Taikang Lu has developed rapidly in the last few months — expanding from the original alleyway into a sprawling collection of labyrinthine lanes populated by galleries, arty shops, and some great restaurants. However, the revitalisation of Taikang Lu hasn't been welcomed by everyone. Yesterday, on a gloriously sunny afternoon that saw large numbers of people flock to the area, some local residents decided to voice their dissent against the ongoing development. Three white and blue... [continue]

You know about getting tea-housed, you've heard about the 'art student' exhibitions, and now it's time to talk about fake red cabs. Sometime a while back, when this Shanghaiist had just moved here, we asked a local what the difference was between all of the cabs. The response was cryptic: 'They're all the same, but watch out for the red ones.' This seemed like a weird piece of advice, perhaps in the same vein... [continue]

"There are many people studying Chinese now. I hope that all of you reporters, and the other ladies and gentlemen in attendance, can take up the study of Chinese. I believe that Chinese is one of the easiest languages in the world to learn. Otherwise, how can you explain why 1.3 billion people have chosen it as their mother tongue?" — Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi (杨洁篪) in a press conference yesterday morning [h/t... [continue]