Having got out of the maze of shops and stores, we will head to the next attraction of our route - (City God Temple - 城隍庙). It must be said that almost every Chinese city has a similar temple. Essentially, this is an ordinary Taoist temple, but the City God also lives in it - the spirit of some exceptional personality, who is called upon to protect local residents from evil and evil spirits. There is a legend that one Shanghai scholar named Qin Yubo (1295 - 1373), known for his virtue and education, was offered an official post at his court by the emperor, but he rejected this offer three times. As a result, the emperor simply waited until the scientist died and posthumously appointed him God of the City.
Temple of the City God
The Shanghai City God Temple was originally built during the Ming Dynasty (1403 - 1425) to worship the statue of Huo Guang, a Han Dynasty general, and, in fact, the City God - Qin Yubo. The temple was destroyed several times in fires, but each time it was restored, becoming larger and more beautiful. In 1924 it burned down again, but by 1927 it was rebuilt. This is exactly what we see now.
During World War II, the Old City was occupied by the Japanese, and local residents were cut off from their sanctuary. Thanks to the help of Shanghai businessmen, the New Temple of the City God was built in the area of Yan'an Road and Jinling Road. But after the end of the war, the popularity of the new temple quickly faded, and it was demolished in 1972. People again flocked to the Old City to the old temple. The Temple of the City God was not spared by the Cultural Revolution - it was closed in 1966. It opened for worship only in 1994.
Let's take a short tour of the temple.
The first thing that will greet us will be the Mountain Gate (山门). This name is associated with the fact that the first Taoist hermits built their shelters in the mountains in order to live in peace and quiet. Above the gate can be seen four gold-plated hieroglyphs, literally meaning "protecting the coastline." In fact, this meant Shanghai. This inscription was made by Shanghai administrator Fengbin during the Ming Dynasty.
Temple of the City God
Before entering the temple, turn around and you will see the Stone Wall and two masts across Fangbang Middle Road. In the old days, flags were hung on them with prayers for peace and good weather for a rich harvest. On the side of the wall facing the temple, in the center you can see the sacred animal Tan: it has one horn, the body of a horse and is covered with scales. According to legend, it began to eat the evil around it, but after eating too much of it, it became greedy and began to devour pearls and precious stones. This did not satiate Tan, and it decided to eat the sun in the sky, but fell down, falling to the bottom of the deepest gorge, from which it could no longer get out. This painting is a warning to temple visitors: greed is the source of evil.
On the other side of the wall you can see three mountain goats. Goat in Chinese sounds like Yang (羊) - a positive meaning as opposed to the negative Yin. The three mountain goats are a reference to the Triple Yang that Brings Prosperity - one of the 64 hexagrams from the Book of Changes, which was used for fortune telling in ancient China (700 BC). Here this hexagram means that Yang, positive energy, grows, and Yin, negative, disappears; winter is leaving and spring is coming.
Temple of the City God
After passing the Mountain Gate, you will see another one - the Ceremonial Gate (Yi Men - 仪门). In ancient China, the Ceremonial Gate was the second front gate to the government courtyard of offices. In this case, the builders borrowed this element of architecture to make an office for the God of the City.
On this gate you can see the following lines:
- Doing good or evil is all on your conscience while you live in the world of the living.
- But no one will escape judgment in the world of the dead for everything that happened in the past and in the present.
City Gods in Taoism were a group of low-ranking deities who protected the city and its inhabitants, and were also responsible for registering all the souls and spirits in the area around them. Therefore, the City God was the first deity to be visited by the soul of a deceased person on the way to the heavenly judgment seat. Because of this, the Temples of the City God were so popular - people wanted to have an idea of what punishment might await them in the afterlife.
Temple of the City God
Another verse on this gate reads:
- You don’t have to consider what you have gained or lost.
- The gods write down everything: you do good or evil.
In Taoism they believe that Tao is everywhere, and the gods of Tao are everywhere to mark and record all the actions of people. There are even spirits in every person's body to monitor his thoughts, his words and his behavior. All these records will be presented at the trial in hell.
