112-545: David Charles Rotenberg was a Canadian author and professor emeritus of theatre studies at York University , where he taught graduate students for over 25 years, as well at the Professional Actors Lab in Toronto , which he founded as the artistic director . David Rotenberg has been referred to as one of Canada's "most notable acting teachers and coaches," and may be the nation's best known master acting teacher. During
224-499: A separate international co-production training program, the Canada-U.K. Script Incubation Program, designed to foster cross-Atlantic collaboration between script writers with support from the BBC and CanWest . In the meantime, in 2004, Rotenberg had founded the Professional Actors Lab, Canada's most successful actor training program, with nearly 200 actors per term. For some time, two evenings
336-473: A series of speculative thrillers set in The Junction , Toronto, he began a science fiction series in 2017. He died on Nov 9, 2023. David Charles Rotenberg was born and raised in Toronto , with three brothers. He is the son of Jewish parents: Dr. Cyril Rotenberg, a physician, and Gertrude Ruth (Gertie) Rotenberg, described as a "woman of initiative, of new ideas and steady values." David Rotenberg attended
448-556: A "somewhat workmanlike" thriller "possessed of an enthralling undercurrent that allows it to transcend its genre and shine on its own terms", and that Rotenberg "reveals a surprising depth and intricacy, not in the mechanics of his plot, but at the level of characterization." The same year, Peter Worthington included Rotenberg "among the best writers of their genre [the thriller,] in the English-speaking world today". The trilogy has been optioned by producer Don Kurt for television. In
560-468: A 2012 interview, Rotenberg said he had been working on another trilogy for ten years, titled The Dream Navigators. Five years later, the first book of his third novel series, The Dream Chronicles , set in the future, was published by iBooks in 2017, followed by the second in 2019. In 2008, Rotenberg talked about books he was either working on or considering: a sixth Zhong Fong novel, a sequel to Shanghai set in post- Second World War Shanghai, contingent on
672-713: 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
784-438: 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
896-463: A county under Songjiang Prefecture, which had its seat in 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
1008-691: A dichotomous city where both light and darkness existed. The city has various nicknames in English, including 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
1120-553: A foreign divestment due to the PRC's victory. After 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,
1232-558: A great many of them are avid readers, often chiding me to get on with the next book because they've waited long enough to find out what the hung boy is about or why there are so many churches along Annette Street or will Yslan and Decker ever get together. As well, Rotenberg's characters and their exceptional talents are often drawn from his students: When I teach acting, periodically I come across people who really do have special gifts. There are people you can see are working their butts off, but you're never sure they're going to make more than
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#17328630504761344-717: A major American regional theatre so it was a bit of shock to me when I returned to Canada, where I'd been born and raised, to find that the Canadian theatre community wanted nothing to do with me. Apparently I was a traitor. If I had spent twenty minutes directing in Eastern Europe rather than twenty years directing in America I believe I would have been welcomed back by the Canadian theatre with open arms. Rotenberg continued occasionally to direct plays and television in Canada and abroad. In 1994, he
1456-537: 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 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
1568-459: A person has relinquished all the duties of their former position, and they may continue to exercise some of them. In descriptions of deceased professors emeriti listed at U.S. universities, the title emeritus is replaced by an indication of the years of their appointments, except in obituaries , where it may be used to indicate their status at the time of death. Emeritus (past participle of Latin emerere , meaning 'complete one's service')
1680-461: 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
1792-786: 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 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
1904-529: 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 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
2016-514: A return visit to the city for more research; and a who's who of Canadian acting talent who have studied with Rotenberg over the years. In the 2012 interview, when asked who his literary influences were, Rotenberg listed John Le Carré , Jack Miles , James Lee Burke , Thomas Cahill , Harlan Ellison , William Boyd , Annie Proulx , K.C. Constantine , and James Crumley , as well as playwright Robert Litz , who approached him in New York to work on
2128-408: A screenplay together, and a "junior high school English teacher named Mr. Gallanders ... who encouraged me to read and write." He went on to include Aaron Sorkin and Bob Dylan , "especially when he's not singing his songs." As his first five novels were police procedurals , he purposefully had his writing space cluttered with images and books: "two large modern desks at right angles to each other —
