This site offers a look back into a past ShangHai. The atmosphere created seems to be attempting to replicate an old-time tea house, with aged furniture and decorations. However, it is offset by the two white males sitting at a table on the left side of the picture, making me wonder - who frequents this shop? If you look closely at the back of the picture, it appears that locals are frequenting the shop as well. Thus, is it a local shop that’s infrequently frequented by foreigners? Or is a touristy shop that happens to cater to locals as well? It doesn’t look very busy in this photo, which makes me question if there’s something about it that either drives people away or causes people to not know about it. Also, it could just be a hidden gem, which would be lovely. The image portrays a quaint tea house that likely serves a more emotional need than anything else. It looks to be a quiet place one would go in an attempt to be removed from the outside world for a short time. I’m curious about what types of tea they serve, along with if there’s any tea ceremony that goes along with that. Overall, the main way to answer all of these questions is to go to the shop! I could also do some research online and read reviews about the place to get a better grasp of its popularity, quality, and menu.

This site is actually home to a modern day theater. The outside appearance is rather drab, two people I assume are father and son are standing in the doorway, seemingly interested by what’s inside, as an uninterested pedestrian walks right past. A multitude of bikes is arranged around the building, making me wonder if they’re from people frequenting this location, or if it’s just a nice place to leave your bike. The building almost looks abandoned, however, the show that takes place inside is said to be full of life. It’s a radical performance that seeks to tell a story without any dialogue by incorporating a multitude of entertainment disciplines. I wonder if the contrast between the building itself and the show is purposeful, trying to act as an allegory for the meaning of the show. The patrons that attend the shows are of great interest to me. Since there is no dialogue, in theory, foreigners could see the show and not miss out on anything because of a lack of a language barrier! I’d really like to see the show and have my questions answered. I wonder if I would still miss some of the meaning behind the show due to cultural ignorance. I think it would be an interesting way to better understand how much communication is reliant on outside context.

Zhujiajiao is an ancient city on the outer skirts of Shanghai. This picture paints an idyllic scene, with the boats floating on the river, backdropped with traditional style houses and the bridge. The sun seems to be setting or rising, as the orange glow and shadows help create a lovely atmosphere. The picture seems to capture a place full of history, a place that could be from a book. However, I don’t believe this picture offers an accurate representation of what this area is actually like. Here it seems not very crowded - quiet and serene. Yet, it is known that this is a popular tourist attraction. Thus, it is usually probably very crowded and noisy. You’d probably see quite a lot of tourists as such, both foreign and Chinese alike. I’d imagine seeing a lot of families and encountering a lot of shops and other fun little things, such as boat rides and street performers. I wonder how authentic the merchandise sold here is. Whether or not locals go here, or if it’s solely for tourists. I wonder if there’s a cost to enter? Also, once inside, I’m guessing stuff would be overpriced. However, as a foreigner, I may not think so - I’d be interested to compare my perception of overpriced to a native’s. To answer a question such as that, I would need to find someone from China to ask, while also being at Zhujiajiao. Most answers could be found through research online - however, that could be rather tedious. Thus, the easiest solution is to go there.

This site looks absolutely stunning. The assumed opulence showcased makes me question my perception of China as a rather non-religious country. I’d be interested to know whether this temple actually has any strong religious ties or uses, and if not, what significance does it hold? Looking at the people in the lower right-hand corner, it seems that it is mostly a tourist attraction. However, I doubt such resources would be put into crafting something as gorgeous as this if it didn’t hold some significance. It looks to be rather quiet, as most people are probably in slight awe as they behold it. I’d like to go here to figure out what significance it holds. While research online could grant me some answers, to truly grasp what makes this place special, one would have to go there.