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The buildings along the Bund were built between the late 19th and early 20th century. The buildings are now commonly used as banks and hotels. They consist of several different architectural styles, most of which are Romanesque Revival, Gothic Revival, Renaissance Revival, Baroque Revival, Neo-Classical or Beaux-Arts styles. There are also a number of Art Deco style buildings. The 1.6km long Bund runs along the western bank (Puxi 浦西) of the Huangpu River and is centred along a stretch of Zhongshan Road (中山路). Each of the buildings stand right on the shore of the west bank behind a long pedestrian area.
The buildings along the Bund were built between the late 19th and early 20th century. The buildings are now commonly used as banks and hotels. They consist of several different architectural styles, most of which are Romanesque Revival, Gothic Revival, Renaissance Revival, Baroque Revival, Neo-Classical or Beaux-Arts styles. There are also a number of Art Deco style buildings. The 1.6km long Bund runs along the western bank (Puxi 浦西) of the Huangpu River and is centred along a stretch of Zhongshan Road (中山路). Each of the buildings stand right on the shore of the west bank behind a long pedestrian area.
Shanghai’s colonial period lasted from 1840 – 1940 and was a transformational period in the city’s history. What was once a small town has been altered into an international metropolis and a booming international trade port. When analysing this period of Shanghai’s history, it is important to note the significance of Edward Siad’s theory of Orientalism - the idea that Western discourse regarding ‘the East’ was not accurate as they contained Western bias. Therefore, this hindered a true understanding of Middle-eastern and East Asian culture and cemented Western culture and society as superior to that of the East.
COLONIAL SHANGHAI
COLONIAL SHANGHAI
ORIENTALISM
ORIENTALISM
One such example of this is the maps of Shanghai drawn by Westerners at the time. Much of the areas outside of International and French concessions were omitted from the map or only defined by significant roads needed by traders (Day, 2015).
Map of Shanghai, 1912.
Image Source: Mardolle’s Guide Books as sourced by Day, 2015THE OPIUM WARS
THE OPIUM WARS
One of the key ways the West aimed to gain control over China was through trade. However, unfortunately for the Chinese, this ultimately resulted in their loss during the two opium wars. Western powers continued to be prominent in Shanghai and is clearly shown through the outcomes of the Treaty of Nanking. For more information about the First Opium War, check out this video →
After the Treaty of Nanking, leaders of Shanghai deciding to hand over much of the land surrounding the old city to imperialist powers. This was considered by the Chinese to be one of the many unequal treaties they were subjected to by Western Imperial powers. The French and International Settlements became their own extraterritorial areas which were free from the restrictions of local law and were operated separately under their own jurisdictions.
The impact of these western settlements has evidently left a mark on the fabric of the city. Most notably were the architects from around the world came to build buildings in the same style as buildings from their homeland with the instruction to “Spare no expense, but dominate the Bund” (Pridmore, 2008 as cited by Day, 2015) which ultimately led the Bund to become a “collage of international architectural styles” (Day, 2015).
The Bund was the most extravagant and prominent site of Western architecture in Shanghai. Subsequently, the Bund skyline became a symbol of Shanghainese identity as being made through outsiders who forced their superiority on original inhabitants (Arkarapraserkul, 2007 as cited by Day, 2015). The Bund in many ways became one of the last and most grand symbols of imperial power and influence in the area.
“SPARE NO EXPENSE, BUT DOMINATE THE BUND”
“SPARE NO EXPENSE, BUT DOMINATE THE BUND”
BUILDING THE BUND
BUILDING THE BUND
It was not until the late 19th century did the Bund start construction on its grand Romanesque Revival, Gothic Revival, Renaissance Revival, Baroque Revival, Neo-Classical, Art Deco and Beaux-Arts style buildings. The first companies that dominated this area where trading companies. However, as trade increased in Shanghai these gave way to more financial institutions and eventually luxury hotels and exclusive clubs.