2240-510: A senator of the minority party who has previously served as president pro tempore of the United States Senate . It is also used in business and nonprofit organizations to denote perpetual status of the founder of an organization or individuals who made significant contributions to the institution. Phil Knight , for example, is the co-founder of Nike , and after decades of being the CEO , he
2352-488: A sixth Zhong Fong novel, but Davidar had other ideas: "They wanted me to do for Shanghai what James Clavell had done for Hong Kong." The end result was Shanghai: The Ivory Compact (2008, "just in time for the Beijing Games"), his critically acclaimed epic novel spanning thousands of years. Rotenberg wrote it as three novels, and counts them as such, but Penguin decided to publish it in one volume. At about 800,000 words, it
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#17328630504762464-587: A story. Valerie Senyk Rotenberg was inspired to write his first novel after his time with the Shanghai Theatre Academy, at a time when China was going through a "massive transition from a profoundly oppressive socialist state to a basically free market economy – a thrilling time." It set the stage for his critically acclaimed first novel, the thriller The Shanghai Murders (1998), followed by four more in his mystery series: The Lake Ching Murders (2001), The Hua Shan Hospital Murders (shortlisted for
2576-431: A violist refer to what they do as a craft—never! So I started changing that, inventing new ways for actors to understand their art... In the parish hall basement, Rotenberg would quietly observe as his students videotaped themselves performing short scenes in pairs or on their own, gathering around a television set to watch the tape afterwards, and he would step in, offering blunt but constructive criticism of their scene, at
2688-517: A week, he has also been teaching a group of about a dozen hand-picked students in a small room "tucked into the basement" of St. Anne's Parish Hall, in Toronto's West End: Equity Showcase Theatre's Acting for the Camera class. Between the three institutions in which he has been directly involved, Rotenberg typically spent between 25 and 40 hours every week training and prepping actors. At any given time, Rotenberg
2800-447: Is a compound of the Latin prefix e- (variant of ex- ) meaning 'out of, from' and merere (source of 'merit') meaning 'to serve, earn'. The word is attested since the early 17th century with the meaning 'having served out one's time, having done sufficient service'. The Latin feminine equivalent, emerita ( / ɪ ˈ m ɛr ɪ t ə / ), is also sometimes used, although in English
2912-417: Is a criminal lawyer and former magazine editor and an author of legal thrillers. In November 2023 York University announced that Rotenberg had died on November 9, 2023. Professor emeritus Emeritus ( / ə ˈ m ɛr ɪ t ə s / ; female version: emerita ) is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but
3024-496: 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
3136-477: Is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some cases, the term is conferred automatically upon all persons who retire at a given rank, but in others, it remains a mark of distinguished service awarded selectively on retirement. It is also used when a person of distinction in a profession retires or hands over the position, enabling their former rank to be retained in their title. The term emeritus does not necessarily signify that
3248-794: 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
3360-927: 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
3472-580: 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
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3584-571: Is now the emeritus of the company. Following her decision to retire from Democratic leadership, the House Steering and Policy Committee voted to grant Nancy Pelosi the title of Speaker Emerita in recognition of her service as Speaker of the House , while newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson referred to his ousted predecessor Kevin McCarthy as Speaker Emeritus . Cabinet of Singapore also adopted
3696-516: Is one of the longest novels ever published; Rotenberg said he received complaints from readers that it was "too heavy for them to carry around". The success of Shanghai , according to Stephen Patrick Clare, demonstrated that Rotenberg could "break away from convention without loosening his hold on the imagination of his readers." The novel has been reported as being optioned by Darius Films and by Jane McLean for television. For his next novel series, The Junction Chronicles , Rotenberg moved away from
3808-474: Is ranked 4th on the Global Financial Centres Index . The city 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
3920-451: 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
4032-699: Is the home of the Shanghai Stock Exchange , 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
4144-456: 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
4256-508: 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),
4368-583: The Arthur Ellis Award for the best crime novel of 2003), The Hamlet Murders (2004) and The Golden Mountain Murders (2005). The five Zhong Fong novels have "legions of fans around the world," and the series is reported as having been optioned for film and television ( HBO ). Just before The Golden Mountain Murders was published, the author received a lunch invitation from Penguin Canada publisher David Davidar and assumed that they would be discussing
4480-460: 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 the 1920s and 1930s, almost 20,000 White Russians fled the newly established Soviet Union to reside in Shanghai. These Shanghai Russians constituted
