 Guangdong, however were relegated in the 1997 league season and Ou Chuliang was transferred to Shanghai Shenhua at the beginning of the 1998 league season.With Shanghai Ou Chuliang would make an immediate impact by helping them come second within the league as well as aiding them in their Chinese FA Cup win.Yunnan Hongta who were a newly promoted football team wanted to take Ou Chuliang in their attempt to establish themselves within the top tier and Ou would help them do this by quickly establish himself in the team by playing in 26 league games and aiding Yunnan Hongta avoid relegation.