History of Shanghai in Timeline

Shanghai is China's most populous city, a direct-administered municipality with an urban population of over 29 million. Strategically located at the Yangtze River's estuary, it's a global hub for finance, business, economics, research, technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port, and the Greater Shanghai metropolitan area boasts a gross metropolitan product of nearly 13 trillion RMB as of 2022.

1907: Uncle Tom's Cabin Performed

In 1907, Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly (黑奴吁天录) was performed at the Lyceum Theatre.

1908: First Tram Line Opens

In 1908, the first tram line in Shanghai was opened.

1909: Shanghai–Nanjing and Shanghai–Hangzhou Railways in Service

By 1909, the Shanghai–Nanjing railway and the Shanghai–Hangzhou railway were in service.

1912: Dismantling of the Old City walls

In 1912, the Old City walls were dismantled to allow for city expansion.

1913: First Chinese Short Film Produced

In 1913, China's first short film, The Difficult Couple, was produced in Shanghai.

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1918: László Hudec arrives in Shanghai

In 1918, László Hudec, a Hungarian-Slovak architect, arrived in Shanghai and later designed Art Deco buildings in the city.

1920: Term Haipai Coined

In 1920, the term Haipai was coined by Beijing writers to criticize Shanghai scholars for admiring capitalism and Western culture.

July 1921: Founding of the Chinese Communist Party

In July 1921, the Chinese Communist Party was founded in the Shanghai French Concession.

1923: First Fictional Feature Film Produced

In 1923, China's first fictional feature film, An Orphan Rescues His Grandfather (孤儿救祖记), was produced in Shanghai.

1924: First Mention of nickname Mato

In 1924, the nickname "魔都" (Módū) for Shanghai was first mentioned in Mato by Japanese novelist Shōfu Muramatsu.

May 1925: May Thirtieth Movement

On May 30, 1925, the May Thirtieth Movement began when a worker in a Japanese-owned cotton mill was killed, leading to nationwide protests.

1925: Tram System Expansion

By 1925, Shanghai's tram system included 328 tramcars and 14 routes operated by Chinese, French, and British companies.

1925: Construction of the Protestant All Saints Church

The Protestant All Saints Church in Huangpu was built in 1925 and features a Neo-Romanesque tower.

July 1927: Shanghai becomes a municipality

On July 7, 1927, Shanghai became a municipality after being separated from Jiangsu. The new municipality included districts such as Baoshan, Yangpu, Zhabei, Nanshi, and Pudong.

1927: Shanghai becomes a municipality

In 1927, central Shanghai was administered as a county under Songjiang Prefecture until Shanghai officially became a municipality.

January 1932: Japanese military forces invade Shanghai

On January 28, 1932, Japanese military forces invaded Shanghai, resulting in significant destruction and casualties.

1932: Shanghai becomes the world's fifth-largest city

By 1932, Shanghai had become the world's fifth-largest city and home to 70,000 foreigners.

1933: Erection of the Apostolic Vicariate of Shanghai

In 1933, the Apostolic Vicariate of Shanghai was erected.

1937: Battle of Shanghai

In 1937, the Battle of Shanghai led to the occupation of Chinese-administered parts of Shanghai by the Japanese.

1939: Founding of the Shanghai Jewish Youth Association

In 1939, Horace Kadoorie founded the Shanghai Jewish Youth Association to support Jewish refugees through English education so they would be prepared to emigrate from Shanghai.

November 1941: Transfer of Jewish refugees to Shanghai

By November 1941, the Japanese government transferred many Jewish refugees, who had been issued visas by Chiune Sugihara in Lithuania, to Shanghai.

December 1941: Japanese Occupation of Foreign Concessions

On December 8, 1941, the Japanese occupied the foreign concessions in Shanghai.

1945: Surrender of Japan

In 1945, Japan surrendered, ending its occupation of Shanghai.

1946: Elevation to the Diocese of Shanghai

In 1946, the Apostolic Vicariate of Shanghai was further elevated to the Diocese of Shanghai.

1947: László Hudec leaves Shanghai

In 1947, László Hudec, a Hungarian-Slovak architect, left Shanghai after designing Art Deco buildings in the city.

