CultureShock! Shanghai , livre ebook

Marshall Cavendish International - Sharol Gauthier

Découvre YouScribe en t'inscrivant gratuitement

Je m'inscris

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

217 pages

English

Vous pourrez modifier la taille du texte de cet ouvrage

Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne
En savoir plus

A propos
Informations
Extrait

Description

CultureShock! Shanghai is the complete guide for those who are trying to get a handle on China's glittering crown jewel that is both charmingly ancient yet stunningly ultra-modern. Can you tell your xiaolongbao from your xiaolongxia? What is this nebulous concept called guan xi? Is being called a laowai a pejorative? Boasting some of the world's tallest buildings, largest businesses, longest bridges, fastest trains and elevators, and finest restaurants, Shanghai is a megacity and world-class financial centre that may well be the world's first cashless society, but it also has cosy streets filled with napping bicyclists, dancers in full costume and seniors with bird cages. With impressive light shows, backlit freeways and luminous skylines, Shanghai is truly a city of light. Get the most out of your stay with this guide to the Asian metropolis par excellence.

Sujets

Travel writing

China

Informations

Publié par	Marshall Cavendish International
Date de parution	23 septembre 2019
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9789814751841
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	10 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0550€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

2019 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited
Text Sharol Gauthier
Published by Marshall Cavendish Editions
An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International

