Origin of “Hu” and “Shen”
Shanghai is called in Chinese“Hu”for short and“Shen”as a nickname. About 6,000 years ago, the western part of today’s Shanghai dried up into land and its eastern part became a piece of land about 2,000 years ago. During the Spring-Autumn and Warring States Periods (770-221 BC), this area was once the feoff of Huang Xie, the Chun Shen Governor of the State of Chu. So,“Shen”comes from the title of the governor. During the Jin Dynasty (4th-5th centuries), fishermen living along the Songjiang River (today’s Suzhou Creek) and the coast of the East China Sea created a fishing tool called“Hu”. By combining the name of the fishing tool and the then term for estuary of big rivers, they coined a Chinese character“Hu”to name the place as it sits at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the longest river in China.
Founding of the City
The Shanghai area was under the administration of Huating County (the Songjiang District of today) in AD751. The upper stream of the Songjiang River clogged in 991, causing the costal line to move eastward and stranding vessel traffic. Inbounding vessels had to anchor on the “river mouth of Shanghai”, a branch of Songjiang River which is now the Bund and Shiliupu Dock section of the Huangpu River. In 1267, Shanghai Town was set up on the west bank of the Huangpu River. In 1292, the then central government approved the establishment of Shanghai County in this area, which has been widely deemed as the official beginning of the city of Shanghai.
Modern Age
In the 16th century (or the middle period of the Ming Dynasty), Shanghai became the national center of textile and handicraft industry. In 1685, the central government of the Qing Dynasty set up its customs office in Shanghai. In the mid-19th century, the city evolved into a major trading port. On May 27, 1949, Shanghai was liberated by the People’s Liberation Army of the Communist Party of China from the Kuomintang rule and began to write its chapter in the history of the development of New China.
Historic Transformation
Shanghai has undergone a historic transformation since its liberation on May 27, 1949. In the past more than 60 years, the city has seen marked progress in its economic and social development. Particularly, since the Chinese government adopted the reform and opening policy in 1978, Shanghai has made outstanding achievements in building itself into a megalopolis. Entering the 21st Century, Shanghai persisted on its innovation-driven development and economic restructuring and upgrading. The city is opening up a new prospect to turn itself into one of the world’s economic, financial, trade and shipping centers and a modern international metropolis.