During the Spring Festival, Shanghai often gives people the illusion that it is a deserted city. This once bustling city with heavy traffic, at this time of year, the hustle and bustle of the streets seems to disappear in an instant, the streets are empty, and even the busiest business districts on weekdays seem to be forgotten in the long river of time. Shanghai's empty city is not a temporary illusion, but a phenomenon caused by multiple factors.
First of all, Shanghai is a first-tier city in China with a large number of immigrants. These migrant workers from all over the country work silently and hard in Shanghai's construction sites, factories, shops, etc. in order to make a living. However, when the Spring Festival bell rings, these migrant workers will return to their hometowns to reunite with their families. For them, the Spring Festival is the only time to go home for the New Year and an opportunity to reunite with long-lost relatives. The departure of this large number of outsiders has made the daily operations of the entire city slow and quiet. The streets and alleys of Shanghai seemed to have been emptied. The sounds of footsteps and the roar of vehicles that once filled the streets and alleys disappeared in an instant, replaced by cool air and empty streets.
Furthermore, many business activities in Shanghai have slowed down with the arrival of the Spring Festival. Although most high-end shopping malls and international brands will remain open to welcome customers, many small and medium-sized shops and restaurants will choose to close for the holidays. In particular, small shops serving migrant workers are closed during the Spring Festival because most of their customers have returned to their hometowns. This wave of holidays has further reduced the city’s economic activities, and the feeling of an empty city has become increasingly obvious.
In addition, Shanghai's cultural atmosphere also underwent subtle changes during the Spring Festival. Although Shanghai has a bustling nightlife, during the Spring Festival, most customers of these bars, nightclubs, food stalls and other places will choose to go home for the New Year or take a rest. It is not so much that the city is empty, but rather that the rhythm of life in every corner has been adjusted to the most peaceful state. The streets of Shanghai are now less crowded with the usual night walkers, and are instead filled with Spring Festival lanterns and New Year decorations. This contrast makes it feel as if the city's pulse has temporarily stopped.
Finally, Shanghai's traffic will also change dramatically during the Spring Festival. With a large number of migrant workers returning home, Shanghai's transportation system is no longer as busy as usual. The congestion in subways, buses and main roads has disappeared, replaced by an indescribable tranquility. This sleepless city seems to have lost some of its vitality due to the departure of outsiders. The city's outline has become clearer at this moment, but it also looks particularly lonely.
The reasons for all this are nothing more than the flow of foreign population, the suspension of business activities, and the slowdown in the pace of life, which have created the "empty city" phenomenon in Shanghai during the Spring Festival. The emptiness of this city is not emptiness, but a special kind of tranquility. It records the stories of everyone who leaves and the mood of everyone who returns home. When these people return to the embrace of the city, Shanghai's pulse will resume again, but at this moment, the tranquility of the empty city silently tells of its unique charm.
0:00 Intro
2:08 Suhewan Tianhou Temple
4:44 - a teenager sitting on a roof
5:20 Colored air rings
7:15 Shikumen A red fish
9:49 Zhejiang Road and Bridge
11:45 Empty Zhejiang Road
16:38 Niuzhuang Road
18:50 Ningbo Road
21:15 North Guangxi Road
22:39 Tianjin Road
24:07 Zhejiang Middle Road
28:31 100 meters Champs Commercial Street
30:46 North Guangxi Road
32:17 Fuzhou Road
34:16 Zhejiang Middle Road
36:25 Canton Road
38:16 Haikou Road
39:38 Zhejiang Middle Road
41:22 Canton Road
43:08 North Guangxi Road
45:35 Fuzhou Road
48:46 Henan Middle Road
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