1948: Shanghai Cricket Team International Matches

The Shanghai cricket team played various international matches as China's de facto national cricket team until 1948.

May 1949: People's Liberation Army takes control of Shanghai

On May 27, 1949, the People's Liberation Army took control of Shanghai through the Shanghai Campaign.

1949: Impact of Putonghua on Shanghainese

After 1949, Putonghua (Standard Mandarin) had an impact on Shanghainese because it was promoted by the government.

1949: Erection of Soviet neoclassical architecture

Between the founding of the People's Republic in 1949 and the Sino-Soviet Split in the late 1960s, Shanghai saw the erection of Soviet neoclassical architecture.

1949: Post-war economic restoration

In 1949, Shanghai began its post-war economic restoration under the People's Republic of China.

1949: Tram System Nationalized

In 1949, all tram lines in Shanghai were nationalized.

1949: Cricket Club Dormant

In 1949, the Shanghai Cricket Club went dormant after the founding of the PRC.

1949: Shanghai Municipal People's Government founded

In 1949, the Shanghai Municipal People's Government was founded, governing a land area of 663.5 square kilometres.

1952: Increase in agricultural and industrial output

From 1949 to 1952, Shanghai's agricultural and industrial output increased significantly.

1958: Ten counties reassigned under Shanghai

In 1958, ten counties were reassigned under Shanghai from Jiangsu.

1966: Beginning of the Cultural Revolution

In 1966, the Cultural Revolution began, severely damaging Shanghai's society.

1975: Last Tram Line Demolished

The last tram line in Shanghai was demolished in 1975.

1976: End of the Cultural Revolution

In 1976, the Cultural Revolution ended, after which Shanghai started to recover.

1978: Shanghai Botanical Garden Established

Shanghai Botanical Garden was established in 1978, located 12 km southwest of the city center.

1986: Revitalization of the Bund

In 1986, the Bund was revitalized with a new promenade designed by the Dutch architect Paulus Snoeren.

1986: Shanghai Television Festival Founded

In 1986, the Shanghai Television Festival, the earliest international TV festival in China, was founded.

1988: Suburbs became districts between 1988 and 2015

Between 1988 and 2015, several counties in the suburbs became districts

June 1989: Jiang Zemin becomes General Secretary

In June 1989, Jiang Zemin became the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, marking the beginning of the influence of Shanghai officials in the central government.

1990: Economic reforms initiated in Shanghai

In 1990, Deng Xiaoping permitted Shanghai to initiate economic reforms, reintroducing foreign capital and developing the Pudong district.

1992: Start of rapid development

Beginning in 1992, Shanghai experienced rapid development, recording double-digit GDP growth almost every year until the 2008 financial crisis.

1993: Shanghai International Film Festival Founded

In 1993, the Shanghai International Film Festival, one of the major international film festivals, was founded.

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1993: Opening of the Shanghai Metro

In 1993, the Shanghai Metro first opened, becoming the largest metro network in the world by route length.

1994: Cricket Club Re-established

In 1994, the Shanghai Cricket Club was re-established by expatriates living in the city.

1994: Shanghai University–University of Technology Sydney Business School Joint Institute

In 1994, the Shanghai University and the University of Technology Sydney established a joint business school, known as the Shanghai University–University of Technology Sydney Business School.

1996: Registered Christian Protestant churches

Since 1996, registered Christian Protestant churches have been present in Shanghai.

2001: Shanghai Fashion Week Held

Since 2001, Shanghai has held Shanghai Fashion Week each April and October.

2004: Shanghai Maglev Train Opens

In 2004, the Shanghai maglev train, the first and fastest commercial high-speed maglev globally, opened with a maximum operation speed of 430 km/h.

2004: Chinese Grand Prix Hosted

Since 2004, Shanghai has hosted the Chinese Grand Prix, a round of the Formula One World Championship, at the Shanghai International Circuit.

2005: Yangshan Port Built

In 2005, Yangshan Port was built because the river was unsuitable for docking large container ships. It is connected with the mainland through the Donghai Bridge.

2006: University of Michigan–Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute

In 2006, the University of Michigan and Shanghai Jiao Tong University created a joint institute.

2008: End of double-digit GDP growth

Before the 2008 financial crisis, Shanghai had recorded double-digit GDP growth in almost every year between 1992 and 2008.