Notice the large scores behind these two verses. Next to them are the words: “People are not given to judge.” Some dominoes are up, some are down - the gods do their work unnoticed. Behind the bill are two shields with hieroglyphs meaning: “People who do good prosper. And those who do evil will sink into oblivion.” These abacus in the City God Temple have deep meaning. On the one hand, they call on believers to be selfless and help people, no matter how good or evil they are, because in the end everyone will be responsible for violating Heavenly laws. On the other hand, these accounts tell everyone that Heaven has its own methods of making decisions, which come from the Tao. And those who go against Tao will perish.
Temple of the City God
Please note that on the Ceremonial Gate is the Opera House, from the stage of which the monks read announcements and holy books. In addition, on the birthday of the City God or his wife, the monks removed the windows, turning this gate into a stage. Chinese opera artists performed there to please the ears of the gods and thank them for their protection.
After passing through the Ceremonial Gate, we will enter a large courtyard. On the left is the Wealth God Hall (财神殿), which oversees people's property. The lines above the entrance to the hall read:
- Thanks to the God of Wealth, your home is blooming and your career is taking off.
- Thanks to the God of Wealth, our country is prospering and the people are getting richer.
When you enter the Wealth God Hall, you will see as many as five gods. The one in the middle is Marshal Zhao, whose full name is Zhao Gongming. He wears an iron helmet, has a dark face and a large beard, in one hand is a whip, in the other is a golden ingote. Zhao is dressed like an ancient warrior as he protects local trade and spreads wealth.
Temple of the City God
Marshal Zhao is flanked by Xiao Sheng, the God Who Leads to Wealth, and Cao Bao, the God who Preserves Wealth. Both have the ability to accumulate wealth. Two more deities in this room are Messenger Chen Jiugong and Fairy Merchant Yao Shaosi. Both of these subordinates of Marshal Zhao help with business in the human world.
According to legend, on January 5th according to the lunar calendar, the God of Wealth descends to earth to inspect worldly trade and also bless people. It is not surprising that this hall is crowded on this day.
Opposite the Hall of the God of Wealth is the Hall of Ci Hang Hall (慈航殿), the Goddess of Mercy. There are three goddesses here. In the center is Tsy Han or, in accordance with Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara. If you are in trouble, just repeat her name and she will come to your rescue. In front of the statue of the goddess the following lines can be read: “In the end you will be rewarded or punished according to your deeds.”
Temple of the City God
To the left of the Goddess of Mercy is the Goddess of the Eye, and to the right is the Goddess of the Sea. The Eye Goddess is responsible for people's vision, so if you have problems with your eyes, you can ask her for help. The Sea Goddess or Mazu helps fishermen and shipwrecked people. There are especially many temples dedicated to her in Hong Kong. There she is called Tin Hau.
Next to the Hall of Tsi Han is the Chapel of Wishes (祈福堂). Upon entering, you will see the ceiling and walls covered with small red tablets on which people write their names and wishes. In front of the entrance to the chapel there are three signs: about wealth, peace and achievements in science.
People ask for different things: wealth and health, success in business and study. Taoists must repeat their wishes every morning and evening. At the end of the year, these tablets are burned so that people's wishes reach Heaven.
Temple of the City God
Next we will go to the Great Hall (Grand Hall - 大殿), above the entrance to which hangs a sign “Temple of the City God”. This inscription was made by Zhao Puchu, former vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The lines along the edges of the entrance are written by the famous scholar Mo Bingqing during the Qing Dynasty. They are very famous:
Be a good person and you will become healthy physically and mentally,
- Do decent things and you will receive the respect of the gods.
These lines show the main aspect of Taoism - it teaches people to be worthy, promising a reward for this.
The main deity of the Great Hall is Huo Guang - God of Jin Shan (Jin Shan God Huo Guang). Jin Shan, which means Golden Mountain, is the old name of Shanghai, and Huo Guang is a general from the Han Dynasty. Huo served Emperor Hanwu the Great. According to historical records, when pirates attacked Shanghai, the Chinese army was able to repulse the attack under the protection of Huo. Local residents built the Golden Mountain Temple in memory of Ho. After the temple was renamed the Temple of the City God, people still continued to make offerings in honor of Huo, now as the guardian of Shanghai and another God of the City.
Temple of the City God
In front of Ho's statue are statues of his two assistants: one (with a white face) records the good deeds of people and is in charge of good spirits, the other (with a dark face) records bad deeds and is in charge of evil spirits.
