Shanghai, a city located at the mouth of the legendary Yangtze River, is considered to be one of the most exciting global cities. The city is also the largest city by population in China, and is known for its influence in global commerce, finance, media, fashion and technology. Shanghai’s unique culture, luscious parks, and exciting attractions have also made it one of the most popular tourist destinations of Southeast Asia.
A chapter of Shanghai that is now nearing its end is the period of Shikumen, a traditional architectural style of Shanghai which fuses elements of western and Chinese architecture. Appearing in the late 19th century, and beginning to reduce in popularity in the mid-1900, traditional Shikumen Houses were known for their simplicity and uniqueness. The best place to witness this dying chapter of Shanghai is to visit the Shikumen Museum.
Located in the Xintiandi region of Shanghai, known for its conservation of past tradition and culture, the Shikumen Museum is one of the most historically and culturally insightful locations of Shanghai. The museum itself is a refurbished and fully decorated stone-gate Shikumen house with all the traditional features that made this architectural style unique. The museum contains seven exhibition rooms; the Main Bedroom, the Study, the Sitting Room, the Kitchen, the Elderly People’s Room, the Daughters Room and the Son’s Room. Each of these rooms is dotted with various artefacts and memorabilia, each which tell a tale of the lifestyle and culture of the folk that lived in this household. One can expect to find jade lipstick, rogue and powder, and jade hair-clips on the dressing table of the Main Bedroom, while bamboo baskets and traditional cooking utensils can be seen in the Kitchen. A highlight of this museum is the Tingzijiang Room, a room which is usually rented out to promising writers who would later be instrumental in keeping alive the Shikumen lifestyle through their literature. This room too has several memorabilia which offers insights into the life of writers as well as the Shikumen lifestyle. Thus to witness the astounding culture which over 70% of Shanghai’s elders were nurtured in, visit the Shikumen Museum.
Set in the heart of Shanghai’s Xintiandi region is the 88 Xintiandi Shanghai, an intimate and luxury Shanghai boutique hotel. Belonging to the internationally acclaimed Langham Collection of Hotels, this hotel offer accommodation in 53 luxuriously furnished rooms and suites. Surrounded by several key attractions and offering a host of state-of-the-art amenities, this hotel is one of the most comforting and convenient residences in Shanghai.