Shanghai 1999: A year of prosperity and hope for the future

In 1999, with the launch of Shanghai Daily, the city witnessed an explosion of English-language media. The period was a golden era for print media, marked by the emergence of numerous publications such as Shanghai Weekly, Shanghai Times, Bund Pictorial, and That's Shanghai. These outlets catered to an increasingly cosmopolitan local audience, eager for a slice of global culture.

The year was not just significant for the media. It stood as a landmark year of change, fueled by the economic reforms initiated in Pudong in 1990. In just nine years, Shanghai had transformed dramatically.

From photocopying machines to mobile phones, from air conditioning units to refrigerators, every household was witness to rapid modernization, with each new gadget representing the promise of a better tomorrow.

It stood as a landmark year of change, fueled by the economic reforms initiated in Pudong in 1990. In just nine years, Shanghai had transformed dramatically.

Wu Liqiang

I vividly remember the era, filled with a sense of vibrant prosperity.

In 1998, I had just bought my first car and at 37, I was brimming with youthful energy. Driving along the elevated Yan'an Road, I felt a rush of freedom.

The road took me over three bends and up a steep incline, feeling almost like an airplane taking off as I glimpsed blue skies and fluffy clouds. Descending, I would see the sprawling high-rises of Lujiazui and the historic European -style architecture of the Bund, lit up in the evening light, before coasting in neutral to the intersection of Nanjing Road.

In April 1999, I was appointed general manager of the Shanghai Yifei Model Company by the famous artist Chen Yifei. I spent my days escorting elegant models to various fashion brand auditions and parties, drawing envious and admiring glances wherever we went.

Shanghai's fashion scene was booming. From Lane Crawford at Times Square on Huaihai Road M. to the luxurious department stores along the same street, Shanghai was learning the art of sophisticated living from Hong Kong. It took nearly a decade, but by 1999, global luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Dior had become household names.

The post-60s generation, having endured hardships, were now tasting the fruits of prosperity.

In mid-1999, the Shanghai stock market soared, bringing a wave of wealth that saw friends treating each other daily and secretly buying designer bags for their lovers as if money were mere leaves falling from trees.

The construction of Plaza 66 at the junction of Nanjing Road W. and Shaanxi Road N. symbolized the luxury that defined the area, with its vibrant nightlife and late-night dining culture. By 1999, the average price of housing in Shanghai had risen to 4,000 yuan per square meter, and securing a spot for real estate ads in newspapers required connections and, often, a hefty bribe.

However, 1999 was also marked by tragedy when a Korean cargo plane crashed in Xinzhuang shortly after takeoff, killing about a dozen people on board and on the ground. This incident briefly halted the rise in local property prices as people speculated about the safety of living near flight paths.

As the millennium approached, we welcomed the new century with the expected fireworks, but with a spontaneous celebration at the Bund, followed by a night of singing at KTVs and a dawn meal at the crowded Xin Wang Restaurant. Around 12:30am, as the crowd on the Bund began to disperse, the Oriental Pearl Tower finally lit up the sky with futuristic fireworks. It was a night to remember, a fitting end to a transformative decade.

Twenty-five years later, I discovered that 1999 was also the year Alibaba was founded in April, followed by Ctrip in May, and Dangdang and Shanda in November.

Unbeknown to me then, these companies were at the starting line of China's Internet boom, a race I was oblivious to at the time.

That year, a popular variety show hosted by Cheng Lei and Ji Xueping, featuring a grand prize of a new apartment, captured the hearts of many.

It was a testament to the dreams and aspirations of a city on the cusp of the 21st century, a city that I had the privilege to experience in all its dynamic glory.