Ten more assistants line the walls of the Great Hall. Two of them are patrol officers: one patrols during the day, the other at night. Two assistants write down information and requests, two others transmit this information, two more submit information to the City God, and the last two monitor the responses.
The City God of Shanghai watches over the city's inhabitants and their descendants. His assistants write down people's affairs, and then report to the two main ones: the “white” one takes into account the good deeds, the “dark” one takes into account the bad ones. When people die, the City God judges them. Those whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds are sent to heaven where they are rewarded. Those for whom evil prevails over good are sent to hell, where they suffer their well-deserved punishment.
Temple of the City God
The plaque hanging in the Great Hall was written by the former director of the Shanghai Library, calligrapher Gu Tinglong. On it are the hieroglyphs: “Shepherd of the people,” which means the City God cares for and teaches the local residents. There are also two other verses in this room. The one in front was painted in 1994 and donated to the temple by Zhao Zhendong of the Hong Kong Yuen Xuan Institute. It reads: “The gods protect people and bring harmony and peace to the country. The gods follow a wise path, irrigating the earth with rain and saving people.”
Another verse inside the hall has been in the temple for a long time. It was written during the Republic of China by the famous Shanghai philanthropist and calligrapher Wang Zhen. The verse reads: "If you get your wealth by exploiting others, your children will waste your wealth. If you commit adultery, others will do the same to your wife or daughter." This verse is a paean to the City God and also a warning against committing crimes."
Temple of the City God
On the walls of the hall you can see the work of the famous artist Dai Dunbang - the painting “Happy Meeting of the Deities”. It depicts more than 100 Taoist gods, including San Qing, the Taoist trinity who personifies the highest and absolute truth of the Universe. There is also Yu Huang, the Jade Emperor - the ruler of the world, Mother Dou Mu - the mother of all the stars in Heaven, the Emperor of Heaven, Earth and Water, who is responsible for the daily records of the actions of people on earth; The Dragon Kings of the four oceans, who are responsible for rain and snow; God of Wealth, God of War, God of Literature (Wen Chang), Master Zhang - founder of Taoism. Dai's painting follows the tradition of the large paintings at the Yong Le Palace of the Yuan Dynasty. It is written with strong lines, rich colors, and the expressions of the gods seem to be alive. Standing in this hall, it is as if you are surrounded by gods.
After passing behind the Great Hall, we will find ourselves at the Yuan Chen Hall (太岁殿). In this hall there is an army of 60 soldiers of the Tai-Sui Deity, the great deity of time. In the traditional Chinese calendar, 60 years constitute a full cycle, so there are 60 Tai-Sui stars in the heavens, symbolizing the 60 Tai-Sui deities in the world, each of which is responsible for the luck of their year, and therefore for the luck of people who were born at that time. This is why Tai Sui deities are directly related to human destiny.
Temple of the City God
To make it easier for you to find your deity, the City God Temple has 60 deities arranged according to the 12 animals of the Zodiac. So, for example, if you are a bull, first find the five deities marked by the sign of the bull, and then find your own deity according to your year of birth.
Tai-Sui deities have their own human incarnations, born on earth to guard people during different dynasties. Therefore, all the statues of deities in this hall are real or mythical personalities under their earthly names. Some served their country, others defended their home, and others performed heroic deeds. But everyone can serve as role models in our world.
During the Spring Festival, people come to this temple to honor their deity and ask for protection throughout the year. But remember that seeking the favor and protection of the Great God of Time Tai-Sui himself leads to misfortune.
Temple of the City God
Even further to your left will be the Guan Sheng Hall (关圣殿) or the God of War Hall. The real name of this deity is Guan Yunchang, he was a famous general during the Three Kingdoms and became famous for his loyalty and justice, for which he was revered even after his death. In the hall you can see the following lines: “General Guan protects the country with his devotion and justice. His mighty name will resonate for generations on this land.”
A statue of Guan can be seen in the center of the hall. Next to him are his aide-de-camp, General Zhou Cang, as well as his adopted son Guan Ping. As a general, Guan was loyal to his emperor, like a son, he was obedient to his parents, like a decent man, he was honest to himself, as a leader and friend, he brought justice to this land.
