It is easy to have a auick look at China's past and present,

but it takes time to gain a panoramic knowledge of China. The "Pan

oramic China" series is meant to assist readers, especially those

overseas, in this respect. Each volume in the series focuses on a

province, municipality or autono mous region, describing, with

illustrations, the outstanding char acteristics of each area from

dif ferent perspectives.

As a city,Shanghai is only some 700 years old and its history

as a well known international metropolis is even shorter-a little

over a century. During that time Shanghai has expe rienced many

vicissitudes, its rise and prosperity becoming the stuff of

legend. Being near the sea and reflect ing this in its name, since

the begin ning of China's modern history, Shanghai has become the

most vi brant and most internationalized place in China's

modernization process. It is the epitome of modem. fast-changing

China.

Today, Shanghai attracts more and more attention from all over

the world. The legend continues.