On Nanjing Road Trail
According to Tongji University professor Qian Zonghao, author of the book “Nanjing Road 1840s-1950s,” early Shanghai expatriates once said “if the Bund was like a bow, Nanjing Road was the arrow, flying westward which has been the direction that has guided Shanghai’s urban development for a long period of time.”
Early last century the eastern part of Nanjing Road was upgraded to a world-class shopping street after Chinese merchants erected four modern department stores — concrete structures with modern equipment and high towers — along the street. The western part also flourished with stylish shops, famous theaters and gorgeous garden villas built by foreign and Chinese tycoons.
After exploring the eastern part of Nanjing Road, now it’s time to walk further westward from the People’s Square to the Jing’an Temple along Nanjing Road W.
Compared with Nanjing
Road E., filled with shops using loud speakers to sell jade brocades and tourists speaking different languages and dialects, Nanjing Road W. seems to be more stylish and relaxing.
With the help of Jing’an District government and four of its subdistrict governments — Nanjing Road W., Shimen Road No. 2, Jiangning Road and Jing’an Temple subdistricts along the former Bubbling Well Road, I plan to explore an amazing variety of historical buildings, ranging from clubs, hospitals, theaters, apartments, garden villas to the ancient temple and even the former cemetery park.
When researching for the series, I was deeply moved by life stories of two expatriates who had left relics and legacies along Nanjing Road W. Their spirits and stories, as well as that of the stylish Nanjing Road W., are worth telling and remembering.
Also, I’m more than happy to learn during the recent research that some of the newest technologies and devices, such as drones and architectural monitors, have been used to prevent the region’s historical buildings from been destroyed. These subdistrict governments have also organized volunteer teams comprising experts and local heritage aficionados to monitor the conditions of architectural gems.