Beginning in the Song Dynasty, Guan was given many titles by the emperor and became increasingly powerful in various areas of life. Nowadays, people pray to the general for help in achieving success in politics, business and education, as well as for him to punish evil, drive out evil spirits, punish traitors and take care of the dead.
Temple of the City God
Opposite the Hall of the War God is the Wen Chang Hall (文昌殿). Before entering the hall, lines can be read explaining to visitors that Emperor Wen Chang is in charge of education. By doing good deeds, an educated person will be rewarded by this deity. Emperor Wen Chang sits in the center of the hall. On either side of him are his assistants: the Deaf and the Mute, who will never reveal the secrets of the people who pray to them.
Wen Chang is in charge of exams that in the past were directly related to a political career (remember the imperial exams). Therefore, educated people and just students come here asking for help and good luck. Even today, schoolchildren and their parents pray to this emperor before exams.
The last part of the temple tour will be the City God Hall (城隍殿). In this hall you will see a statue of Shanghai City Deity Qin Yubo, who was deified during the Ming Dynasty. That's why he is dressed in the uniform of a Ming Dynasty government official, and there is a table in front of the statue, which could be seen in the government of that era. On the table are a brush, an inkwell, and an official seal. Two assistants stand in front of this table with papers in their hands, ready to carry out Qin Yubo's orders.
Temple of the City God
On both sides of the Hall you can see gongs, lanterns, incense burners, flags and 10 warning signs that are used during the procession of the City God. Gongs, lanterns and incense burners clear the way for God, flags demonstrate his rank and glory. Six of the ten characters, including "Shanghai Sheriff", "Ruler Xian Yu" and "Patron of the Sea", refer to the status of City God, while the other four, including "Silence!" and "Move aside!" visitors are told to remain quiet and make room for the deity's retinue.
There are two signs posted in the hall, as well as a couple of poems. The plaque at the front is inscribed with the famous calligrapher Pan Jingji's phrase: "prestige lies in outstanding glory." And the verse next to it means that God can say good and bad, right and wrong, but everyone who comes here will receive fair justice without a chance to get away.
The plaque and lines at the back of the hall were donated by the Ching Chung Taoist Association of Hong Kong. The plaque, painted by artist Cheng Shifa, says that the City God solves problems in the world of the living and the dead. And the verses of the calligrapher Cao Qi say that God has no preferences, so good people will receive protection. Even if misfortunes come your way, there is always a chance to get them out of the way by doing good deeds.
Temple of the City God
Qin Yubo, the prototype of the City God, was from Yangzhou and then moved to Shanghai. As an imperial scholar, he held government positions in Shandong and Fujian provinces. He loved the people as if they were his own children, and the people responded the same to him. Qin left his post at the end of the Yuan Dynasty to settle in Shanghai. When the first emperor of the Ming dynasty ascended the throne, he summoned Qin, but he refused several times until the emperor sent a letter written in his own hand. After this, Qin took up a post in the central government.
Patronized by the emperor, he even once presided over a national examination. After his death, he received the title of God of the City of Shanghai. It is a Chinese tradition to bestow the title of God on a deceased person who has earned great respect by serving the community. This is why so many people with achievements have been deified posthumously. Taoism also inherited this tradition in order to preserve in people's memory the achievements of their ancestors.
The exquisite Hall of the City God is decorated with peony patterns. Peonies are the traditional flower of China, so Taoism, as a Chinese religion, uses peonies, while Buddhism, which came from India, uses the lotus as its symbol.
Temple of the City God
February 21 is the lunar birthday of the City God, when Taoists must observe a seven-day ritual praying for peace and harmony, during which they distribute long-life noodles to people taking part in the ceremony. During these seven days, performances in honor of God take place on the stage of the temple.
City God Qin Yubo sits in the center of the Hall. To his left is Qin's Lady Hall, dedicated to his wife Chu, and to his right is the Parents Hall, in honor of the deity's parents. On March 28th according to the lunar calendar, on the birthday of Qin's consort, a "change of clothes" ceremony is held, during which the old clothes of the statues are changed to new ones donated by the Consort. People from all over Shanghai come to congratulate the consort of God, they sing and dance in the temple.
