Historical Shanghai in Pictures (Part One)

The Shanghai Bund (1930)

Nanjing Lu 1930

Historically in Shanghai, various shops promote their own goods and attract customers by having street entertainment at their respective shops such as musical dances, instrumental performances, or even shouting "lai lai lai" (come, come, come!) This tradition is still carried out in Shanghai at the former Wing On Departmental Store building in Nanjing Lu. The authentic videos and snips can be found in the film "Scenes of The City Life" produced in 1930, Shanghai.

The bridge at the Northern Side of the Shanghai Bund leading to a hotel (now bought over by Bayer )

The street scene at Wing On Departmental Store at Nanjing Lu (1932)

Nanjing Lu (1930)

Seong`hoi Mui (Shanghai Girls) - Part One

Chinese marketing and advertising can be very strong and eye-capturing advertisements filled with vivid colors and attractive Shanghainese beauties. Like billboards today, Shanghainese advertisments have equal power of marketing their product to the people. They play with beauty. All of the advertisements were hand-painted, hardly any photgraphed advertisements. Signatures of the artists will be signed on the piece and later to be sent for production.

In the past, you can find these advertisements at the streets of Shanghai pasted everywhere, and it is common that someone would take home a piece! That is where in most homes in Shanghai relatively the Shikumen, Xintiandi, they have beauty posters in rooms to cherish the warm-welcoming homely atmosphere in their residence. These posters have steel/tin strips at each edge. Those advertisements with calendars are the popular ones at home.

The beauties were not so appealing and attractive when the advertisements using women as their models in the 1900's. In the 1920's the acceptance of shorter length cheongsams* were relatively popular in Shanghai, they've got shorter sleeves, some sleeveless and posing in a manner that is appealing to the eyes of the consumers. Sex appeals were at upmost importance for advertising in the 1930's when there are numerous advertisements of women revealing their breasts and some body-part teasers to attract men more.

As you can see in the pictures here, they were the first few advertisements where the fashion is controversial. Long length cheongsams, even sleeves were used to promote the goods. Sex appeals were not that important at that time. These pictures lasted from 1900's till 1920's before the depression age.