Shopping
Shanghai is hailed as the "Shopping Paradise" and "Oriental Paris". So if you come to Shanghai, shopping should not be missed any more than its other charming attractions. Providing the very best of shopping has become an indispensable part of Shanghai's tourism industry.
Shopping areas in Shanghai are clearly divided into "Four Streets and Four Cities". Nanjing Road, one of the four streets, enjoys the reputation of No.1 Commercial Street in China Huaihai Road, no less famous than Nanjing Road, is celebrated for its elegance. It features top-end designer brands from all over the world. North Sichuan Road offers good inexpensive merchandise and is always the first choice of ordinary people. Food and tourism are well provided for on Middle Tibet Road, one of the Four Streets.
Parkson Shopping Center on the Huaihai Road is worth visiting. Here you will find reasonable prices and many special offers in the form of discounts and other promotions. Even the brand-name clothing is reasonably priced here.
Maison Mode, located at No.1312, Huaihai Road, claims to be the aristocrat on this street. You will find the leading designer brands such as Ferragamo, Hugo Boss, Bally, Kenzo, etc. here. It is no exaggeration to say that the reputation of Huaihai Road is enhanced by the presence of Maison Mode.
Yuyuan Shopping City, Xujiahui Shopping City, New Shanghai Shopping City and Jiali Sleepless City are the bustling "Four Cities" in Shanghai. Yuyuan Shopping City is the venue for specialist Chinese goods ranging from small articles, local crafts and the like to antiques, jade wares and gold and silver jewelry. The newly-established shopping and entertainment plaza, Xujiahui consists of large stores where you can obtain both costly and middle-range priced goods in abundance. New Shanghai Shopping City is on the grand scale and offers the best facilities and amenities. Located in the middle of Pudong Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone, it is surrounded by a variety of retail outlets. Like a bright pearl on the landscape, Jiali Sleepless City facing Shanghai Railway Station, and on the Subway line 1, is a bustling commercial area.
Gu Embroidery is also known as Lu Xiang Yuan Embroidery. Lu Xiang Yuan, Dew Fragrance Garden in Chinese, was where the Gu Family lived. From the start, Gu Embroidery was different from other styles as it specialized in painting and calligraphy. The inventor of Gu Embroidery was a concubine of Gu Mingshi's first son, Gu Huihai. Later, Han Ximeng, the wife of the second grandson of Gu Mingshi developed the skill and was reputed as "Saint Needle". Some of her masterpieces are kept in the Forbidden City.Today Gu Embroidery has become a special local product in Shanghai.
Silk
Shanghai is close to Suzhou-home to the finest silk products in the world so it possible to find fine silk products at good prices. Silk at the Shanghai Silk Building is excellent quality and many local residents shop there. The company has branches in Huaihai Road (add: 226 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Huating Lu) and Nanjing Road: No, 588 East Nanjing Road.
Porcelain
Shanghai Museum has some of the best Porcelain on offer. Location: No.201 Renming Da Dao. In some big department stores, you may find porcelain made in Jingdezhen.
Curio Street at Dongtai Road
The Curio Street at Dongtai Road is the antique-hunter's mecca. Slightly over-200-meter long, the street is lined with more than 125 small shops selling a mind-boggling variety of items. The main products are China wares, bronze wares, jade pieces, bamboo and wood carvings, calligraphy, paintings, badges, Chairman Mao memorabilia ancient ink, paper, brush pen and inkslabs.
Books and Videos
Shanghai Xinhua Book Store has over 4,000 branches throughout the city. The one close to east Nanjing Road is on the 5th floor at No. 221 Middle Henan Road.
Clothes & shoes
Check the shopping malls at Nanjing Road or Huaihai Road for world renowned brand fashion items and try the Changle Road and Miaoming Road if you want boutiques, especially if you would like to purchase a Qibao (Chinese Cheongsam). The Chinese Cheongsam street in Changle Road contains about 20 cheongsam shops. Most of the shops provide tailoring services. It can be found close to Jingjiang Hotel. Shaanxi Road and Huacao Road are crowded with small shoe shops with cheap prices.