Opening hours: 08:30 - 16:30 06:00 - 16:30 (first day of the Lunar New Year) Tickets: 10 yuan Address: 249 Fangbang (M) Rd (方浜中路249号) Website:
The old city of Nanshi is where modern Shanghai originates.
There are ancient buildings dating back to the 15th century, part of a wall protecting against attacks, and many narrow winding alleys.
This place is colorful and bustling, with old Chinese architecture and amazing Chinese New Year celebrations.
Downtown Nansha is home to an old bazaar and traditional Chinese shops selling antiques and collectibles.
There is also a Tea House here, also with pagoda-shaped roofs, standing in the water on stilts - here you will be offered to try dozens of varieties of Chinese tea.
Shanghai Old Town
The Old City is the historical quarter of Shanghai, one of the most interesting tourist places. The boundaries of the quarter coincide with the streets of Renmin Road and Zhonghua Road, and on its territory there is the Yu Garden, the Yu Garden Bazaar and the Shanghai Old City God's Temple in the center. They say that the Old City is the authentic Shanghai and those who live here are real native Shanghainese.
This was once a very poor area; only those who could not afford other housing settled here. The houses here were low, old, not very strong, without any amenities - real huts. If a quarrel broke out in one house, it was heard by the residents of all the houses in the neighborhood. At the same time, the quarter was very densely populated - 20 people often lived in 20 square meters of house.
Now everything is different. Most of the old houses were demolished and modern buildings were built in their place. But to preserve examples of the traditional architectural style, several old houses have been renovated. The Confucian Old City God's Temple and other famous relics were restored. The Old Street (Shanghai Old Street) was built. The Old City Bazaar became more crowded, but at the same time cleaner and tidier. Now the Old City is the trademark of the new Shanghai.
Shanghai is considered to be a modern city; the official legend of its founding is that Europeans, who were exploring the expanses of Southeast Asia in the nineteenth century, discovered a small fishing village in a bend of the Huangpu River; later foreign concessions were founded in this place, thanks to which the city grew and became the largest in China. This legend crumbles to smithereens if you ever visit Old Shanghai. The first mention of the settlement dates back to the thirteenth century, when Shanghai was officially proclaimed a city. Presented to the eyes of the first Europeans, a small settlement, at a bend in the river, was surrounded by a high city wall. During the Ming Dynasty, Shanghai was a prosperous settlement surrounded by greenery. Competing for the title of the most beautiful garden were: Yu Yuan's Garden of Joy, the Garden of Fragrant Dew, the so-called My Garden, and even more unusually named, Also a Garden. Only one of them, Yu Yuan, has survived to this day, although it has undergone significant reconstruction. In the nineteenth century, despite the rapid growth of European concessions, the old city remained the center of political and cultural life in Shanghai until 1933. However, gradually, life within these walls faded away, while in other parts of the city it developed rapidly, the poorest Chinese lived in the quarter, while high-rise buildings of expensive hotels, banks and department stores rose in the neighborhood. Partly thanks to oblivion and decline, old Shanghai has reached us in its unique form.
The area now occupies the area between Renmin Road and Zhonghua Road. In the coming years, the Chinese leadership has developed a plan to demolish this quarter. The rapid growth of modern buildings, and the lack of development prospects in the area, are forcing the authorities to do this. Shanghai, simply, must live up to the title of the most modern and promising city in China. Moreover, during the period of decline, many attractions were lost or badly damaged, many of them are subject to modifications and repairs from time to time, increasingly losing their attractiveness for history buffs. The famous Garden of Joy was almost completely rebuilt, although it was repeated exactly according to ancient sketches. The famous Old Street, which has become the hallmark of the city, departs from it. The kilometer-long street is divided into two halves. The first half of the street, facing east towards Renmin Road, dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and has the typical architecture of that time - small windows, balconies, cornices and awnings. The western part to Henan Road was built at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, and looks more festive: the roofs are lined with black tiles, the columns are painted red. There are still centuries-old shops on the old street, although there are plenty of modern ones too.
