Abstract:

This essay gives a comprehensive and systematic review on the True Record, with the development of urban culture and arts of Shanghai that had became the world's fifth largest city by 1930s. As China’s first General Illustrated Magazine, the True Record was published by a group of Cantonese artists to promote a new art form in 1910s, and maintained the urban culture of Shanghai by its influence throughout the whole country. It is highly commendable of the True Record that could be so closely linked to the times, reproduce the social reality, and reflect the international frontier of culture and arts in the early 20th century by the new ideas, cultural images and artistic view it presented to the public. In conclusion, the study of the True Record today has referential significance to the construction of harmonious society and revival urban culture and arts of Shanghai in 21st century.

Key words: the True Record; urban culture; new arts