We begin with an early meeting with the President of ECNU, Wang Jianpan. Here is Charles Bu's picture of ECNU's fearless leader and our fearless leader (Andy Shennan) at the meeting.

    Notice the hole in the center of the table! The small table inside moved back & forth. I asked Jing-heng Ma, who it seems knows almost everything about China, what the setup was for, but even she was at a loss. Can anyone provide a clue?

    On to the Oriental Peal TV Tower in Pudong. The weather is dismal (grey, light drizzle and 45 degrees) & pollution is very bad, but the view from the top is still spectacular. The The far left picture is Kaaren Parma's picture of the Bund (center of British Concession prior to the Communist Revolution) and the Huangpu River.

    We are rushed through a wonderful Museum on the History of Shanghai on the ground floor of the China Pearl. Next stop, the Disney Land like tourist tunnel under the Huangpu. Kevin, Charles and Caroline Bu's nine year old, loved it!

    We wind up on the Bund & make our way to the Peace Hotel where we are being hosted by the political head of ECNU Zhang Jishun,female (as her web page puts it). She is a wonderful host and a very impressive woman. Our banquet is in the Dragon-Phoenix room on the top floor of the hotel & the food is elegant and just keeps coming and coming.

    After lunch, a few of us went across the roof to the Shanghai Night Bar, a glass room on the roof with wonderful views of the Bund, the Huangpu river and Pudong. The sound of the busy traffic on the river was very melancholy, but somehow soothing. Apparently this is a stop for major western leaders when they come to Hong Kong (e.g., pictures of Bill & Hillary, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles)  

    Back at the Hotel, I am immediately picked up by Qian Pinshi, Associate Professor of Law, and Sunny Chen, a law graduate student. We spend the next 3 hours talking intensely about all areas of Chinese law--contracts, property, criminal and family. It is a fascinating discussion. Two of the most interesting things are (1) the degree to which China is relying on contract law since property ownership is not possible and (2) the shifting of criminal and family law from a highly hierarchical system to one with more individual autonomy and protections.

    Back at the hotel, I have time to wash my face and then down to the lobby to catch a cab for a "simple noodle dinner" with Wellesley alums living in Shanghai. As I am waiting for the cab, Sunny Chen comes over with a book on Chinese Criminal Procedure as a gift. It was her text and given the cost of books in China it was an extremely generous gift. I treasure it.

    When we arrive at the restaurant, it turns out that it has changed hands and we wind up with our second banquet of the day rather than simple noodles. It is a delightful meal (in spite of feeling like a fois gras goose) with an amazing group of Wellesley women. I sat between Betty Barr & Annie Chu and was thoroughly entertained learning from Betty what it has been like living in China over the last several decades and from Annie I learn what studying public health in China is like.

    We arrive back at the hotel at 10 P.M. & I collapse into bed.

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