A more or less preserved landmark is the Temple of God, erected in honor of three important figures of the Ming era. The temple was rebuilt many times, and enterprising merchants with their stalls settled around it. This is how a fairly famous market in Shanghai appeared. In this form, the temple of God exists to this day. Several houses of noble citizens, mainly from the Ming Dynasty, have also been preserved. The house of the same Pan Yunduan, who built the garden for his father, was almost destroyed. The once luxurious estate, like all of old Shanghai, is gradually fading into history. On the back side of the restored park there is a building, barely remaining intact. It is noteworthy that the descendants, who repeatedly resold the house, finally handed it over to Catholic missionaries, and from the end of the seventeenth century, a Catholic church operated in the house; in accordance with its needs, the house was radically rebuilt from the inside. The bases of the columns are well preserved and can be safely dated to the seventeenth century. Subsequently, the temple fell into disrepair, and a gym was installed in the building. Even the local residents themselves will not always find this or that attraction. Lost in the slums are: the Temple of Confucius, St. Xavier's Cathedral, the house of Xu Guangqi, who at one time bought Yu Yuan from Pan Yunduan, the studio of the artist Wang Yiting. Many buildings still house poor people, and one of them, the most important for the history of Shanghai, the Hermit Library, requires urgent restoration. Despite the apparent decline and outback, Old Shanghai is still bustling with life, and the poor people living in terrible overcrowding call themselves “true Shanghainese.”
A 17th-century painting shows the city wall of Shanghai's Old City and the river port outside the wall.
Shanghai Old Town(Chinese: 上海老城厢; pinyin: SHANGHAI Laotian Chengxiang ; Shanghainese: Zånhae Luo Senshian), also formerly known as chinese city, is the traditional urban core of Shanghai. Its border was previously defined by a defensive wall. The old city was the district for the old district of Shanghai. With the arrival of foreign concessions in Shanghai, the Old City became only a part of Shanghai's urban center, but continued for decades to be the seat of Chinese power in Shanghai. Notable features include God Temple City, which is located in the heart of the Old City and connected to Yuyuan Garden. With the exception of two short sections, the walls were demolished in 1912, and a wide circular avenue was built on the former wall and moat: the southern half was named "Zhonghua Road" and the northern half "Minguo Road" (together made up " Zhonghua Minguo" or "Republic of China" in Chinese). (The northern half was renamed "Renmin Road" ("People's Road") in 1950 by the new Communist government of Shanghai.)
The old city was for many decades largely coterminous with the old Nanshi District, which is now part of the Huangpu District.
fortifications
There may have been some kind of defensive structures around the Shanghai district since the 11th century. The city wall, which lasted until the 20th century and parts that remain to this day, however, was built in 1554 during the Ming Dynasty to protect the city from raids by Japanese pirates. It measures 10 meters (33 ft) high and has a circumference of 5 km (3.1 mi). In addition to the local garrison, the city was surrounded by Qing army posts at Jiangning (Nanjing), Jiang (Zhenjiang), Hangzhou and Zhapu.
There were originally six land gates (via roads) built into the structure, and three water gates (via canals):
| Shanghai Old City Gate | |||
| Old city maps | Gates | Images | |
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Shanghai Map in Shanghai Xianzhi. Map of Shanghai in 1553 (published 1813). Map of Shanghai (made around 1860) Map of Shanghai (made around 1860) Red: Old Gate. Blue: Water gate. Green: New Gate (1909)
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| Small North Gate (小北門 or 拱辰門) (built 1909) |
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| Old North Gate 老北門 also: 晏海門 "Gate of the Peaceful Sea" |
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| New North Gate 新北門 (built 1860) also: 障川門 |
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| New Eastern Gate (新東門, 福佑門) (built 1909) | |||
| Small East Gate 小東門 also: 宝帯門 "Diamond Belt Gate" |
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| Small Eastern Water Gate also: 小東門處跨方浜 |
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| Great Eastern Gate also: 朝宗門 "Gate of Dynastic Ancestors" |
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| East Water Gate 東門水門 |
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| Small South Gate 小南門 also: 朝陽門 "Gate of the Rising Sun" |
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| Great Southern Gate also: 跨龍門 "Leaping Dragon Gate" |
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| Small West Gate (小西門 or 尚文門) (built 1909) | |||
| Western Water Gate also: 西門跨肇嘉浜 |
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| Old West Gate Laoximen 老西門 also: 儀鳳門 "Gate of the Virtuous Phoenix" |
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A protective ditch surrounded the walls, 20 meters (66 ft) wide and 6 meters (20 ft) deep, which was accessible though three "Water Gates" (two in the east, one in the west).