2009: Shanghai Students Rank First in PISA

In 2009, 15-year-old students from Shanghai ranked first in every subject (math, reading, and science) in the Program for International Student Assessment.

2009: Trading volume of commodities on the Shanghai Futures Exchange

In 2009, the trading volume of six key commodities—including rubber, copper, and zinc—on the Shanghai Futures Exchange all ranked first globally.

February 2010: Shanghai Designated as a "City of Design"

In February 2010, Shanghai was recognized by UNESCO as a "City of Design".

2010: Muslim population in Shanghai

According to the 2010 census of China, there are an estimated 85,000 Muslims in Shanghai.

2010: Port of Shanghai World's Busiest

In 2010, the Port of Shanghai became the world's busiest container port.

2010: Bund revitalization before Expo

Prior to the 2010 Expo, the Bund underwent a second revitalization, including restoration of the Waibaidu Bridge.

2010: Trams Reintroduced

Shanghai reintroduced trams in 2010 with the rubber-tyred Zhangjiang Tram.

2011: Shanghai Chen Shan Botanical Garden Opened

In 2011, the largest botanical garden in Shanghai, Shanghai Chen Shan Botanical Garden, opened in Songjiang District.

2012: Survey of religious affiliation

According to a 2012 survey, 13.1% of Shanghai's population belongs to organized religions.

2012: Shanghai Students Rank First in PISA

In 2012, 15-year-old students from Shanghai again ranked first in every subject (math, reading, and science) in the Program for International Student Assessment.

2012: New York University Shanghai Founded

In 2012, New York University Shanghai, the first China–U.S. joint venture university, was founded.

2012: Rehabilitation of Suzhou Creek

In 2012, a 16-year rehabilitation project of Suzhou Creek was completed, removing barges, factories, and 1.3 million cubic meters of sludge from the creek.

September 2013: Launch of the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone

In September 2013, Shanghai launched the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone—the first free-trade zone in mainland China—introducing several reforms to incentivize foreign investment.

December 2013: Eastern China Smog

In December 2013, Shanghai experienced severe air pollution during the Eastern China smog, with PM2.5 levels reaching over 600 micrograms per cubic meter.

2013: ShanghaiTech University Founded

In 2013, the Shanghai Municipality and the Chinese Academy of Sciences founded the ShanghaiTech University in the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in Pudong.

2013: Growth of Cultural Curation

Since 2013, cultural curation has grown in Shanghai, with several new museums having been opened in the city.

2014: Buddhism in Shanghai statistics

As of 2014, Buddhism in Shanghai had 114 temples, 1,182 clergical staff, and 453,300 registered followers.

2015: Chongming retitled as a district

In 2015, Chongming was the last county to be retitled as a district.

2015: Suspension of Pudong Railway Passenger Service

In 2015, passenger service on the Pudong railway was suspended.

2015: Completion of the Shanghai Tower

In 2015, the Shanghai Tower was completed, becoming the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world.

2016: Shanghai Disney Resort Opened

In 2016, the Shanghai Disney Resort opened, featuring the biggest castle among Disney's resorts.

2017: Number of financial institutions

By the end of 2017, Shanghai had 1,491 financial institutions, of which 251 were foreign-invested.

2017: Tourist Statistics for Shanghai

In 2017, domestic tourists to Shanghai increased by 7.5% to 318 million, while overseas tourists increased by 2.2% to 8.73 million, making Shanghai the highest earning tourist city in the world.

2017: Implementation of population controls

In 2017, the Chinese government implemented population controls for Shanghai, resulting in a population decline of 10,000 people by the end of the year.

December 2018: Bicycle-Sharing Systems Usage

As of December 2018, bicycle-sharing systems in Shanghai had an average of 1.15 million daily riders.

2018: International meetings hosted

According to the International Congress and Convention Association, Shanghai hosted 82 international meetings in 2018, a 34% increase from 61 in 2017.

2018: Decrease in Emissions

From 2013 to 2018, Shanghai saw significant reductions in emissions, with smoke decreasing by 65%, nitrogen oxide by 54%, and sulfur dioxide by 95%.

