hina is such a vast country that the local culture in one place could be hugely different from that of another. But that diversity is little observed by many foreign people. In fact, the local culture of a certain place, like Shanghai, may have much in common with the rest of China, but it may also have many distinctive features.

We are a team of five freshman students from the School of English Studies of Shanghai International Studies University. We want to help foreign people know more about the local culture of Shanghai, our home city. Our approach is to translate and explain selected Shanghai sayings which embody local history, customs, and values.

As is known to all, the Chinese people attach great importance to the concept of family. All through their life members through the family remain closely connected. Thus, to know more about Chinese families is one of the key to gaining insight into Chinese culture.

Though today’s Shanghai is one of the most prosperous cities in China, it used to be a small town of traditional fishing and agriculture. The following two old sayings vividly show what factors had led to the rise and fall of families in old Shanghai.

1

Ploughing is probably the most laborious in all farm work in ancient Shanghai, and it requires full cooperation between two partners. But ploughing is also a reap-what-you-sow type of labour: the more time and work you invest, the more likely one will be  paid off by a bumper harvest. 

While marrying a concubine was acceptable and common for a wealthy husband in Shanghai as well as almost anywhere in China in the old days. However, the tension between the wife and the concubine might hurt the harmony of a family and destroy its prosperity.

家要齐，置两犁；家要破，置两妻

An extra plough prospers a family, while an extra mistress ruins it.

2

In ancient Shanghai, as in other parts of China, farm work is mainly undertaken by male adults of the family. Therefore, the cooperation between father, sons and brothers is the key to the family’s prosperity. Such cooperation is still seen as the core value of a family now in China. Thus, the following saying goes:

弟兄竭力山成玉,父子同心土变金。

If brothers can work hard with all their strength, mountain can be turned into jade; if son and father work hard with one mind, soil will be changed into gold.

The supervisor, Dr. Zhao Bi, is a lecturer of translation studies at School of English Studies, SISU.