In 1860, a new gate was created, the "New North Gate" (新北門 or 障川門). In 1909 three new gates were pierced:
- Small Western Gate (小西門 or 尚文門)
- Small North Gate (小北門 or 拱辰門)
- New East Gate (新東門, 福佑門).
The walls of the Old City were dismantled in 1912 by General Chen Qimei, then the new governor of Shanghai.
Apart from two small sections that remain, the walls were demolished in 1912, as well as a wide circular avenue built in place of the wall and moat. The northern half of the ring road was completed in 1913 to celebrate the founding of the Republic of China in 1912, and because the road formed the border between the Chinese city and the French Concession, the road was named Boulevard Deux Republiques(literally "Boulevard of the Two Republics"), or Fa-Hu L Minguo in Chinese (literally "French and Chinese Republic Road"), and is often shortened to "Minguo L" (or "Republic Road"). In 1914 the southern part of the ring road was completed and named Zhonghua Lu(literally "China Road"). Together the usual names of the two roads amounted to " Zhonghua Minguo", or "Republic of China" in Chinese. (The northern half was renamed "Renmin Road" ("People's Road") in 1950 by Shanghai's new communist government.)
Today only two very small areas remain. The more significant of these is one of the towers (pavilions) above the gate, now the Dajing Ge Pavillon Museum.
Old City and Foreign Concessions
During the Taiping invasion in 1853, the Old City was captured by the forces of the Small Swords Society. The governor of Shanghai, Wu Jianzhang, fled the British concession and had to hand over control of trade to foreigners in exchange for help in retaking the city. Recognizing that there was a huge influx of refugees fleeing to foreign concessions, not only from the Chinese areas of Shanghai but also from the surrounding region, from 1854 the Chinese were allowed to move to foreign concessions.
Administrative history
The circular shape of the old city is still clearly visible on maps: in this 1933 map, it is called "Chinese town" (at the bottom). Immediately to the north, east and west is the French concession, and further north is the international settlement.
The old city of Shanghai stands on the site of a relatively small settlement in ancient times, which began to develop in importance in the 12th and 13th centuries due to the siltration of waterways upstream, causing docks and market activity, a shift from large mining cities in this place. In 1267, during the Song Dynasty, Shanghai was raised to the status of a township, with a military garrison, at Huating. In 1277, Shanghai District was chosen as the site of one of seven customs offices throughout the empire to handle overseas trade; surrounding Huating was raised to prefectural level. The location of the customs office (which later became the office of the Shanghai district government), became the center around which the Old City grew.
The importance of this trading function led to Shanghai being raised to county status in 1292, with the Old City becoming the seat of the new county. Under the Qing, it also became the seat of a local chain and its administration headed by an intendant ("daotai"). While the foreign concessions developed into new urban areas of Shanghai, the old city remained the seat of the county, which nominally included the foreign concessions, but in reality the county's authority extended only to the Chinese areas of the city, being the Old City, the western suburbs, which is today's Minhang District. as well as the docks and factory areas in the northeast. (With the exception of a small port area near the river, today Pudong was a separate district.) In 1912, after the establishment of the Republic of China, the Old City was officially elevated to city status (Shanghai City), under Shanghai County, although city status was revoked and restored somewhat times in the coming years due to political changes in the capital Beijing and power struggles among local warlords.
In 1927, in an attempt to establish tangible Chinese power in Shanghai, the Republic of China government created the Special Municipality of Shanghai. The municipal government was moved from the Old City to nearby Xujiahui. In 1928, the city of Shanghai (Old City) was reduced to district status within the Special Municipality. In 1930, Shanghai County became a separate administrative unit parallel to the special municipality, and the county government was moved to Minhang. This was the end of the Old City's role as the seat of Shanghai's government.
Since 1928, the Old Town has been a Hunan district; "Hunan" literally means "southern Shanghai". In 1937, the collaborationist puppet government under Japanese occupation renamed the area "Nanshi" (literally "southern city"). In 1945, after the reconstruction of Shanghai at the end of World War II, the Republic of China government split Nanshi District into Yimiao District and Penlight District. In 1959, the People's Republic of China government again merged the two districts into Nanshi District. (Between 1961 and 1993, Docklands on the Pudong (eastern) side of the river was part of Nanshi District.) In 2000, Nanshi District was merged into Huangpu District, thus ending the old city's separate existence as an administrative division.
