25 years in the making: How Shanghai's waterways have enhanced a scenic city

As Shanghai Daily celebrates its 25th anniversary, we reflect on the remarkable transformation of Shanghai's urban landscape, particularly along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek. Since its inception in 1999, Shanghai Daily has chronicled the city's rapid development, capturing the essence of its evolution through words and images. We revisit some of those key milestones.

1. Rise of Pudong New Area: How paddy fields evolved into a financial hub

25 years in the making: How Shanghai's waterways have enhanced a scenic city

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Caption: The Jin Mao Tower rises majestically, standing as a symbol of Shanghai's modern ambition. A blend of Eastern architectural elegance and cutting-edge technology, China's first super-tall skyscraper that opened in 1999 marks a milestone in China's architectural history.

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Caption: The eastern shore of the Huangpu River has evolved from farmland to an industrial zone, and then to the Lujiazui area of parks, prestigious financial addresses, museums and walkways.

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Caption: The magnificent Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center define the dramatic skyline of the city and gave rise to Lujiazui's nickname as the "Wall Street of China."

Caption: Together with the towering skyline, the landmark Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center draw global tourists and leading financial firms to the banks of the Huangpu River.

2. The Bund: Famous history rubs shoulders with the city's modern outlook

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Caption: The view from the eastern shore of the Huangpu River in 1999 sweeps along the historic buildings of the Bund on the western shore.

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Caption: The sweeping curve of the "U-turn Bund" ramp, connecting the Yan'an Elevated Road to the Bund, offered drivers an awe-inspiring view of Pudong's futuristic skyline. Though demolished in 2008, its brief existence left an unforgettable mark on Shanghai's landscape.

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Caption: The Bund historic buildings are illuminated by a state-of-the-art lighting system, creating a stunning spectacle every evening.

3. Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall: A historic avenue is reborn as a shopping paradise

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Caption: Shanghai's iconic commercial avenue reopened as a pedestrian street in 1999, welcoming millions of visitors daily. The bustling, transformed street has since become a symbol of Shanghai's vibrant consumer culture and international appeal.

Credit: Wang Rongjiang / SHINE

Caption: Workers in 1999 laid the groundwork for Nanjing Road's transformation into a pedestrian-only thoroughfare.

Credit: Wang Rongjiang / SHINE

Caption: From 1995, Nanjing Road allowed cars to pass through on workdays, leaving weekends as a reprieve for pedestrians.

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Caption: Stretching all the way to the Bund, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall has become famous for its luxury boutiques nestled among venerated shops selling specialty local foods.

Credit: Liu Xin

Caption: Cutting-edge 5G and augmented reality technology have been involved in the pedestrian street.

4. Suzhou Creek: From polluted waterway to scenic waterfront

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Caption: Cargo ships once plied the waters of Suzhou Creek.

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Caption: Urban renewal has turned the banks of Suzhou Creek from industrial to residential and recreational. Pictured here is the iconic Embankment Building.

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: Completing the makeover of the once-polluted waterway are pedestrian pathways along the Suzhou Creek riverbanks.

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Caption: The Suzhou Creek now hosts rowing competitions featuring local and international teams.

5. Infrastructure milestones: Connecting a growing city

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Caption: The 1999 opening of the ultra-modern Pudong International Airport marked a big step in the city's profile as a major Asian gateway.

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Caption: During the May Day holiday in 2024, Shanghai's two major airports, Pudong and Hongqiao, handled 11,000 flights and served 1.7 million passengers.

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Caption: Metro Line 1, the city's first and only subway line, running at full capacity, embodied the growing demand for efficient urban transport around 2000.

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Caption: Huaqiao Station on Metro Line 11 which connects Suzhou. Shanghai's Metro system spans over 800 kilometers, ranking among the longest in the world and serving millions of riders daily.

Credit: Zhang Yichen

Caption: In April 2023, the "Shenchong" tunnel shield machine begins working on the Chongming Metro Line which will dig cross the Yangtze River to connect China's third largest island with the Pudong New Area.

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Caption: Nanpu Bridge and its spiraling access ramps were once the main conduit across the Huangpu River. Shanghai now boasts 13 bridges and around 20 tunnels across the Huangpu River.

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Caption: Shanghai now boasts 13 bridges and around 20 tunnels across the Huangpu River, making travel between its two banks more convenient than ever.

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Caption: Once the pinnacle of modern transport, Shanghai Railway Station served as the gateway to China. It was called "New Passenger Station" by Shanghai residents. Today, it stands alongside Shanghai's expanded rail network.

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Caption: An aerial view of the Shanghai South Railway Station. With three major train stations and several smaller ones, Shanghai is seamlessly linked to the Yangtze River Delta and the rest of the nation.

6. Urban renewal, improved lifestyle: Dilapidated housing torn down, replaced by modern apartments

Caption: Modern apartment blocks of Zhongyuan Liangwan Cheng (Brilliant City) in this 2006 file photo were built on the site of a notorious shantytown razed in 1999.

Credit: Sun Zhongqin / Xinmin Evening News

Caption: The northern bank of Suzhou Creek where Zhongyuan Liangwan Cheng is located has been transformed into a popular destination for walking and urban sports, including annual international dragon boat races.

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Caption: The Tian An 1000 Trees mall, dubbed the city's Hanging Gardens of Babylon, is situated beside the Suzhou Creek.

7. Industrial evolution: From old factories to sites of advanced development

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Caption: In preparation for the World Expo 2010 Shanghai, the Huangpu River's iconic shipyard was relocated to the mouth of the Yangtze River, and the site became a model of global innovation and renewal.

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Caption: Once the bustling Beipiao Coal Wharf along the Huangpu River, the area has been transformed into the vibrant West Bund waterfront. Today, it features world-class museums, art galleries, AI companies and popular riverside paths.

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Caption: The West Bund commercial district is now a center for artificial intelligence innovation, solidifying Shanghai's position as a global leader in AI technology.

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Caption: The West Bund commercial district is now a hub for artificial intelligence research and development as Shanghai positions itself as a global leader in the new technology.

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Caption: Along the Yangpu waterfront, vibrant tulip-filled flowerbeds adorn the riverside public space and offer scenic views of the Huangpu River. The 15.5-kilometer riverside stretch, once home to many of China's earliest industries, has been turned into a national demonstration zone for the protection and adaptive reuse of industrial heritage sites.