SHANGHAI IN 1992 上海 优质的

Probably the most complete collection of photos from Shanghai in 1992

CHAPTER 1 - PUDONG AND THE BUND 1992

CHAPTER 2 - THE PORTMAN RITZ CARLTON AND NANJING ROAD (W) 1992

CHAPTER 3 - SHANGHAI BICYCLES-TRAFFIC IN 1992

Updated: 2nd MAY 2022.

CHAPTER 4 - SHANGHAI OLD TOWN IN 1992

THE REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION OF PUDONG

In a time when bicycles were a common mean of transport, advertising done on typographic banners and elderly often dressed in chinese blue workwear, Shanghai with its heritage and rapid development, was at the same time in many aspects also a modern, international megacity.

Pudong 浦东 ,  Shanghai, 2022. Image Jo-Ann Tripadvisor.

Pudong is a good illustration of, to what extent Shanghai changed during the 90-ies, and has continued doing so until today.

Just compare the picture above with the following pictures of Pudong, taken from the Bund 外滩, in 2010 and in 1992.

To set a perspecitve on time. Today the number of smartphones in the world is 7.26 Billion, making up 91.7% of the world's population. In 2010, the number of shipped mobilphones was more than 300 Million, and in 1992, only 11 Million persons (0.2%) had mobile phones, world wide. And then we are talking about mobile phones. In 1992, a smart phone was a phone that could send sms and not was connected to a wall.

Pudong 浦东 , Shanghai, 2010.

Pudong 浦东 , Shanghai, 1992.

Pudong 浦东 , Shanghai, 1992.

To the left in the picture above, you can see the ongoing construction of the Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower, a work that had started one year earlier. Already in 1994 the building stood ready as seen in the two previous pictures. With it's 468m (1,536 feet), it was the highest building in China until 2007.

Also note the billboard of KENT, widely recognized by many as the first popular filtered cigarette in the late 50-ies. In the 90-ies, the brand had already been in a steady decline for many years due to an increased number of filtered cigarettes from other brands, international as well as local, like the Shenhai cigarette brand from Shanghai.

Shenhai cigarettes, Shanghai, 1992.

Remember that these cigarettes were very common in that time. But now I cannot find any information at all about the Shenhai brand, not even images. Is this really the one and only picture out there?

Taking a cigarette in a hotel bar in Shanghai, 1992.

Whatever you say, it is cool to smoke, maybe not healthy, but still very cool!

Drinking pijiu in the same bar, obviously a Tsingtao 青岛啤酒.

I believe the bar on the pitures above was located in the historical Cathay Hotel, later Fairmont Peace Hotel, on Nanjing Road along the Bund. However, it may also have been in the South Building, built as The Palace Hotel and today a residence and studio for artists, known as The Swatch Art Peace Hotel. Anyone who recognize the bar?

The Bund 外滩, Shanghai 1992.

If the pictures above really were from the Cathay Hotel bar, then you can see the building to the right in this picture, with a dark, triangular roof.

The building in the forefront with the big red banners is the Shanghai Club Building on The Bund.

A baroque revivial building that once was the location of the Brittish Gentlemen's Club in Shanghai, and thereafter habited Shanghai International Seamen's Club. Then in 1971, it became Dong Feng Hotel, still hosting the Seamen's club, and later also the first KFC restaurant in Shanghai, that was opended in 1990.

The hotel did not become Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund until 2010. So, in 1992 it was, all at once, the Dong Feng Hotel, the Seamen's Club, and as you can see, a KFC in the entrance.

THE VIEW ALONG NANJING LU AND PORTMAN RITZ CARLTON HOTEL, SHANGHAI CENTER.

The Shanghai center 上海商城 was one of the first contemporary skyscrapers in Shanghai and opened in 1990, only two years before the pictures were taken, and was located on the west Nanjing Lu, opposite the Shanghai exhibition center.

View of Shanghai from Portman Ritz Carlton hotel in 2018.

View of Shanghai from Portman Ritz Carlton hotel in 1992.

To be honest, I recognize some of the buildings when comparing with the view of 2018, but I don't really get it all toghether. It seems that the building on the left side in the 1992-picture is missing...and does the text say "Shanghai Marriott"?

View of Shanghai from Portman Ritz Carlton hotel in 1992.

What else to say about the pictures? Well, they have built a lot in Shanghai since 1992.

And no, the images from 1992 are not hazy only due to the camera and locally developed pictures. The smell of coal was noticeable all over the city with quite a heavy smog.

Posing with Mr Person (right?) at a fashion exhibition 1992

I believe (but may be all wrong) that this was a textile and fashion exhibition at the Shanghai International Exhibition Center, which had opended the same year.

Regardless, fashion was on it's way in Shanghai, and even if it at the time still primarily was focused on quite modest trade exhibitions, it was still when it all started. Like The New Silk Road Modelling Company that was established in shanghai the same year, being one the first internationally recognized modelling firms from China.

And what about the fashion dresses on the exhibition? Just give it a few more years and it will show up in the magazine Vogue. And what concerns the two chaps in the forefront? Well, Ericsson engineers have practically been dressed the same for at least 30 years.

Nanjing road (w) nearby Portman Ritz Carlton 2018.

Nanjing road (wes)t with Portman Ritz Carlton in the background 1992.

Nanjing road (w) shopping district 1992

Nanjing road (w) shopping district 2018 Jay Santos

Have no clue if the two images are even roughly from the same section of Nanjing Road. But it does'nt really matter as everything has been completely reconstructed with no remaining landmarks to orient against.

THE SHANGHAI ROADS IN 1992 AND ALL THE BICYCLES

Shanghai street views in 1992 with all it's bicycles.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ELEMENT in the traffic in 1992 was the uncountable number of bikecycles, with the rattle and whirring drowning the sound of the few cars. If it not was for the fast growing city that had made industries surrounded by the town, the air should definitely have been all fresh and clean.

However, I should not be surpriced if the bicyles once again become the most prominent vehicle in any major cities, then likely to be the e-bikes. And voila, the circel is complete.

ANYTHING COULD BE TRANSPORTED ON A  BICYCLE

A beautiful arrangement of flowers, or chickens brought to the market were just a few examples.

It was of course the cheapest way to transport goods at that time, and today, bike courriers has become a statement on sustianability!

Lesson learned - what was the cheapeast way in the past - is sustainable today!

IF YOU THOUGHT THE PICTURES OF SHANGHAI ABOVE FELT OUT OF TIME

Then just take a look of ther picture below.