2018: Shanghai Airport Traffic

In 2018, Pudong International Airport served 74.0 million passengers and handled 3.8 million tons of cargo, while Hongqiao International Airport served 43.6 million passengers.

2018: Annual TEU Transportation at Port of Shanghai

In 2018, the Port of Shanghai had an annual TEU transportation of 42 million.

2018: Songjiang Tram Started Operating

In 2018, the steel-wheeled Songjiang Tram started operating in Songjiang District.

2018: Increase in Private Car Ownership

Private car ownership was rapidly increasing in Shanghai in 2018, continuing into the next year.

2018: Shanghai Development Plans

Shanghai's 2018 development plans aimed to make the city "an excellent global city", contributing to cultural curation and museum openings.

March 2019: Shanghai Metro Ridership Record

On March 8, 2019, the Shanghai Metro set a daily ridership record with 13.3 million passengers.

July 2019: New Garbage-Classification System

On 1 July 2019, Shanghai implemented a new garbage-classification system, sorting waste into residual, kitchen, recyclable, and hazardous categories for separate collection and disposal.

October 2019: Shanghai Free-Trade Zone Size

As of October 2019, the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone is the second largest in mainland China, covering 240.22 sq km and integrating four bonded zones.

October 2019: Railway Integration

As of October 2019, the Shanghai–Nanjing railway and Shanghai–Kunming railway were integrated into the Beijing–Shanghai railway and Shanghai–Kunming railway, respectively.

2019: Bridges and Tunnels Crossing Huangpu River

As of 2019, Shanghai has 12 bridges and 14 tunnels crossing the Huangpu River.

2019: Market capitalization of Shanghai Stock Exchange

As of 2019, the Shanghai Stock Exchange had a market capitalization of US$4.02 trillion, making it the largest stock exchange in China and the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world.

2019: Extensive Bus Network

By 2019, Shanghai had an extensive bus network, including the world's oldest continuously operating trolleybus system, with 1,575 lines covering 8,997 km.

2019: Port of Shanghai Cruise and Passenger Traffic

In 2019, the Port of Shanghai handled 259 cruises and 1.89 million passengers.

2019: Private Car Ownership Increase

In 2019, there were 3.40 million private cars in Shanghai, a 12.5% increase from 2018.

March 2020: Newspapers Publishing in Shanghai

As of March 2020, Shanghai had newspapers publishing.

September 2020: Consulates in Shanghai

As of September 2020, Shanghai hosted 71 consulates general and 5 consulates, excluding Hong Kong and Macao trade offices.

2020: Shanghai's economy in 2020

As of 2020, the economy of Shanghai was estimated to be $1 trillion (PPP), ranking it among the top ten largest metropolitan economies in the world.

2021: Most expensive city in the world for luxurious lifestyle

According to Julius Baer's Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report, Shanghai was the most expensive city in the world for living a luxurious lifestyle in 2021.

2021: Fintech powerhouse ranking

As of 2021, Shanghai was ranked as the 2nd Fintech powerhouse in the world after New York City.

2021: Population aging in Shanghai

In 2021, 17.4% (4.3 million) of the city's registered population in Shanghai was aged 65 or above.

January 2022: New Commuter Railways Under Construction

As of January 2022, four additional commuter railway lines—Chongming line, Jiamin line, Airport link line and Lianggang Express line—are under construction in Shanghai.

July 2022: High temperature recorded in 2022

In July 2022, a temperature of 40.9 °C (105.6 °F) was recorded at a weather station in Xujiahui.

2022: Population distribution in Shanghai

As of 2022, 89.3% of Shanghai's population lived in urban areas, and 10.7% lived in rural areas.

2022: Gross metropolitan product in 2022

As of 2022, the Greater Shanghai metropolitan area was estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product of nearly 13 trillion RMB ($1.9 trillion).

2022: Extensive Park System

By 2022, Shanghai had 670 parks, with 281 offering free admission, and the per capita park area was 9 m (97 sq ft).

2022: COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown

In 2022, Shanghai experienced a large outbreak of COVID-19 cases, leading to a city-wide lockdown that caused food shortages.

2022: Forbes Billionaire Ranking

In 2022, Shanghai was ranked fifth-highest in the number of billionaires by Forbes.

