I am not too sure why I am writing about Xintiandi now. The Xintiandi at Shanghai was the first place that I saw when I moved to Shanghai. I was staying at a service apartment, which was a five minute walk from the Xintiandi.
When I arrived in Shanghai at 5:00 pm on the 27th October 2002, I was not too sure of what to expect. Like many Indians, I was bred on the tales of the 1962 war, and on talesof faceless Chinese in shapeless Mao suits.
And then, after I had settled down in my service apartment, I wandered out to explore, and I walked on to the Xintiandi. It was one of those "Holy Shit!!" moments, a moment when I realised that China had moved so far ahead of India in more ways than one. The infrastructure, the lights and the general ambience, the sheer energy of the Xintiandi were far greater than anything I had ever experienced in India.
I had dinner that night, at the Paulaner, and that was another "Holy Shit" moment for me. There, on a stool right next to me, was this young, shapely Chinese girl in a backless dress, perched on the knee of a young, good looking European fellow. As I mentioned, this was another "Holy Shit" moment, when I realised that this was one more way that China had moved in such a different direction from India.
Later, as I went to the Xintiandi more often, I realised the sheer practical nature of the Chinese. To be sure, there are many places in Shanghai that are much more interesting than the manufactured, somewhat artificial and unreal excitement of the Xintiandi.
The Xintiandi's architecture is somewhat unique, in that it retains much of the Shikumen structure. It was the residence of Shanghai's people in the early 1900's, and was near the site of the First Conference of the Chinese Communist Party, which is visible at the Museum of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.
In India, such a place would be revered, and you would have millions of sullen, snarling guards advising you to be appropriately reverent when entering the area. Corrupt politicians would periodically visit the place, and pontificate about true, simple values while, at the same time bleeding the country dry.
Here, in China, the commerce and the energy of modern life blend in easily with the old architecture, and for those who are interested in history, the Museum exists.
The great thing about the Xintiandi, is that people tend to gravitate there, for the sheer convenience of it all. Whether it is pubs, the Cabaret, movie, a coffee, shopping, or a neat place to pick up girls, the Xintiandi has something to offer everyone. And, it bursts with energy in an extravagant celebration of life.
The Xintiandi gave me my first two "Holy Shit" moments in China, and for this I am eternally grateful. It opened up my mind to China and to the Chinese people, and some of my more enduring friendships have been with the people of this wonderful country.
I have said it before, I'll say it again now, and I will say it again in the future - politicians of our two countries would do well to forge the ties of friendship. We have much to learn and gain from each other.
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