INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MULTI-NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS - Introduction to Shanghai and Tongji University

Shanghai, which literally means the "City on the Sea," lies in the Yangtze River Delta at the point where China's main waterway completes its 5,500-kilometre (3,400-mile) journey to the Pacific. It is called in Chinese "Hu" for short and "Shen" as a nickname.

The city, started out as a tiny fishing village 800 years ago in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), has grown up into the economic center of China and the fast-rising star on the west coast of the Pacific. Shanghai proper now has a total area of 6,340.5 square kilometres (including Chongming Island, the third-largest island of China). The city occupies 0.06 percent of China's total territory. It has 18 districts and one county under its jurisdiction. Its population has recently topped 20 million. The city is undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions the world has seen. Since 1992, the city has maintained a double-digit annual GDP growth rate and is well on its way to becoming East Asia's leading business city. While it can't match the epic history of Beijing or Xi'an's grander sights, Shanghai is the epitome of modern China and a cosmopolitan city featuring architectural temples of art, fine dining and contemporary urban living.

The city is excitedly preparing to host the World Expo in 2010, in which about 200 nations and international organizations will participate. All of the nations will contribute a unique perspective on the Expo's theme – Better City, Better Life. The Exposition will be the first registered World Exposition in a developing country, which gives expression to the expectations the world's people place on China's future development. By 2010, the city expects to complete 11 new subway lines and a connection to Hangzhou via a 450 kilometer per hour maglev train. More than 70 million visitors will flock into the city over the six-month period. There is no doubt the Chinese people will present to the world a successful, splendid and unforgettable exposition.

Part 1： Introduction to Shanghai, P.R China
●Useful Information

Time Zones

GMT/UTC +8 (Standard Time)

Climate

With a pleasant northern subtropical maritime monsoon climate, Shanghai enjoys four distinct seasons, generous sunshine and abundant rainfall. January February and March tend to be the coldest months, with temperatures reaching as low as 0 degrees Celsius. April May and June follow, and this is Shanghai’s rainy season. The hottest season runs from July to September, with temperatures reaching the high 30’s and high humidity levels. September begins to cool down to a comfortable 20 degrees and the comfortable temperatures of September continue into October and November. December begins to cool down to about 15 degrees.
The average daytime temperature in November is 62F (17C) and average number of rainy days is 8. It will be chilly during the day and cooler at night in late November when the conference is held in Shanghai.

Languages Spoken
Mandarin is the standard spoken language in China.
Locals also speak the Shanghai dialect, which sounds very different from Mandarin.

Country Dialing Code
+86
Shanghai's city code
021

WEIGHTS and MEASURES

Kilograms and metric system is used in China as weight and measuring system.

Electrical Plugs

220V 50Hz

A universal adapter is especially useful in China as wall outlets come in a bewildering variety of configurations: two- and three-pronged round plugs, as well as two-pronged flat sockets.

Money

Chinese currency is the Renminbi (RMB), usually called the Yuan. The easiest way to obtain Chinese currency in Shanghai is at an ATM. HSBC's machines are the most reliable. Otherwise, the best places to convert your dollars into yuan are at your hotel's front desk or a branch of a major bank, such as Bank of China, CITIC, or HSBC. All these operate with standardized government rates -- anything cheaper is illegal, and thus risky. You need to present your passport to change money.

Please take some cash with you! Many Chinese stores and supermarkets don't accept credit cards. Coins are also handy, as many automatic vending machines take coins.

Credit Cards

In Shanghai, American Express, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted at most major hotels and a growing number of upmarket stores and restaurants. Diners Club is accepted at many hotels and some restaurants.

Get In

By Plane
Shanghai has two major airports: most international flights go through ultramodern Pudong International Airport (PVG), 45 km (30 mi) east of the city, wheras domestic routes operate out of the older Hongqiao International Airport (SHA), 15 km (9 mi) west of the city center.

