Due to its history, the artistic characteristics could be expressed with the integration of westernization and localization. As the long-term colonial control, it was strongly influenced by the western society, customs and culture. The westernized sculptures and architectures are easily available everywhere. Meanwhile, the tradition and the customs are kept well, the festivals, the favors and hobbies are also welcome among people. The local drama such as Yueju, Huju, Kunqu, Peking-Opera, painting, calligraphy, and acrobatics and so on are popularized here.

Recently the return of the national consciousness, more and more scholars appealed to regenerate Chinese traditions including the items mentioned above. The traditional schools are welcomed and supported strongly by the new generations. They are willing to wear the ancient garments to read the Mencius, the Analects in such a special school. Many well-educated and high-salary white-collars or golden-collars like to attend at the extra training in this field. Chinese Confucian elegance is always our pursuit.

The Haishang Huapai is a very important Chinese school of traditional arts in the twentieth century. Under efforts of masters from this school, traditional Chinese art reached another climax and continued to the present in forms of the guohua for short. The most well-known figures from this school are Ren Xiong, Ren Yi, Zhao Zhiqian, Wu Changshuo, Sha Menghai, Pan Tianshou, Fu Baoshi and so on.

Objectively speaking, Chinese painters or calligraphers they are also the musicians, writers, painters and calligraphers. In a word, to be a Chinese scholar is far harder than that in west. To be a Chinese artist is also much harder than that of the west. They should be versatile and accomplished. The local opera and symphonic orchestra are perfectly well-accepted among the walks of life, especially the well-educated persons.

Shanghai Spring International Music Festival is a well-known artistic gala to show Shanghai’s elegance and inimitableness. Its poetic name full of impression and rhythm has been linked closely with Shanghai’s music since 40 years ago. Many famous singers and composers are famed owing to its help and generosity. The extremely popularized symphony Liangzhu with universal praise was born from this gala.

Shanghai’s art was different from the art forms in the north and west of China. It has formed its own characteristic, that is, the Shanghai-style art integrated with the western art form and local traditional form.