It is, or was, only about 500 meters long, twisty and narrow and arguably the most famous snack street in Shanghai.
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(Photo Source: Shanghai Daily/Zhou Tao) |
So when I heard that the street's west section had reopened on June 27 after two years of renovation, I visited on the weekend with gusto only to be disappointed.
Wujiang Road is in the southeast of Jing'an District near People's Square. It is divided into two sections, east and west, by Shimen No. 1 Road.
While the street's east section is basically unchanged, the west section has been turned into a fashionable pedestrian street, with cafes, restaurants and boutiques on both sides. It is well-organized and spotless.
However, the street's unique charm is lost. Now it's no different from many other commercial pedestrian streets.
The west section is filled with brands like Starbucks, Levi's, Nike, and ONLY, but no shops sell snacks like sheng jian (fried buns) or xiao long bao (steamed buns) that were so popular and characteristic of the once-thriving snack street.
Price is another problem. While in the east, you can buy a pretty decent meal or snack for less than 10 yuan (US$1.46), in the west that will barely buy you a drink.
Only the east section, no more than 200 meters long, retains its distinctive flavor. It is a great place to relax. Small restaurants and street vendors are clustered there, offering various snacks and small meals that are generally very cheap and very Chinese.
The brick two-story buildings on both sides remind us of old Shanghai, though tall buildings loom nearby.
The atmosphere is very comfortable. The staff is also much friendlier than on the west side, since they are often the owners.
As I sat in a small restaurant and enjoyed my lunch of sheng jian and ma la tang (hot and spicy soup), it saddened me to think that in due time, they will only be memories.
Renovation of the east section will begin in September ?? the old street will make way for a major commercial complex.
Not only will all the street vendors be forced to move, but the restaurants will also have little chance to survive as the configuration will change and rents will be much higher. As the new businesses will be targeting young office workers, it will cost more to dine on the street.
Think of those old and poor. After the high housing prices have driven them out of the city's center, the renovation program will deprive them of the "luxury" of enjoying an inexpensive meal in Wujiang Road in the near future.
Let the rich go to Nanjing Road, SOGO or Plaza 66 to buy what they want.
In Wujiang Road, everyone should be able to enjoy simple happiness without paying too much.
By becoming more fashionable, the street is losing its vitality and charm in a way.
Think of the tourists. They don't come here from New York or Paris to see Levi's or Starbucks, they are here to experience Shanghai's unique snack culture.
At the end of the day, as I left the street and saw a banner about the renovation program flapping in the wind, I asked myself if I would visit the renovated street.
Perhaps not. What will be sold there I can buy anywhere else in the city, or any city, anyway.
