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PrefaceShanghai，though a city relatively young，is a place ofvast splendor and vigor.
In
the 29th year of the Yuan Dynasty（year 1 292 by the Western
calenda~，Shanghai，then an obscurevillage，was officially announced to be
the site of the newly established Shanghai County.This marked
thebeginning of Shanghai’s journey towards its legendary success.On
November 17，1843，Shanghai became thetrading port for foreign
business.Thereafter，Shanghai，because of its special geographic location
and the otheradvantages it enjoyed，was soon able to carry itself to the
spotlight on the world stage.By the time when theRepublic of China was
founded，Shanghai already grew to be the economic，cultural and industrial
center inChina.In terms of population alone，Shanghai in 1930 ranked the
first in China，the second in the Far Eastregion，and it was next only to
London，New York，Paris and Tokyo.Besides，owing to its unique
politicalmakeup（Shanghai at the time was under the jurisdiction of four
different parties from three countries），Shanghai，like a melting
pot，started to embrace conflicting thoughts and currents，projecting
itself as the cradle for China’scontemporary revolution and the capital
for China’s second ideological and cultural renaissance ever
since、theSpring and Autumn and the Warring States Period.In the
meantime，”Shanghai”，the name of the. city.quitelegendized.acquired rich
but paradoxical meanings for itsel Some termed it as the”Paris in the
East”or”NewYork No.11”.while others ridiculed it as”the paradise for the
rich and the hell for the poor”.Some hailed it as”the model for human
civilization”.while others criticized it as”the hotbed for all
evils”.Some called it”be cradleof the Chinese revolution”.while others
condemned it to be”the birthplace for all social diseases”.Some likedit
for being”the supreme headquarters in the proletarian fight”.while
others hated it for being”the bridgeheadfor imperialist exploitation”.In
brief,it is not too much to say that Shanghai seems to deserve any of
the above-mentioned titles.
Then came the founding of the People's
Republic of China in 1949 and the hand-over of the city of Shanghai from
the hold of KMT to the Shanghai People.This meant that the city canle
to the period of rebirth and renewal.Under the leadership of the
Communist Party，Shanghai，in the following years，was able to complete
smoothly the socialist transformation of the agnculture.
