The Bund is a waterfront boulevard along the west bank of Huangpu River in Shanghai. It's widely regarded as a symbol of Shanghai with neoclassic buildings on one side and the ultra modern skylines of Pudong across the river. Among the buildings on the Bund are 26 various buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. The buildings date from the 1860s to 1948, representing the history of Shanghai's colonial past.

The one mile (1,700-meters) long flood wall along the river was once the most romantic corner in Shanghai in the last century and was known as 'the lovers' wall'. The concrete wall that lovers leaned against in the past was improved into hollowed-out railings in the late 1990s. Standing by the railings, visitors can have a 'snap-shot' view of the scenery of Huangpu River and Lujiazui, the new financial hub of China.

Before the 1840s, the Bund was a muddy narrow lane with tall reeds. It initially became a British settlement. After Shanghai was established as the trading port in 1846, a street was paved there and the riversides were reinforced. Then, rows of commercial buildings were constructed. As the UK Concession, a building boom at the end of 19th century and beginning of 20th century led to the Bund becoming a major financial hub of East Asia. It was the center of the city's politics, economy and culture more than a hundred years ago, consulates of most countries and many banks, businesses and newspaper offices were settled there, and that's why we have these art-like buildings.