Capturing the Essence of a Shanghai Night Market with Study Away Students

Virtually experience what the Luheng night market has to offer.

A booth in the Luheng night market at night

Photo credit: Juls Xi

The Study Away program at NYU Shanghai hosted this wonderful city exploration and cultural immersion event. Approximately 20 study-away students took a brief journey on the subway from campus to Luheng Road. Within 20 minutes, students had access to a plethora of stalls at the night market. Not only is the smell of the food enticing, but the lighting around the stalls also draws people in. The stalls offered a variety of foods ranging from savory meat skewers to refreshing pineapple snow cones. The students could also savor crepes made right in front of them, eat glass noodles with tripe, sip a refreshing assortment of teas and drinks, and enjoy delicious mini-pan fried dumplings. The sporadic rainfall did not prevent students from exploring the culture of Shanghai. A mall nearby had stunning European-style architecture and statues of historical figures. Underneath the mall’s beautiful architecture were people dressed in traditional attire and dancing gracefully to music, adding a nice final touch to the cultural experience for the study-away students.

Multiple stalls selling alcohol drinks
Fluorescent lighting highlights the karaoke stand selling 酒 jiu (alcohol).

Photo credit: Juls Xi

Pan-fried dumplings in a wok
These tiny pan-fried dumplings were only 15 RMB for 18 and they were delicious. Perfect as a snack or part of a meal.

Photo credit: Juls Xi

Sizzling meat skewers
Hearing the sizzling of the meat cooking added to the excitement of waiting for these yummy skewers.

Photo credit: Juls Xi

Dessert
A large portion of a fruit-based dessert.

Photo credit: Juls Xi

A vendor making shaved ice
Street vendor making shaved ice for pineapple snow cones.

Photo credit: Juls Xi

Lady spinning crepes
What a wonderful display of talent watching this vendor spin around the dough to make the crepes. Once thin enough, she added slices of bananas and chocolate sauce–a perfect combination.

Photo credit: Juls Xi

Customers hiding from the rain under tents
The tents offered shelter from the rain and a place to sit and enjoy the yummy food.

Photo credit: Juls Xi

A couple dancing outdoors
This photo captures both the beauty of the architecture and the dancing people. The people danced in pairs and rotated partners when the music changed.

Photo credit: Juls Xi