4592-569: 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
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4704-511: The Canadian Film Centre to create a high-level training program modelled on New York's Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and on British companies that were training actors who could cross between stage and screen. Eight years later, the CFC announced the creation of a new actor's conservatory to train and market future stars of screen and stage, the first of its kind in Canada, as well as
4816-509: The Cold War . Major changes of fortune for 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
4928-621: The Huangpu River . Its former or poetic name, 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
5040-562: The Kangxi Emperor reversed the Ming dynasty prohibition on oceangoing vessels—a ban that had been in force since 1525; and in 1732, 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
5152-769: 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
5264-617: The National Theatre School of Canada , the University of Cape Town , and Princeton , and regularly teaches professional classes in other cities in North America. He served as acting coach for My Secret Identity and Friday the 13th: The Series and as a private acting coach for the new Kung Fu on CBS . Rotenberg's teaching approach began with an observation: There had been almost no serious intellectual thought given to how
5376-522: 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
5488-758: 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
5600-658: 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
5712-469: The University of Toronto and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts . He left Toronto in 1971. One of his younger brothers is the criminal lawyer and crime novelist Robert Rotenberg . David Rotenberg went to British Columbia , teaching and setting up the acting programme at Simon Fraser University , staging a production of Bertholt Brecht 's Baal in 1973. Rotenberg moved to the US, where he lived for fourteen years. He pursued graduate studies at
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#17328630504765824-445: The Wanli reign. This honor was usually reserved for prefectural capitals and not normally given to 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,
5936-454: The Yale Drama School , obtaining his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1976, specializing in directing. He lived ten years in New York City , where he worked as a freelance director, participated in regional theatre, and the Broadway shows: The News , and The 1940's Radio Hour . Rotenberg has cited the influence of living in Manhattan on his work, even after returning to Canada.. Rotenberg moved further south, to New Orleans , where he
6048-431: The economy of China . Featuring several architectural styles such as Art Deco and shikumen , 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
6160-410: The list of cities with the most skyscrapers , and it is one of the biggest economic hubs in 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
6272-399: The 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki , which elevated Japan to become another foreign power in Shanghai. Japan built 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
6384-424: 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 . 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 ,
6496-409: 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 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
6608-404: 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 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
6720-409: 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
6832-418: The Shanghai setting in favour of The Junction , the Toronto neighbourhood where he grew up and to which he later returned, as, "it was finally time to look around and try to write about home." While the primary setting for the series is The Junction, a lot of the action in the first novel, The Placebo Effect (2012), takes place in New York, where Rotenberg also lived for many years. Robert J. Wiersema called it
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#17328630504766944-405: The area. Others contend that the city is referenced in historical records dating back 2150 years, and that its ancient name, "Hu", suggests it 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
7056-420: 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
7168-724: 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)
7280-504: The best." An early example is his original screenplay Ambition's Debt , which he was also minded to direct using only Canadian talent to fill the credits. It is a pleasure to read intelligent thrillers by Canadian writers. David Rotenberg ... is a man of many talents who brings his substantial experience in the theatre to his novels. Not only are they extremely literate and sophisticated, they boast truly inventive characters. Rotenberg ... knows well how to build suspenseful momentum in telling
7392-410: 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
7504-467: 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
7616-405: 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
7728-416: The city was the site of the major Battle of Shanghai . After 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
7840-473: 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 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
7952-492: The city's expansion. In July 1921, the Chinese Communist Party was founded in the Shanghai French Concession . On 30 May 1925, 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