Airport Information

Pudong International Airport (8621)96081388
Hongqiao International Airport (8621)52604620
http://www.shanghaiairport.com/en/

By Train
Shanghai is at the junction of the Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing-Hangzhou train lines. Since these branch off in various directions, many parts of the country can be reached by direct train from Shanghai. Most trains arrive and depart from Shanghai station.

By Ferry
Boats leave from Shanghai's Wusong Passenger Terminal for destinations along the Yangzi River such as Wuhan and Chongqing; coastal cities such as Nantong, Dalian, and Ningbo; and the outlying island of Putuoshan. There are also regular ships and ferries to Korea and Japan.

By Bus
China has some fabulous luxury long-distance buses with air-conditioning and movies. Many intercity services depart more regularly than trains. Most of Shanghai's long-distance services leave from the Shanghai Long Distance bus station.
Bus Information
Shanghai Long Distance Bus Station (North Square, Shanghai Railway Station, 1662 Zhongxing Lu, Zhabei. 021-66050000)

Getting Around
Transport cards costing Y10 are available from the metro stations and can be charged with however much money you like. These can be used in taxis, on metros, and on some buses. They aren't discounted, but they'll save you time you would have spent joining queues and fumbling for cash.

By Taxi
Taxis are plentiful, easy to spot, and by far the most comfortable way to get around Shanghai. There's a base fee of Y11 for the first 3 km (2 mi), then Y2 per km for the first 10 km (6 mi), then Y3 per kilometer thereafter. After 10 PM the base fee goes up to Y14, and there's a 20% surcharge per kilometer. You also pay for waiting time in traffic.

By Subway

Shanghai's quick and efficient subway system -- called the Shanghai Metro -- is an excellent way to get around town, and the network is growing exponentially. The Shanghai Metro network now has 8 lines with another 3 under construction. Subway stations are marked by signs with a jagged red "M" for Metro. The trains are fast, cheap and fairly user-friendly with most signs also in English, but the trains can get very packed at rush hour. Fares range from ¥3 to ¥9 depending on distance. You can now transfer between lines freely with a single ticket. The metro can also use Shanghai's public transportation card.

More Information on Live In Shanghai (http://live2.shanghaidaily.com/detail.asp?type=editor&id=46)

Part 1： Introduction to Shanghai, P.R China
●Scenes and Tourist Sites

New Bund

The Bund is the “name card” of Shanghai. The new Bund lies along the west bank of the Huangpu River between Waibaidu Bridge and Nanpu Bridge. The four-kilometer-long thoroughfare was listed as one of the top 10 new scenes and tourist attractions in the city. Along the Bund, there are buildings of different Chinese and Western architectural styles, nicknamed the contemporary world expo of architectures. This cultural heritage of mankind has epitomized the modern history of Shanghai. The modern skyline at the Lujiazui across the Huangpu River is within easy view, and as the night sets in, the scene along the Bund is fantastic.

People's Square

Located at the very center of the city, People's Square, nicknamed "city's green lung," is a garden-type open space surrounded by buildings and facilities for administration, cultural activities, transportation and commerce. On its north is the People's Mansion, to its northwest the Shanghai Grand Theater, to its northeast the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, and to its south the Shanghai Museum. Flanked on both sides by 17-meter-wide greenbelts, People's Avenue goes across the center of the square. The total green areas in the square reach 80,000 square meters.

Orient Pearl Broadcasting and Television Tower

It is one of the city's tourist landmarks. Serving for radio and television broadcasting as well as recreation and sightseeing, the 460-meter-tall tower is the highest TV tower in Asia and the third highest in the world. It features broadcasting, entertainment and tourist facilities. Tourist can get a bird's-eye view of the city at the 263-meter-high observatory room and the 350-meter-high "space cabin." At 267 meters high is a rotating restaurant, the highest one of its kind in Asia. The ground floor of the structure is a historical museum featuring the city's history, including the life-like scenes of old Shanghai streets.

