What makes Shanghai China's hottest city? It's elementary.
Illustrations by McFaul

AS THE SUN RISES ON SHANGHAI, bathing the waterfront's historic buildings in the most flattering light, dozens of people gather on the promenade alongside the Huangpu River to practice tai chi - or qigong, as the Chinese call it. According to traditional Chinese medicine, qi is the energy, or life force, of all beings. Its five elements - fire, earth, metal, water, and wood - must be in perfect balance for a person to thrive and have energy to soar.

No place in the world right now is thriving like Shanghai; its energy and growth are unparalleled. Some Westerners attribute the city's success to China's economic reforms, others to its history as an international port city. But the Chinese know that some of the credit should go to Shanghai's qi. Here are 25 places that exemplify it.