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Urban Development History of Shanghai, China
[Introduction] [Part I: The Feudal Age] [Part II: Concession; Foreign Settlement]
[Part IV: After Liberation] [Part V: Culture of Longtang] [Part VI: Problems and Opportunities]
[Previous Page] [Reference] [Home] [Next Page]
[A city of fragments] [Great Shanghai Scheme] [Achievements]
By the early 20th century, Shanghai had developed for about 60 years since was forced to open in 1846. It had become the biggest city in China and a famous city in Far East no matter how long the history any other city had.
Population in 1910:
|
District |
International Settlement |
France Concession |
Chinese District |
Total |
|
Population |
501,541 |
115,946 |
568,372 |
1,185,859 |
However, under the city development boom, there were many problems in shanghai, an inconsistent metropolis. From 1846, the establishment of Foreign Settlements, Shanghai was separated into three parts, International settlement, France Concession and Chinese District. Each part had its own administrative system, cultural background and city development policy, which only met its own society developing demand rather than the whole city. Because of the political separation for a long time, the urban styles and development levels are quite different especially between Chinese District and Foreign Settlements.
These inconsistencies made shanghai a city of fragments, which became the most attractive feature of the metropolis, on the contrary, became the main disadvantage of the city as an integrated urban system. Without any city-developing scheme for the whole city, the city was developed into chaos.
1. The public utilities such as water, electricity, transportation, or communication services in shanghai were divided into three separate systems which were built in their own standards. And it was hard to connect these systems into an integral public service system that can work effectively and efficiently for the whole city. For example, it would take passengers much more time to travel from south to north, because of the separation of the bus systems in these settlements, which developed from east to west.
2. Although the authorities of these districts had built some large establishments such as bus terminal, port, pumping station and power station, these establishments could not been well used by the whole city.
3. The fringe of the city, which near the boundary between Chinese district and Foreign Settlements was the area full of crimes and conflicts.
4. Chinese district were divided into “Zhabei” and “Nanshi” by Foreign Settlements, which constrained the development of both sides.
5. Without a powerful city government, there were few public ferries in Huangpu River. So Pudong, the most potential rural land, separated from the metropolis by Huangpu River, could not developed into a city like Puxi and its population and economy growth were very slow.
Shanghai in the early 20th century was a metropolis of large area and population. Without an integral city developing scheme and a powerful government, hardly could any big construction for the whole city be implemented. Although in term of urban development Shanghai was a metropolis of malformation that could not stop its economic, cultural and population booming and becoming “the First Metropolis in Far East” in 1930s.
Xiafei
Road in France Concession in1930s
Source:
SURVEY OF SHANGHAI 1840-1940
China
Style in Kuangdong Road
Source:
SURVEY OF SHANGHAI 1840-1940
Nanking
Road in 1930s
Source: SURVEY OF SHANGHAI 1840-1940
In March 1927, Shanghai proletarian overthrew the corrupt feudal government and established ”Shanghai Temporary Government”. As its particular status in China, in July, Republic of China central government decided to change Shanghai into a special administrative zone denominated as “special city”, which was directly under the administration of Central Government. On 7th July 1927, Jie-shi Juang, the highest governor of Republic of China, attended the ceremony of the establishment of Shanghai special city. In the ceremony he pointed out the importance of Shanghai and commented:
“Shanghai special city is the first metropolis in East Asia. It is the foundation of Chinese military force, economy and transportation. The more prosperous it is, the more auspicious China will be. So will our party (China National Party). I hope that all our comrades unite to built it more better!”
In November 1927 local Chinese government established a zoning commission to study the urban development problems Shanghai faced. Deliberated for a several years, passed by the 123rd city congress, 《Shanghai city center construction scheme》was publicized to citizens in August 1929. The area about 7,000 Mu (4.7 square kilometers) in Jiangwan District was decided to be the new Shanghai city center and a new commission was established to implement it. Besides this core scheme, there were several plans such as《Scheme of Qiujiang Port on Huangpu River》, 《Shanghai Zoning Scheme》and 《 Shanghai Transportation Scheme》, etc. “Great Shanghai Scheme” or “New Shanghai Development Scheme” was the joint name of all these plans.
Outline of “Great Shanghai Scheme”:
1. Transportation: construct a new port in Qiujiang and railway station in Jiangwan, the new city center.
2. Divide Shanghai into 5 zones: administrative, industrial, commercial, port and residential.
3. Reconstruct old roads in Chinese District and construct 500 kilometers long new roads in new areas. Connect old and new roads into an integral traffic system.
Great Shanghai Scheme is the first city development scheme in Shanghai and proposed a beautiful plan for Shanghai development in the future. It showed Chinese ambition to built Shanghai into a more prosperous metropolis, on the contrary, outside Chinese district, Foreign Settlements, which had been established more than 80 years and hold much more technical and economic advantages, didn’t show any interested in Shanghai’s future as an integral city.
Transportation Scheme
New City Center Scheme
Source: http://www.shucm.sh.cn
Although Great Shanghai scheme had many advantages, in 1930s, times of turbulence and confusion, it was hard to implement it without support from strong economic foundation and stable social environment. On 12th January 1932 Japanese invaded Shanghai, the new city became a battlefield and many buildings and facilities were ruined during the war. By 1937, “8.13” event, the whole city was controlled by Japanese. So the Great Shanghai Scheme, in some degree a utopian city plan, had to be aborted.
However, it had achieved some objectives. New city government building was built up in September 1933. New sport center finished In August 1935, including a stadium, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, a baseball stadium and tennis fields. In the next few years, library, museum and hospital were constructed and opened to public. With these public utilities a new city center emerged in the northeast of Shanghai. Many roads were paved to support the new city center and a new river port and railway were constructed in 1935 to support economic growth. Abandoning the fashionable architectural style at that time, the architects of these building used Chinese architectural language to show their nationalist character. These achievements were milestones in city development history of China, which had dropped behind the western countries for a long time.
After the establishment of Chinese city government, Chinese district also became a very important force in Shanghai’s development. The early 1930s was a new start of Shanghai’s development, before Japanese invasion, after 80 years development, Shanghai at one fling became the first prosperous international metropolis in East Asia. 3,600,000 population, more than 200 international financial companies, about 3000 factories, over 30 collages, 340,000 workers and 100 international medium were ingredients of the world fifth biggest city, Shanghai, behind New York, London, Berlin and Chicago.
Shanghai
New Government Center Scheme
Source: http://www.shucm.sh.cn
Sports
Center for New city Center
Source:
SURVEY OF SHANGHAI 1840-1940
New
Museum for New City Center
Source:
SURVEY OF SHANGHAI 1840-1940
New
Government Building
Source: SURVEY OF SHANGHAI 1840-1940
[Introduction] [Part I: The Feudal Age] [Part II: Concession; Foreign Settlement]
[Part IV: After Liberation] [Part V: Culture of Longtang] [Part VI: Problems and Opportunities]
[Previous Page] [Reference] [Home] [Next Page]