Glances of Manchurian City Shenyang

Last September, I visited my family in Manchurian Shenyang, during the period when summer heat had dissipated and the cold front hadn't crashed down from Siberia yet, therefore the air was also clear and clean, before winter heating season started.

The city had changed much, but some civic monuments were still easily recognizable, such as the Japanese colonial period train station, despite the addition of the vaulted hall in the back:





The City Hall in the city center was an imposing Soviet style building, which citizens could not enter at all:



The Liaoning Industry Exhibition Hall was also built under the Soviet influence, and many interior details were quite remarkable, though a large portion of the Exhibition Hall had been converted into a rowdy shopping mall:


Exhibition Hall detail



Another civic pride was the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts:



From 1980s, the television tower dominated the skyline and it hadn't been completed outmoded:



The new landmarks of recent years included the complex of Liaoning Province Museum and Grand Theatre near the City Hall:



There was a futuristic Concert Hall being built in the southern suburb:





During my visit, I saw some other interesting buildings, old and new, scattered all over the city and its suburbs:


Free Trade Zone


Classical Styled Building


Department Store


Modernistic Towers


Urban Planning Exhibition Hall

Amongst the interesting architectures, there were some buildings quite vulgar, such as the hotels below:




Marriott Hotel

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A couple evenings, I had chances to ride through some major thoroughfares and night club district - former Concession District, Korean Town and a cluster of luxury shopping district.

First, the European style Concession District:






Former Concession District

In the end of this district, there was a huge square, where, unfortunately, a giant statue of Mao Zedong still stood confidently.  I pined for the day that it would be toppled:




Mao Statue in Sun Yet-Sen Square

After Mao, most fittingly, we entered the entertainment district and I had a glimpse of the night life, particularly around the vibrant Korean Town:


Bath House and Restaurant Complex


A huge seafood Restaurant


Restaurants and bars in Korean Town


Korean Town

The most bizarre sight was the North Korean establishment below in Korean Town, mostly connected to South Korea:


North Korean Establishment in Korean Town

Furthermore, I saw other interesting office towers and shopping centers, which were prohibitively expensive:





During the day time, I had a fuller glimpse of that gigantic shopping mall:

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In the southern suburb where I stayed, there were more modest shopping centers, which didn't hold much interest, other than demonstrating the ordinary folks' life there to be included:





Occasionally, I saw some bizarre sights such as the drill march of shopping mall staff:



Nearby, there was an Olympic Stadium, which hosted preliminary soccer matches during 2008 Beijing Olympic Game:



A new tram system just opened when I visited in September and this novelty had attracted many people, and also warranted a couple rather usually civil traffic policemen, near the shopping center and stadium:



Here was a bus stop during evening rush hour:



It was very rare to see bicyclists there yet they persisted:



I even saw a bicycle repair stand, unbelievable:



Most of the roads and bridges were built for automobiles nowadays:



The gas stations provided full services.  Actually, I didn't see any self-served gas station there:

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The newly built residential buildings were often full of flairs, though not much style:



More interesting was observing how people went through their daily routines, such as a group of women danced together to music, while balancing their balls on top of their badminton rackets, in the courtyard of their residential compound:



It was inside the same compound that I saw someone was drying weeds or vegetables, for unknown purpose. A pretty sight:



There was a huge river bank park nearby and between the park and residential areas nearby, there was a very long elevated promenade:



In early September, wild flowers were still in full bloom inside the park:





Deep inside the park, many people were fishing by the bank of the main river separating the city and the southern suburb:




View of the City from the river bank


Bridge Near the Park

Often, views from the the residential building I stayed were lovely and breathtaking:

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On my way out, the Airport left another strong impression with its modern sophistication and commonplace:







Related posts on Art · 文化 · Kunst:
- City Library Plaza and Urban Planning Museum in Shenyang
- Supermarkets in Shenyang, China
- Red Reeds (Suaeda) Beach in Panjin, China
- Tram and Subway in Shenyang, China
- Industrial Museum of China in Manchurian Shenyang
- Ziyan Lavender Manor Garden, Shenyang China
- Kitchen, Restaurant and Food Court in Shenyang, China
- New Subway System in Shenyang, China

 Label: Shenyang, Shenyang Trip 2013