreign concessions. The plan included a public museum, library, sports stadium, and city hall, which were partially constructed before being interrupted by

6992-699: The more than 20,000 Jewish residents of the Restricted Sector for Stateless Refugees, better known as the Shanghai Ghetto , during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai . The museum is situated in what was once the Jewish Quarter of Shanghai, which had had a Jewish community since the late 19th century, in Hongkou District (formerly rendered as "Hongkew"). After the 1937 Battle of Shanghai , Japan occupied

7084-727: The most famous architects working in Shanghai was László Hudec , a Hungarian-Slovak who lived in the city between 1918 and 1947. His most notable Art Deco buildings include the Park Hotel , the Grand Cinema , and the Paramount . Other prominent architects who contributed to the Art Deco style are Clement Palmer and Arthur Turner , who together designed the Peace Hotel, the Metropole Hotel , and

7176-540: The original six. In 2004, the Ohel Moshe Synagogue was inscribed on the list of architectural heritage treasures of Shanghai. In 2007, the Government of Hongkou District restored the synagogue to its original architectural style based on the original drawings in the municipal archives, and opened it as a museum commemorating the Jewish refugees. Some of the residential buildings from the ghetto period still stand around

7268-553: The present-day Songjiang District . Two important events helped promote Shanghai's developments in the Ming dynasty . A city wall was built for the first time in 1554 to protect the town from raids by Japanese pirates . It measured 10 m (33 ft) high and 5 km (3 mi) in circumference. A City God Temple was built in 1602 during the Wanli reign. This honor was usually reserved for prefectural capitals and not normally given to

7360-440: The provinces of Zhejiang to the south and Jiangsu to the west and north. The municipality's northernmost point is on Chongming Island , which is the second-largest island in mainland China after its expansion during the 20th century. It does not administratively include an exclave of Jiangsu on northern Chongming or the two islands forming Shanghai's Yangshan Port , which are parts of Zhejiang's Shengsi County . Shanghai

7452-535: The refugees is also shown in the hall. The No. 3 Exhibition Hall was completed in May 2008, and is used for temporary exhibits. In September 2014, a 34-metre (112 ft) long copper memorial wall was unveiled at the site, engraved with the names of 13,732 Jewish refugees harbored in China during World War II. Shanghai Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China . The city

7544-563: The rise in cases, the Chinese government locked down the entire city on 5 April. This resulted in widespread food shortages across the city emerged as food-supply chains were severely disrupted by the government's lockdown measures, which were not lifted until 1 June. Shanghai is located on the Yangtze Estuary of China's east coast, with the Yangtze River to the north and Hangzhou Bay to

7636-521: The second floor and adding a mezzanine. The synagogue is situated on what was once Ward Road (now Changyang Road), close to the Ward Road Gaol (now Tilanqiao Prison ). The synagogue was confiscated by the government after the communist takeover in 1949 and converted into a psychiatric hospital. It was also used for office space. It reopened in the 1990s. Ohel Moshe and Ohel Rachel are the only two Jewish temples of old Shanghai that still stand, out of

7728-457: The south, with the East China Sea to the east. The land is formed by the Yangtze's natural deposition and modern land reclamation projects. As such, it has sandy soil , and skyscrapers have to be built with deep concrete piles to avoid sinking into the soft ground. The provincial-level Municipality of Shanghai administers both the estuary and many of its surrounding islands . It borders

7820-400: The war, Shanghai's economy was restored—from 1949 to 1952, the city's agricultural and industrial output increased by 51.5% and 94.2%, respectively. There were 20 urban districts and 10 suburbs at the time. On 17 January 1958, Jiading , Baoshan, and Shanghai County in Jiangsu became part of Shanghai Municipality, which expanded to 863 km (333.2 sq mi). The following December,

7912-680: The war, the Chinese Civil War soon resumed between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with the latter eventually taking over the city and most of the mainland. From the 1950s to the 1970s, trade was mostly limited to other socialist countries in the Eastern Bloc , causing the city's global influence to decline during the Cold War . Major changes of fortune for

8004-506: The world. The two Chinese characters in the city's name are 上 ( shàng / zaon , "upon") and 海 ( hǎi / hé , "sea"), together meaning "On the Sea." The earliest occurrence of this name dates from the 11th-century Song dynasty , when there was already a river confluence and a town with this name in the area. Others contend that the city is referenced in historical records dating back 2150 years, and that its ancient name, "Hu", suggests it

8096-665: Was controlled by Portugal following the Luso-Chinese agreement of 1554 until the handover of the Millennium on 20 December 1999. The Shanghai International Settlement and the French Concession were subsequently established. The city then flourished, becoming a primary commercial and financial hub of Asia in the 1930s. During the Second Sino-Japanese War , the city was the site of the major Battle of Shanghai . After

8188-464: Was named after Moshe Greenberg, a member of the Russian Jewish community, and was first established in a rented space. As the congregation grew to 250 families by the 1920s, Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi , Chief Rabbi of Shanghai, supported the creation of a new space for the congregation. In 1927, the current structure was created by remodeling an existing three-story building in the Hongkou District, removing

8280-453: Was previously a fishing village. In 1280 it was renamed "Shanghai", which translates to "Above the Sea". How the name should be understood has been disputed, but Chinese historians have concluded that during the Tang dynasty , the area of modern-day Shanghai was under sea level, so the land appeared to be literally "on the sea." Shanghai is officially abbreviated 沪 ( Hù / wu ) in Chinese ,

8372-569: Was set on 19 January 1893) to 40.9 °C (106 °F) on 21 July 2017 and 13 July 2022 at a weather station in Xujiahui and 2 August 2024 in Minhang District following a record hot night set at 32.1 °C (90 °F) as the highest ever daily minimum temperature at Xujiahui. On 8 August 2013, the weather station at Shanghai Pudong International Airport also observed a high temperature of 41.0 °C (106 °F). The Bund , located by

8464-611: Was used in the same time period to refer to the inner sanctuary. The hekhal contained the Menorah , Altar of Incense and Table of the Showbread . In some ancient synagogues, such as the fifth-century synagogue in Susya , the Torah scroll was not placed inside the synagogue at all, but in a room adjacent to it, signifying that the sacredness of the synagogue does not come from the ark but from its being

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