In the 1860s, the Bund was at the junction with Peking Road. To the left of the road is British trading company Jardine, Matheson and Company which was founded on opium profits. The obelisk to the right was used to commemorate officers who fell while fighting the Taiping rebels (Pan, Qian and Xue,1993).
Image source: Pan, Qian and Xue, 1993Image carousel shows images of the Bund from around 1937 and 2010
Image souces: Pan, Qian and Xue, 1993, Guo, 2010China DiscoveryAuthor, 2016The peak of the Bund was from 1920-1937. The architecture on the Bund was the most grand in all of Shanghai at that time. It became home to the highly exclusive Shanghai Club and luxury hotels were built to welcome other wealthy western tourists. The Bund in those days mean drinks, jazz, celebrity and capitalism. It was the city of dreams and inspiration of writers and artist and also a second home for the rich and famous to drink and dance the night away. It became known as the 'Paris of the Orient' (Carroll).
However, hidden beneath the grandeur, wealth and fame lied a hidden underbelly. The Bund also was popular for its opium dens, prostitution rings and general corruption. Shanghai soon garnered another nickname, ‘whore of the Orient’ (Carroll).
PARIS OF THE EAST, WHORE OF THE ORIENT
PARIS OF THE EAST, WHORE OF THE ORIENT
WORLD WAR II AND THE JAPANESE INVASION
WORLD WAR II AND THE JAPANESE INVASION
During WWII and the Second Sino-Japanese War, Shanghai was taken by the Japanese. As a result, Anglo-American influence over the area ended after December 1941. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, the French and American residents quickly surrendered. However, the British who still had one riverboat in Shanghai, the HMS Peterel refused which resulted in all on-board crew members being killed and their ship sunk (Wettern, 1960).
Many European residents were able to escape. However, those who could not were forced to wear armbands, evicted from their homes and subjected to maltreatment. Many were sent to work camps in Lunghua and survivors were not released until August 1945 (Fullerton, 2014).
Many foreign residents chose to evacuate the city which resulted in a mass exodus of local Chinese from Hongkou and Yangshupu into the International Settlement and its population grew from 1.6 mil to 5 mil or more (Pan, Qian and Xue, 1993).
Image Source: Pan, Qian and Xue, 1993
On December 8 1941, The Japanese army entered the International Settlement. They raised their flag over the Hongkong Shanghai Bank (HSBC) and started demolishing other monuments along the Bund, including the World War I Angel of Victory Monument (Pan, Qian and Xue, 1993)
Image Source: Pan, Qian and Xue, 1993However, the Bund seen as a symbol of Western colonialism and capitalism, during World War II so when the invading Japanese took control of Shanghai, they chose to use it as their headquarters. They also removed most of the banks and replaced them with government ministries. The Japanese rising-sun flag blew atop of many buildings in Shanghai.
See the video below for footage from the fall of Shanghai.
For a closer look at the Bund, please click the button below ↓
For a closer look at the Bund, please click the button below ↓
References
Title Image: Postcard by Sanshengyouxin, 2016, available from 3SYX_studios@sina.com
Carroll, E. The Bund Shanghai: History & Facts | Study.com. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-bund-shanghai-history-facts.html
China Discovery. Photograph of the Bund [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.chinadiscovery.com/shanghai/the-bund.html
Fullerton, J. (2014). Lunghua Civilian Assembly Centre: Teacher to reveal grim history of. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/lunghua-civilian-assembly-centre-teacher-to-reveal-grim-history-of-site-of-j-g-ballard-s-internment-9180216.html
Day, K. (2015) Fengshui as a narrative of localisation: Case studies of contemporary architecture in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Guo, C. (2010). 1850-2010 Shanghai : a photo contrast of past glories and new accomplishments = 1850-2010 kua yue shi ji de Shanghai cheng shi xing xiang (Di 1 ban.). Shanghai: Shanghai People’s Fine Arts Publishing House.
Pan, L., Qian, Z., & Xue, L. (1993). Shanghai : a century of change in photographs, 1843-1949 . Hong Kong: Hai Feng Pub.
Wettern, D. (1960). The lonely battle. London: W.H. Allen.
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