In 2001, crowds gathered along Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s principal commercial thoroughfare, after its transformation into a pedestrian promenade. The elevated perspective reveals consistent movement in all directions, shaped by storefronts, signage, and the cadence of daily commercial activity.

The photograph captures a city undergoing transition, where consumption, mobility, and public spaces intersect. It illustrates the increasing scale and tempo of urban life at the dawn of the twenty-first century.