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Hong Kong Cityscape
Photograph by Ghani Khan, My Shot
China’s urban developments of Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing showcase the intersection of ancient philosophies and technological advancement. Known as Asia’s Manhattan, Hong Kong is a rapidly growing center of international finance and is home to more skyscrapers than any other city on Earth.
Here, a flash of red plies the nighttime waters of the South China Sea as shining skyscrapers mark the prosperity of Hong Kong. With seven million people living in its 426-square-mile (1,103-square-kilometer) region, the Asian megaport is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. -
Nanjing Road, Shanghai
Photograph by Scott E. Barbour
Consumers stroll along Nanjing Street, where the glow of neon signs brings colorful life to the storefronts of Shanghai’s busiest shopping district. In an effort to capitalize on a booming tourist industry, the government hopes to turn Nanjing Street into the Fifth Avenue of China.
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Chinese Ballet School
Photograph by William Tadlock, My Shot
Uniformed dancers begin a ballet class by completing precise movements on the barre. Friendly relations with Russia during the rule of Mao Zedong in the mid-20th century lead to the implementation of strictly regimented ballet schools for Chinese youth.
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Taikang Road, Shanghai
Photograph by Justin Guariglia
Known for the abundance of struggling artists operating within its cramped studio spaces, Shanghai's Taikang Road remains much the same today as when it was first developed in the 1920s. A recent influx of world-renowned painters, artists, and fashion designers to the area has sparked the opening of new shops and cafes.
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Beijing’s Forbidden City
Photograph by Eko Wibowo Putra, My Shot
Now listed as a World Heritage site, the imperial palace complex of Beijing’s Forbidden City was home to ruling emperors for nearly 500 years after its completion in 1420. It contains 9,999 rooms—nine being a lucky number for the superstitious Chinese.
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Chinese Soldiers
Photograph by Agatha Padovani,
Chinese soldiers stand in formation before taking part in a ceremony outside of Beijing's Forbidden City. Walls measuring 30 feet (10 meters) high and a surrounding moat kept all but royalty and their subordinates off the palace grounds until 1913, when the gates were opened to the public for the first time.
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Beijing Tourists
Photograph by Tsi Wang, My Shot
Benches lining the walls outside the Forbidden City provide a moment’s rest for tourists visiting the ancient imperial palace in Beijing. The 178-acre (72-hectare) complex draws more than seven million tourists each year and ranks as China’s top attraction.
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Ladies Market, Hong Kong
Photograph by Arkadiusz Dudzinski, My Shot
Rain doesn’t discourage shoppers from navigating the hundreds of stalls lining Tung Choi Street in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Known as the Ladies Market, the bazaar offers every variety of women’s wear from cosmetics to undergarments, as well as produce and housewares.
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Beijing Subway
Photograph by Jason Lee/Reuters
The more than 124 miles (200 kilometers) of subway tracks looping Beijing’s busiest thoroughfares provide transportation to 3.4 million people commuting in and out of the nation’s capital each day. After winning the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing gave its subway a face lift, adding new lines to the system as well as making maps and signs more visitor-friendly.
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Breakfast in Chengdu
Photograph by Greg Tillman, My Shot
Though China is more commonly known for its rice products, large wheat crops in the north provide plenty of flour for local bakers. Steamed buns stuffed with meat or vegetables, known as baozi, are a popular breakfast on the go.
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Yu Yuan Teahouses, Shanghai
Photograph by Grant Faint, Getty Images
Near the elaborate Chenghuang, or City God, Temple in Shanghai are the famous Yu Yuan Bazaar and Gardens. Teahouses line the main street, where tourists flock each morning to buy calligraphy, pearls, and antiques.
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Shanghai View
Photograph by Fritz Hoffmann
The 94th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center tower yields an unmatched view of the city’s urban sprawl. At 1,614 feet (492 meters), the building is the tallest skyscraper in China and boasts the world’s highest observation deck on the 100th floor. The building, begun in 1997, took 14 years and more than $1 billion to create.
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Shanghai Highways
Photograph by Sung Ming Whang, My Shot
Shanghai's ever growing network of highways rings the city and links more than 500 cities across 22 provincial areas.
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Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai
Photograph by Justin Guariglia
Combining Chinese architectural style with cutting-edge technology, the Jin Mao Tower boasts 88 stories that reach 1,380 feet (421 meters) into the booming Shanghai skyline. The 88th-floor Skywalk gives visitors a panoramic look at the city as well as a bird’s-eye view of the atrium spiraling down below them.
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Nanjing Yangtze Bridge
Photograph by Wah Joon Cheong, My Shot
A man takes an early morning stroll beneath Nanjing's Yangtze River Bridge, a point of pride for Chinese. Completed in 1968, the bridge came to symbolize the achievements of New China following the Sino-Soviet split.
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Morning Exercise, Shanghai
Photograph by Justin Guariglia
Early risers perform traditional morning exercises on the Bund, Shanghai’s famous riverfront boulevard. Stretching and low-impact exercise have been staples in Chinese culture for centuries.
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Lunar New Year, Hong Kong
Photograph by Ted Aljibe, AFP/Getty Images
Worshippers at Man Mo temple in Hong Kong light joss sticks on the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, praying for fortune and happiness.
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Temple of Heaven Ceremony, Beijing
Photograph by China Photos/Getty Images
A performer dressed as an emperor rehearses his steps for a Chinese Lunar New Year ceremony at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Ancient rulers visited the temple to pray for a good harvest.
