"The spirit of Shanghai in the 1930s -- the glamour, the fun -- resonates" with guests, he says.

WSJ: Touring Asia's Art Deco Gems in Shanghai and Napier, New Zealand

Invoking the spirit of Mongolian nomads, Shanghai Tang erected a cluster of Mongolian yurts, called gers, atop the roof of Central Pier 4, which juts out into Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour.

BBC: In Hong Kong, a holiday shop in a Mongolian yurt

Signs of a budding preservationist spirit can be seen even in development-mad Shanghai.

WSJ: Ancient Village Rises in Shanghai; The Shock of the Old

Very similar to the famous Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, the six-wheeled bot created by a team at Shanghai Aerospace System Engineering Institute is capable of cruising around the Moon at a reported 100 meters per hour, all the while snapping photos and collecting bits of moon rock for analysis and possible sale on eBay.

ENGADGET: Chinese engineers reveal nuclear-powered lunar rover