8064-580: 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 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
8176-426: The desk for his new office. Made from reclaimed wood, and only a foot and a half deep and about four and half feet long, it is "a piece of art in and of itself." The desk has no drawers or file cabinets nor in and out trays, just a small laptop. "Even the hard copies of what I've written ... kept in a book shelf out of the room." Rotenberg never considered writing his novels as stage- or screenplays, as he thinks of
8288-455: 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
8400-912: 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
8512-557: The end of the Song dynasty , 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
8624-847: The five Shanghai mysteries has come to Shanghai to direct a production of Twelfth Night (I've directed it twice myself) and Decker Roberts, the lead in the Junction Chronicles series ... actually teaches in the acting studio that I started in Toronto—Pro Actors Lab. Canadian crime stories, whodunits and thrillers have been increasing in popularity since the turn of the 21st century, a market previously dominated by British, American, and more recently, Scandinavian novelists. David Rotenberg believes Canadians have had time to avoid mistakes other crime and mystery writers have made: "The Brits and Scandinavians are less interested in social context than we are ... The whodunit aspect interests me less than
8736-411: The form actually works. And actors had bought into the mediocrity that had been fed to them. Actors had actually agreed to call what they do a craft rather than an art. But surely an actor who plays Laertes in a production of Hamlet has way more to do with the success or failure of the evening than the third violinist has to do with the success or failure of a Beethoven symphony. Yet, you would never hear
8848-476: The formative part of his career, he was a theatre director in New York City and staged two Broadway shows, returning to Toronto in 1987. In 1994, he directed the first Canadian play to be staged in the People's Republic of China , which inspired his career as a novelist , beginning with the five Zhong Fong mysteries set in modern Shanghai as well as the historical fiction novel Shanghai . After writing
8960-823: 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
9072-483: The grade ... They are generally people who are instinctively in touch with deeper spiritual currents. Finally, Rotenberg's principal career path has had a more straightforward influence on his writing: I've been asked for years to write a book about the unique way that I teach acting. But every time I've sat down at my computer I've wanted to write fiction, not a how-to book, so instead I've integrated my knowledge of acting teaching into my novels. Geoffrey Hyland in two of
9184-419: 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
9296-727: 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
9408-594: The most populous urban area in China . The city 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
9520-427: The novel as the "mother" of all genres : "A novel that makes sense is somehow more satisfying to me than a three-act play, and not as contrived or as constrained as a movie script. And my primary interest as a writer is in character rather than plot." Teaching acting has been an important aspect of his writing, an "anchor": I learn a lot from talented actors every week. Their insights and dedication are extraordinary and
9632-478: The production at the Shanghai Theatre Academy , the first Canadian play to be produced in translation in China with a Chinese cast and creative team. In 2012, Rotenberg recalled that on arrival, he was told "You must remember that you can always be replaced". The Ecstasy of Rita Joe is a contemporary story about a young First Nation woman who leaves the reserve for the big city, but the subject matter
9744-440: 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
9856-897: 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, 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
9968-563: 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
10080-695: The same time protecting their fragile egos with his humour - and his acuity as a teacher. One of his students, having worked with Rotenberg for six years, often travelling home from Los Angeles to take his classes, said Rotenberg is "great at making us see our strengths and weaknesses." The "shunning" Rotenberg felt from the Toronto theatrical community pushed him toward writing, both film scripts , at least five of which have been optioned by film companies, stage plays, such as his adaptation of The Great Gatsby , which he directed at both York and Penn State University , and his highly successful novels . In his words, "this shunning sent me to writing, so it worked out for
10192-504: 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 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
10304-591: The social and historical forces at work in a mystery story. Hamlet would be just another whodunit if you stripped it of context, and it would have nothing important to say." Rotenberg resided in Toronto from his return from the US in 1987, in The Junction , with his wife Susan Santiago, a Puerto Rican American , until his death in November 2023. They have two adult children, both dual citizens , after whom he named his production company. One of his brothers, Robert Rotenberg ,
10416-457: 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