One of Shanghai's landmarks, the building is the tallest in China and the third tallest in the world. Overlooking the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone in Pudong, Jin Mao is an intelligent building offering services for business, hotel, recreation, sightseeing and shopping. It covers a total floor area of 290,000 square meters and is 420.5 meters high. It has 88 stories above the ground and three stories underground. The 88th floor is the highest and largest sightseeing hall in China, offering a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the city to up to more than 1,000 tourists at a time.

Jin Mao Tower

Shanghai Xintiandi

Shanghai Xintiandi is an urban tourist attraction imbued with the city's historical and cultural legacies. The 30,000-square-meter trendy entertainment complex is nestled in the very center of the city, close to the bustling Huaihai Road C., the Huangpi Road S. Station of the Metro Line and the conjunction of the north-south and east-west elevated roads. It showcases the perfect blending of Shanghai's traditional "Shikumen" houses and state-of-the-art buildings. It features a multitude of restaurants and cafes, retail, entertainment, cultural, recreational, commercial and residential facilities in restored -- stone-gate buildings. It's where Shanghai's rich history meets the modern posh lifestyle.

Yuyuan Garden

Under well preservation, the Yuyuan Garden in city center is a famous garden featuring southern China structures. Construction of the garden started in 1559. Its layout features the garden styles of the southern part of the country during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Enjoying a lasting reputation as "Wooded Hill in City," the garden is very well preserved. Carved dragons wind across atop the walls which divide the garden into different scenes. The pavilions, ponds, man-made stone formations have formed 48 scenic spots, including ancient buildings, rare stones and centuries-old trees.

Cuisines

As an international city, Shanghai offers all kinds of cuisines from around the world. Different styles of cuisine meet and merge in Shanghai only to create the so-called Shanghai style cuisine, influenced by Beijing cuisine, Yangzhou cuisine, Guangdong cuisine and Sichuan cuisine, together with the foods of Suzhou, Wuxi, Ningbo and Hangzhou flavors, making Shanghai an ideal "gourmet kingdom".

Some specially featured restaurants recommended to you: The Shanghai Old Restaurant and De Xing Restaurant are famous for their authentic Shanghai style cuisine; Yanyun Lou Restaurant and Beijing Restaurant offer well-known Beijing food; Our top recommendation for Yangzhou cuisine is the Yangzhou Restaurant; The most famous restaurants that provide typical Guangdong food are the Xin Ya Restaurant and the Xin Hua Lou Restaurant.

In addition, there are gourmet streets in the city that international tourists may never forget--Yunnan Road Gourmet Street, Zhapu Road Gourmet Street and Old Town Bazaar which are famous for local snacks, dishes and dim sum.

Foreign style restaurants and coffee shops are found all over the city, among them are French, Russian and German a la Carte restaurants, American fast food restaurants, Italian Pizza Huts, Japanese Sushi bars, Korean BBQ houses, as well restaurants of Indian, Vietnamese, Thai and Mexican flavors.
Shanghai restaurants will surely satisfy you with a great variety of nice food, and we hope you will be a gourmet expert on Chinese food culture in a short period of time.

Part 1： Introduction to Shanghai, P.R China
●Shanghai------Gallery


A View of Shanghai Pudong Skyline	The Bund at Night

Skyscrapers of Pudong New Area, Shanghai	Shanghai Grand Theatre

A maglev train leaves Shanghai's Pudong International Airport	F1 in Shanghai

People Performing Tai Chi in Shanghai	Shanghai’ Unique Shikumen Architecture

Donghai Bridge, the longest cross-sea bridge in the world and the longest bridge in Asia, has a total length of 32.5 kilometres (20.2 miles) and connects mainland Shanghai and the offshore Yangshan deep-water port in China.

