Called Hu for short, Shanghai is one of the most important industrial areas and foreign trading port. It is located at the 31°14' of the north latitude and the 121°29' of the east longitude, under the direct jurisdiction of the central government. It is in the front part of the Yangtze Delta and in the middle of China's coastal line with the Pacific Ocean to the east, with the Yangtze River to the north. It is the third largest port of the world with a convenient network of transportation. Being the most populous city of the country, Shanghai has a population of 12.84 million with 7.50 urban residents and an area of 749,000,000 square kilometers. It has under its jurisdiction 14 districts and 6 counties.

Shanghai has been the origin to the national industries. Now it is the biggest financial and business center and an international port in the west Pacific Ocean Area. Shanghai has a network of transportation through the whole country, with 40 airlines to cities both at home and abroad. It is also a pivot of telecommunication of the country, with one third of foreign communications transmitted by on-surface satellite stations and submarine cables.

Shanghai is a famous historical and cultural city. The city is over 710 years old with the earliest establishment of Shanghai Town in the Song Dynasty (960-1279); and in the 29^th year (1271) of the Zhiyuan reign in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), it was designated as Shanghai County. After the Opium War in 1843, Shanghai became an open city for foreign trade and a concession city. Many famous persons set their footprints here. There are former residences and memorial halls of Xu Guangqi, Huang Daopo, Lu Xun and Soong Tsinglin. Many incidents in modern times have something to do with Shanghai, such as the Xiaodaohui Uprising, the three armed uprisings of the workers, the May 30 Tragedy, the Songhu Battle of October 13. The establishment of the Orient TV Tower, the Yangpu Bridge and the Nanpu Bridge render Shanghai the modern flavor.