2022: Average annual disposable income and salary

In 2022, the average annual disposable income of Shanghai's residents was CN¥79,610 (US$11,836) per capita, while the average annual salary of people employed in urban units in Shanghai was CN¥212,476 (US$31,589).

2022: Increase in generated tourist value

In 2023, Shanghai generated CN¥177.12 billion (US$24.53 billion) in value, a 98.5% increase from 2022. The number of foreign tourists reached 2.41 million, with a 5.2-fold increase.

2023: Most expensive city in mainland China

According to a 2023 study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Shanghai was the most expensive city in mainland China to live in.

2023: Tourist attractions and growth

As of 2023, Shanghai had 57 five-star hotels, 52 four star hotels, 1,942 travel agencies, 144 rated tourist attractions, and 34 red tourist attractions. In 2023, Shanghai had 3.64 million tourists, a 4.8-fold growth compared to 2022.

2023: Number of universities and colleges

As of 2023, Shanghai had 68 universities and colleges, ranking first in East China region as a city with most higher education institutions.

2023: Shanghai's population

As of 2023, Shanghai had a population of 24,874,500, including 14,801,700 registered locally.

2023: Shanghai Education Institutions Count

By the end of 2023, Shanghai had 49 postgraduate institutions, 900 secondary schools, 70 vocational schools, 664 primary schools, and 31 special education schools.

2023: Sports Event Impact

In 2023, Shanghai hosted 118 sports events with 190,000 participants and 1.29 million spectators, driving a consumption of CN¥3.713 billion (US$510.83 million).

2023: Air Quality Index

In 2023, Shanghai's Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 87.7%, a 0.6% increase from the previous year, with PM10 averaging 48 microgrammes per cubic meter and fine particulate matter averaging 28 microgrammes per cubic meter.

2023: SAIC Motor ranking on Fortune Global 500 list

In 2023, the Shanghai-based SAIC Motor ranked 84 on the Fortune Global 500 list.

2023: Shanghai's imports and exports

In 2023, the city's imports and exports reached CN¥7.73 trillion (US$1.07 trillion), accounting for 18.5% of the national total.

August 2024: Fortune Global 500 companies ranking

As of August 2024, Shanghai ranked 4th in the world and 2nd in Greater China (after Beijing) by the largest number of the Fortune Global 500 companies.

August 2024: Highest ever daily minimum temperature at Xujiahui

On August 2 2024, Xujiahui recorded the highest ever daily minimum temperature at 32.1 °C (89.8 °F).

2024: Fortune Global 500 Companies

As of 2024, Shanghai is home to 13 companies of the Fortune Global 500, the fourth-highest number of any city.

2024: Taxi Operations in Shanghai

As of 2024, there were 30,900 taxis in operation in Shanghai, carrying 134 million passengers that year.

2024: Shanghai's share of the Nature Index

For instance, Shanghai's share of the 2024 Nature Index is 3,153.61, with a count of 6,680, while Japan's share is 3,185.39, with 5,555 counts.

2025: Shanghai Universities in Global Rankings

According to the U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking for 2025–26, Shanghai had the third highest concentration of universities among all major cities in the world included in the ranking, totaling 22, with three in the top 125 and six in the global top 500.

2025: Ranking of Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University

As of 2025, Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University were ranked in the global top 35 research comprehensive universities based on aggregate performance from three widely observed university rankings (THE+ARWU+QS).

2025: Ranking of Shanghai University of Sport

As of 2025, Shanghai University of Sport was ranked #1 in Asia and #23 globally according to the "Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments" released by Shanghai Ranking.

2025: Ranking by scientific research outputs

As of 2025, Shanghai was ranked second globally (after Beijing) by scientific research outputs, as tracked by the Nature Index.

2025: Shanghai Metro Expansion

As of 2025, the Shanghai Metro includes 19 metro lines (excluding the Shanghai maglev train and Jinshan railway), 508 stations, and 808 km of lines, making it the longest network in the world.

2025: Shanghai's GDP and GDP per capita

In 2025, Shanghai's GDP reached CN¥5.67 trillion ($814 billion nominal, $1.66 trillion PPP), representing 4% of China's GDP. The GDP per capita was CN¥228,280 (US$32,840 nominal, US$66,944 PPP).