A panoramic tour of Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou, Part IV

The small scale Suzhou Creek branches into the River Pu. The above shows a section of the creek right by the Two Bay City Development and Moganshan. Many thirty to forty stories high residential tower blocks line along but way too close to the creek; it is but a domineering development attitude with little regard for nature and historical context, and essentially a failure of urban scale or an urban problem without order. In turn, many locals chided the creek as the backyard drainage of Shanghai. Once, like many other developments in haste, the river was badly fouled due to irresponsible dumping directly into the river. After badly plagued for years, the Shanghai Municipality has been making effort to clean up the river. Again, many locals chided that they have found fish swimming in the creek after so many years for not seeing any lives at all.

Despite all, crossing the bridge and immediately turning left into those degraded or abandoned building setting, Moganshan is a place I like to visit. It is also nicknamed SOHO of Shanghai. The former rice warehouse is now being slowly revamped into a very nice cultural niche. Many artists and predominantly painters have taken over the place to flex their artistic skills. With fame escalating as time goes by, together with renting for a studio or gallery, the properties around the immediate area have also appraised in values.

August 13th 2007