Shanghai, literally 'Above the Sea', is a port city on the Huangpu River, where the Yangtze River empties into the East China Sea. Originally a fishing and textiles town, the city gained its identity after it was opened to foreign powers by the 1842 Treaty of Nanking. The British, French, Americans, Germans, and Russians moved in, setting up their distinct Western-style banks, trading houses, and mansions, leaving a permanent architectural legacy. The city flourished as a cosmopolitan and thriving commercial and financial center, dubbed the "Pairs of the East" in 1920s and 1930s. In spite of being the cradle of Chinese Communism, the city was neglected during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. In 1990, it was chosen to spearhead modern China's reform and opening up, which resulted in intense development. In addition, the city has often been the inspiration for novels, films and cocktails. It is probably the most evocative city for an outsider to visit all of the country. Beijing may be more mysterious, but Shanghai offers half-understood, semi-mythical images.