The all-new Bund, symbol of Shanghai's capitalist past, will soon sport the perfect icon of a nakedly ambitious future, a replica of the great Bronze Bull of Wall Street, representing the aggressive aspirations of the world's newest financial superpower.
The new Bund Bull, created by the sculptor of the original Raging Bull of Wall Street, will take up residence on the stretch of Art Deco riverside that has symbolised Shanghai for generations.
However, the bull is just a tiny part of a wholesale rebranding of the city that starts tomorrow, with the opening of the Rmb400bn ($59bn) Shanghai World Expo – more than twice as costly as the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but, arguably, with a more enduring impact.