Today
A street just outside the Old City's shopping district God Temple, 2018. Although parts of the Old City were not destroyed, the area has been renovated over the past decade; much of it now consists of retail space in a gentrified style.
Today, the Old City contains some ancient but renovated features, such as the Yuyuan Garden complex first established in the 1500s during the Ming Dynasty, the pedestrian streets of the shopping district around the garden, and the God Temple City. (Tourist materials often refer to it as Nanshi District, although the area is now Huangpu District.)
Built in 1855, the Huxinting Teahouse on the Yu pond garden remains in use in 2018
The former French Concession (in Xuhui) has been extensively renovated and now features upscale shops, restaurants and museums.
The circular shape of the old city is now imprinted by surrounded by large streets that occupy the space of the former walls, now Renmin Road to the north and Zhonghua Road to the south. The Old City has also been cut in the middle of the north to south Henan Road. The old town is a combination of ancient winding streets, with some modern high-rise buildings gradually encroaching on the older areas.
Photos of Shanghai are coming to an end, but the report would not be complete without one more area - the Old City. True, I have a feeling that there are only a couple of old churches and a park there, and everything else is an antique remake.
The Old City is an area of Shanghai that lies behind the former walls, built in 1553 as a defense against attacks by Japanese pirates. So to speak, Shanghai before the Europeans came here.
It was very close from our hostel - about a kilometer to the southeast. The nearest metro station is People's Square.
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First we visited the Catholic Cathedral of St. Joseph(St. Joseph Cathedral), 1861. On the board it was written that it was late Romanesque with Gothic elements. There is a school or boarding school next to the cathedral.
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This is, so to speak, the ceremonial tourist part of the Old Town. Everything is clean, beautiful, even somewhat sterile.
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In the old city, it immediately becomes clear that there really are a lot of Chinese. There are crowds of them here! :) No, really, there weren’t so many people in other areas of the city!
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As in many other tourist places, there are many shops and stalls selling the usual tourist consumer goods, souvenirs, etc. What’s most surprising is that the Chinese themselves buy it! :)
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Perhaps because of so many people, the Old Town left me with a cool impression, despite the heat.
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10. Lanes 
Small Chenxiangge Temple(Chenxiangge Nunnery), which was once part of a large estate. We didn’t go inside - and the entrance was paid, and we had already seen enough of these monotonous temples.
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12. Roof decoration 
A fish swallowing a beam is a very common subject.
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One of the main attractions of the Old Town is Huxinting tea house(Huxinting Chalou), located on an island in the middle of a pond. The wooden house on stilts was built in 1784 and is now a famous and quite expensive restaurant, visited at different times by Jiang Zemin, Queen Elizabeth II and Bill Clinton.
A bridge of nine turns leads to the house. It turns out that Chinese evil spirits are very straightforward, in the truest sense of the word. They only walk in a straight line, so if the road makes a sharp turn, the spirit falls into the lake with a wild cry and drowns. And there are as many as 9 turns, not a single chance for the spirits!
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15. Pond with green blooming water 
16. Just a mermaid 
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18. The dragon is probably also used to intimidate spirits 
19. Plants grow on the roof of the tea house 
The second main attraction is located next to the pond - this Yu Yuan Garden- Garden of Joy (Yuyuan Shangchang). The garden was built during the Ming Dynasty by the influential Pan family as part of the family estate. Entry 70RMB.
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Construction took place from 1559 to 1577, although after that it was destroyed several times and completely restored. The garden is surrounded by a massive brick wall and is a typical southern Chinese style park.
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A characteristic feature of such parks is the creation of a feeling of large space in a relatively small area. This effect is achieved by using winding lines of paths and alleys, all kinds of windows and arched openings, and the proper location of park buildings.
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To be honest, after the parks of Suzhou it looks extremely average. Suzhou will be later.
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The park is spoiled by huge crowds of people.
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26. Bamboo Grove 
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28. There are small exhibitions inside the houses 
29. Swimming fish can be fed. As it turned out, they even eat chips quite well :). 
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35. That's it, exit 