Putuo District

Putuo is a district in the northwestern part of central Shanghai, bordering former Zhabei, Jing’An, Changning, Jiading and Baoshan districts. Putuo was formerly a residential district, but it has seen the addition of more business since the early 1990s.

There are a few areas for shopping in Putuo. One of these is a mega-mall called Global Harbor that has multinational brands like Monki. Brilliance Zhonghuan Mall is another massive Putuo mall. This one has numerous stores and restaurants, including American ice cream store Baskin Robbins and the sole UNIQLO in the district. If shopping isn’t your thing, you can also bowl at the mall’s bowling alley.

Putuo also has a number of educational facilities around the district. East China Normal University, Shanghai Pharmacy School, and Shanghai Information Technology School are located in Putuo, and Tongji University and Shanghai University of Engineering Science have campuses in the area.

Suzhou Creek, which is also known as Wusong River, runs through Putuo, and the area around the creek has been regarded as a prime area for modern and national Chinese industry. There are also cultural events involving the Creek, like the International Dragon Boat Race and Suzhou Creek Cultural Forum. More culture and history can be found throughout the district.

Putuo is home to one of Shanghai’s largest art scenes – Mogashan Road (right). There are numerous galleries along Mogashan Road, and nearly every concrete surface on the side of the road is covered with street art. M50 is one of the galleries on this road. Once a textile factory, M50 now has galleries and stores presenting the works and goods of local and international artists. There are also a couple of cafés in M50 for taking a break and grabbing a coffee in between galleries.

Not far from Mogashan Road is the Jade Buddha Temple. The Temple gets its name from the two original jade Buddha statues that were imported from Burma. It later received a larger Buddha as a donation from Singapore. Zhenru Temple, located just to the north of Zhenru Old Town, is a Buddhist temple with a long history. The temple was originally built during the reign of the Song Dynasty, and the existing main hall was built during the Yuan Dynasty. The main hall is now the only surviving timberwork structure from the Yuan Dynasty south of the Yangtze River. You can walk the grounds and admire the historical buildings, as well as the Buddhist artifacts.

Changfeng Park is also a nice place for families to visit. Often less crowded than other Shanghai parks, Changfeng Park has green spaces to play or relax, as well as amusement rides and an aquarium.

Putuo is conveniently located within Shanghai and makes a great residence for students, young couples, or families.