10528-420: The status of emeritus is occasionally granted to senior officials upon retirement. In Judaism , emeritus is often a title granted to long-serving rabbis of synagogues or other Jewish institutions. In some cases, the title is also granted to chazzans . Rabbi Emeritus or Cantor Emeritus is largely an honorific title. Since 2001, the honorary title of president pro tempore emeritus has been given to
10640-489: The title (e.g., "professor emeritus" or "emeritus professor"). When a diocesan bishop or auxiliary bishop retires, the word emeritus is added to their former title, i.e., "Archbishop Emeritus of ...". The term "Bishop Emeritus" of a particular see can apply to several people, if the first lives long enough. The title was applied to the Bishop of Rome, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI , on his retirement. In Community of Christ ,
10752-410: The use of emeritus and so far it has been conferred to Senior Minister of Singapore Goh Chok Tong in 2011, when he and then- Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew both stepped down from the upcoming cabinet as part of the party's renewal process. Goh retired from politics in 2020 , though his title as an emeritus was kept intact. Shanghai Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and
10864-526: The whole thing dominated by a large computer monitor. It felt that the job was to produce order from the chaos — just as police officers must." For The Junction Chronicles , he felt he needed a different kind of workspace for a different kind of literary work, "spare — filled with leaps in time and space, often defying normal rules of storytelling", pushing the boundaries: "Here the job has to do with entering blank spaces — creating from whole cloth." It took him seven weeks and three days of "intense looking" to find
10976-552: The word emeritus is often unmarked for gender. A tenured full professor who retires from an educational institution in good standing may be given the title " professor emeritus ". The title " professor emerita " is sometimes used for women. In most systems and institutions, the rank is bestowed on all professors who have retired in good standing, while at others, it needs a special act or vote. Professors emeriti may, depending on local circumstances, retain office space or other privileges. The adjective may be placed before or after
11088-594: Was a major trading port. Established in 746 (the fifth year of 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
11200-408: Was an early name originating from Lord Chunshen , a 3rd-century BC nobleman and prime minister of 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
11312-507: Was asked if he would be interested in directing a play to be produced in Shanghai , in Mandarin. The play was George Ryga 's The Ecstasy of Rita Joe : "Apparently, Ryga's play was the only Canadian play they had at hand in translation ... They wanted a Canadian director with varied skills and solid street creds, and someone who could work with students." Rotenberg accepted the engagement to put on
11424-759: 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 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
11536-436: Was effectively shunned," and was told to forget directing in Canada; there was no directing work, and he did not know why: "Perhaps if I'd gone to, let's say, Czechoslovakia to work, I'd have come home hailed as a hero. But that Broadway stint seemed to rankle those who were handing out directing jobs here." I was a professional theatre director ... with two Broadway shows to my credit, dozens of regional theatre credits and I ran
11648-472: Was established by Zhao Juzhen , the governor of Wu Commandery , at modern-day Songjiang, 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
11760-432: Was estimated to produce 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
11872-666: Was inhabited 6,000 years ago. During 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
11984-461: Was not understood by the Chinese: "They didn't comprehend it at all ... When the set designs arrived, there were Indians with head dresses and war paint." Despite such cultural differences and working in a completely foreign language, the production was nevertheless a "limited success." In 2000, David Rotenberg, together with David Julian Hirsh and entertainment lawyer Michael Levine, sent a proposal to
12096-511: Was on the faculty of Tulane University . York University "lured him back to Toronto" with a job he "could not turn down". Rotenberg also said he wanted to move back to Toronto because he wanted to be closer to his parents and three brothers, and he felt Toronto was a good place to raise children. Rotenberg made the move back to Toronto in 1987, where he began to teach graduate students. He had expected also to resume his directing career in his hometown, struggled to get work. Rotenberg recalled: "I
12208-471: Was separated from Jiangsu on 7 July 1927. This new Chinese municipality covered an area of 494.69 km (191.0 sq mi), including 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
12320-569: 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
12432-491: Was under sea level, so the land appeared to be literally "on the sea." Shanghai is officially abbreviated 沪 ( Hù / wu ) in Chinese , 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")
12544-535: Was working personally with about 75 actors: "Hundreds of his St. Anne's alumni currently work full-time on projects in Los Angeles, New York City, Toronto and Vancouver." Among them are Canadian actors Tatiana Maslany , Rachel McAdams , Scott Speedman , Sarah Gadon , Ennis Esmer , Patrick J. Adams , David Julian Hirsh, Jonas Chernick , Shawn Doyle , Polly Shannon , and Demore Barnes . Many travel back to Toronto for Rotenberg's advice. Rotenberg has also taught at
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