Part 2： Introduction to Tongji University(The Official Website of Tongji University)
●Brief Introduction

Tongji University is one of the leading universities directly under the State Ministry of Education in China. It offers degree programs both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The university has School of Sciences, School of Architecture and Urban Planning, School of Civil Engineering , Mechanical School, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Material Science and Engineering, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, School of Traffic and Transportation, Medical School, School of Liberal Arts and Law, School of Foreign Languages,School of Economics and Management, School of Software Engineering, school of Ocean and Earth Science.

In addition, there are Institute of Further Education, Institute of Higher Technology, Institute of Vocational and Technical Education, Institute of E-Education, Women's College, Institute of Automobile Marketing and Sino-German Institute which is authorized by Chinese and German governments to run postgraduate courses. There are also six university hospitals located in different campuses.

The university now registers over 50,000 students at all levels from certificate and diploma courses to Bachelors Degrees, Masters, PhD programs and post doctoral attachments. There are over 4200 academic staff for teaching and/or research, among whom there are 6 Members of Chinese Academy of Science, 7 Members of Chinese Academy of Engineering, over 710 professors and 1500 associate professors. The university offers diverse courses in its 82 Bachelors Degrees, 218 Masters, 94 PhD programs and 16 post doctoral mobile stations. As one of the state leading centers for scientific research, the university has 22 state key laboratories and engineering research centers.

The university has been one of the most popular universities in the country, attracting a large number of students from all parts of China and all over the world. In particular, it has become the number one choice of those who are pursuing a career in the field of architecture and civil engineering. The university has developed close links with industry, which provides its students with opportunities of obtaining first-hand information through interaction with the society. That explains why graduates from Tongji University are much sought after by employers throughout the country.

Part 2： Introduction to Tongji University
●History

The history of Tongji University can be traced back to 1907 when Tongji German Medical School was founded by Erich Paulun, a German doctor in Shanghai. The name Tongji suggests cooperating by riding the same boat. The school was expanded to include engineering in its programs and got its new name as Tongji Medical and Engineering School in 1912. It was formally established as a university in 1923 and was renamed as National Tongji University in 1927. During the Anti-Japanese War (1937 -1945), the university campus was moved from Shanghai first to Zhejiang Province, then to Jiangxi Province and Yunnan Province and later to Sichuan Province. It was eventually moved back to Shanghai in 1946. It then grew to be a comprehensive university which offered programs in science, engineering, medicine, arts and law. The university became known both at home and abroad soon. Following a nationwide campaign of reorganizing schools and departments between universities in 1952, Tongji University became a university with strength in engineering, esp. in civil engineering. Authorized by the state central government, the university restored its relationship with Germany in 1978. Professor Jiang Jingbo, president of the university and a member of the China Science Academy, launched two transforms, that is, transform from a university with strength in civil engineering to a comprehensive university with strength in engineering; and transform from a university well-known in China to an international university known to the world. Since then the university gradually developed to be a comprehensive university strong in engineering which also offered programs in science, economics, management, arts and law. As a university which had established a reputation for its research, Tongji became one of the first group of universities which were authorized by the China State Council to establish its Graduate School. As one of the leading universities, it was successful in its application for the 211 Program which provided universities with substantial government fund. In 1995 the university became one to be jointly built by the State Education Commission and the Shanghai Municipal Government. In 1996 the university merged with Shanghai Institute of Urban Construction and Shanghai Institute of Building Materials. The merger was hailed by the State Council as Tongji Model in the system reform of higher institutions in China. In April 2000, the expanded Tongji merged again with Shanghai Railway University. Now Tongji University has become a comprehensive university which offers a wide range of programs in sciences, engineering, medicine, arts, law, economics and management.

Part 2： Introduction to Tongji University
●Campus Scenery


Pillar of National Tongji University	The Statue of Chairman Mao in front of the Library
The Library Interior	Snow View of Sanhaowu
Building of School of Ocean and Earth Science	Rui’an Building of Graduate Students
Building of Sino-German Institute	Building Interior of School of Architecture and Urban Planning
Studying in the Library	Graduation
Overview of Jiading New Campus


Buildings in Jiading Campus