All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Requests for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196. Tel: (65) 6213 9300
E-mail: genref@sg.marshallcavendish.com Website: www.marshallcavendish.com/genref
The publisher makes no representation or warranties with respect to the contents of this book, and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
Other Marshall Cavendish Offices:
Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown NY 10591-9001, USA Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd, 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Marshall Cavendish is a registered trademark of Times Publishing Limited
National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Name(s): Gauthier, Sharol.
Title: CultureShock! Shanghai : a survival guide to customs and etiquette / Sharol Gauthier.
Other titles(s): Shanghai : a survival guide to customs and etiquette | Culture shock Shanghai |
Series: Culture shock!
Description: Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2019. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifier(s): OCN 1113858154 | ISBN 978-981-4751-84-1
Subject(s): LCSH: Etiquette--China--Shanghai. | Shanghai (China)--Social life and customs. | Shanghai (China)--Description and travel.
Classification: DDC 951.132--dc23
Printed in Singapore
Photo Credits:
All photos by the author except the following by Iman: x , 7 , 8 and 232 .
Cover photo by Zifeng Zhang on Unsplash.com .
All illustrations by Sukhbir Cheema
ABOUT THE SERIES
Culture shock is a state of disorientation that can come over anyone who has been thrust into unknown surroundings, away from one s comfort zone. CultureShock! is a series of trusted and reputed guides which has, for decades, been helping expatriates and long-term visitors to cushion the impact of culture shock whenever they move to a new country.
Written by people who have lived in the country and experienced culture shock themselves, the authors share all the information necessary for anyone to cope with these feelings of disorientation more effectively. The guides are written in a style that is easy to read and covers a range of topics that will arm readers with enough advice, hints and tips to make their lives as normal as possible again.
Each book is structured in the same manner. It begins with the first impressions that visitors will have of that city or country. To understand a culture, one must first understand the people-where they came from, who they are, the values and traditions they live by, as well as their customs and etiquette. This is covered in the first half of the book.
Then on with the practical aspects-how to settle in with the greatest of ease. Authors walk readers through how to find accommodation, get the utilities and telecommunications up and running, enrol the children in school and keep in the pink of health. But that s not all. Once the essentials are out of the way, venture out and try the food, enjoy more of the culture and travel to other areas. Then be immersed in the language of the country before discovering more about the business side of things.
To round off, snippets of information are offered before readers are tested on customs and etiquette. Useful words and phrases, a comprehensive resource guide and list of books for further research are also included for easy reference.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Preface
Map of China
City Map
Chapter 1
First Impressions
City of Contrasts
First Night in Shanghai
Welcome to the Zoo
The Asian Squat
The Sound and the Fury
Air Quality
Life Elevated
The Most Dangerous Game
Bamboo
Embrace Your Inner Laowai
Chapter 2
Geography and History
What s in a Name?
Bring a Raincoat (and a Fan)
Bridges to Everywhere
Puxi and Pudong
The Past as Prologue
The Opium Wars (1839-1860)
Female Piracy
The Concessions
The Whore of the Orient (1850s-1942)
The Japanese Occupation (1942-1945)
The Great Leap Forward and Famine (1949-1963)
During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)
The Shanghai Communiqu (1972)
Culture and National Pride
Betty Barr and George Wang
Chapter 3
People and Values
Diversity
Secularism in China
Confucious Says
Socialism with Chinese Characteristics
Taboos and Superstition
Chinese New Year
Competition and Hard Work
Modesty
Homosexuality
Chapter 4
Socializing and Fitting In
Xenophobia
Making Friends
Socializing
Making the Transition
Guanxi
Face
Social Media
Weddings and Marriage
Chinese Etiquette
To Queue, or Not to Queue
Chapter 5
Practicalities
Obtaining a Visa
Police Registration
Finding a Home
Puxi or Pudong
What to Bring
Shopping for the Basics
Hiring an Ayi
Getting Around Town
Health Incidentals
Money Matters
Mail Service
Internet
Cable and Satellite TV
Cell Phones
Foreign and International Schools
Chapter 6
Food Culture
East vs West
The Food Culture
Food Safety
Shanghai s Regional Cuisine
Food Basics
Shanghainese Dishes
Street Food
Everything Made Or Delivered
Chapter 7
Enjoying Shanghai
Getting In and Out of Shanghai
The Shanghai Railways
Day Trips from Shanghai
Weekend Excursions from Shanghai
Temples
Playing the Role of Tourist
Museums
Shopping
Art and Culture
Night Life
Street Life
Chapter 8
The Language
Overview
Learning Chinese
Simplified vs Traditional Characters
Tones
Pinyin
Navigating Street Signs
Shanghainese
Chinglish
Chapter 9
Working in Shanghai
The Foreign Employment Sectors
Friends in High Places
Workplace Attitudes
Chapter 10
Fast Facts
Culture Quiz
Dos and Don ts
Glossary
Resource Guide
Further Reading
About the Author
Index
Construction began on the glamorous Pudong skyline a mere 30 years ago.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have to admit in hindsight that one of my first thoughts about Shanghai was that it wasn t a very livable city. What did I know, then? Not much, it turns out. At that point, I hardly knew the city at all! Five years later, I see Shanghai through a very different lens. Clearly, I had culture shock. The truth is, Shanghai is a spectacular city. Better than that, it is a fascinating and exciting place to live.
During some of my time in Shanghai, I wrote a blog about China, which forced me to look closely at the city, its people, its culture, and our lives there. From the kernels of those observations, this book grew into something tangible and (I hope) helpful. Working on this project raised many questions, and I want to acknowledge the people who helped me find answers.
Thank you to Tracy Lesh of Shanghai and Beyond for answering language questions as well as food questions, and for being such a fantastic guide on a trip to Longmen Village. Thank you also to Allen Tan, not only for treating me to a delicious Chinese (and Malaysian) meal in Singapore, but also for helping parse the particulars of Chinese culture and language. My gratitude also goes out to Shanghai s most interesting expat, Betty Barr, who granted me time for an interview. What a pleasure it was to learn the fascinating story of Betty and her Shanghainese husband, George Wang, who were both born and raised in Shanghai during the 1920s and 30s.
Many friends at Shanghai American School were generous with answers as well. Sandy Hong and Serena Lu, members of the school s dedicated Chinese staff, offered helpful tips about Chinese culture. Serena also provided me with a long list of her favorite Shanghainese dishes. Iman Syah, whom I first met during a trip to the Lhagang ( Tagong ) Monastery-in the hinterland of the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture-shared photos for the book and his thoughts on Shanghai s nightlife. Tiffany Kelley, colleague and good friend, was a regular go-to person whenever I needed help remembering details. Xiao Lin, our driver, deserves a shout out as well. He was always up for long conversations with me about our two countries; Xiao Lin taught me more about China and what it means to be Chinese than anyone else I know.
A hearty thank you goes out to my editor She-reen Wong at Marshall Cavendish International (Asia), who had the crazy idea, after reading my blog, that I should write a book. And I would not have finished CultureShock! Shanghai without the help of my mother, Harol Marshall, also a writer. Thank you for being my first set of eyes, and more importantly, for your encouragement in the very beginning, when reaching the end seemed far away.
Last, but definitely not least, thank you to my two daughters, Sophie and Colette, for offering perceptive insights into their own culture shock experiences in China. And finally, thanks to Marcel Gauthier for taking us all to Shanghai in the first place.
PREFACE

If you want to get more out of life . . . you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy.
- Chris McCandless, from Jon Krakauer s Into the Wild
In the 19th century, Great Britain, along with France and the