The women of Shanghai: Hu Die, Shanghai's Movie Queen in 1933. Under the influence of Western culture, the role of women in Shanghai started to transform in the 1930s. Photo provided to Shanghai Star

Dreaming of a lost city

Memories of another era

Under the influence of Western culture, the role of women in Shanghai started to transform in the 1930s, allowing many women to shed the label of housewife, and seek celebrity or a professional career.

In 1921, China's first actresses made it onto film. In the 1920s, Shanghai's 90 film companies produced about 600 films. Hundreds of actresses shot to fame in the booming industry, and became China's first generation of women film stars.

Hu Die, a well-known actress and Shanghai's "Movie Queen" in 1933, was well educated at prestigious schools. The first batch of actresses in China including Hu Die and Ruan Lingyu were positive role models for young women and paved the way for a more improved status of Shanghai women.

Many women went to work. More educated female graduates started taking jobs as accountants, typists and even policewomen.