STORIES AND SCENES

Shanghai, second largest city in the world, is a hub of humanity. Never sleeping, never quiet, it is a flourishing centre of commerce, finance and art. To Jin Yucheng, bestselling author of Blossoms, Shanghai is home. His art is steeped in the city’s rhythms and quirks. The paintings in this volume compose a love poem to Shanghai, while acknowledging the lonely absurdity of modern urban life, and offering incisive commentary on traditional and modern China. From the famous Lujiazui skyline to the bustling crowds, from cosy corners to vibrant streetscapes, these pages capture the Shanghai of the present. Yucheng also delves into Shanghai’s history, paying particular attention to the 1960s-1990s. Later chapters focus on Chinese culture, the contrast between megacities and remote villages, and Yucheng’s favourite animal – the horse. While this book is the perfect companion piece to Blossoms, a novel set in late-20th-century Shanghai, it will also appeal to anyone interested in Chinese culture and art.