20 18-03-04 Suzhou Creek History and Culture

It is another name for Shanghai section of Wusong River. Originating in East Taihu Lake, it flows through Wujiang City, Wuzhong District, Kunshan City in Suzhou and Qingpu, Jiading, Minhang, Putuo, Changning, Jing 'an, Zhabei, Hongkou and Huangpu in Shanghai, and joins Huangpu River in Shanghai, with a total length of 125 km, a length of 53. 1 km in Shanghai and an urban river surface.

In ancient times, Wusong River, as the main channel for releasing floods from Taihu Lake, was once the most important low-water river in Shanghai. Its river is wide and vast, "deep and wide, comparable to a thousand rivers" (overseas Chinese language in Song Dynasty). However, during the Northern Song Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, the Wusong River water source was blocked due to the construction of Wujiang long dike in the upper reaches. During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, Xia Yuanji dredged the Huangpu River as the mainstream to divert the incoming water from Taihu Lake, and at the same time led the Wusong River to Liu Jia in Taicang in the north. As a result, the Wusong River became shallower and shallower and gradually gave way to the Huangpu River. After more than five centuries of evolution, it has degenerated into an ordinary tributary with a width of only 40 to 50 meters in modern times.

Historically, Qinglong Town in the Tang and Song Dynasties and the old county town in Shanghai since the Yuan and Ming Dynasties have grown up on this river, benefiting from the superior shipping position connecting the land of fish and rice in the south of the Yangtze River and reaching the northern and southern oceans through Wusongkou. After the Opium War, Britain, France, the United States and other western powers saw the convenient conditions for connecting rivers and seas here, so they flocked to demarcate and lease land at the intersection of Suzhou River and Huangpu River. Less than half a century later, especially in the wave of modernization in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, Shanghai, a small county town in the south of the Yangtze River, dramatically became the largest city and industrial and commercial center in China.

Then, what did Suzhou River look like more than 50 years ago, the starting point of urban modernization/kloc-0, which was the initial framework of this international metropolis?

In fact, until the 1940s and 1950s before the opening of the port, the confluence of Suzhou River and Huangpu River was still a barren beach full of reeds. "Autumn winds are together, reeds are sparse, and rainbows turn purple at sunset"; Surrounded by scattered villages, scattered in "a vast paddy plain, densely covered with countless rivers and lakes" (missionary Luo Dang's letter 1844).

At present, the earliest measured map of modern Shanghai is known-the plan of British Concession (the plan of British Concession collected by the Royal Geographical Society, Figure 2, published in Shanghai City Map Integration). It is worth noting that Wusong River has been marked as Suzhou River in this map, and the name Suzhou River only appeared in early modern times. At that time, the British established a concession in Shanghai. They only knew that the river could reach the hinterland of Jiangnan through Suzhou. Therefore, when they signed an agreement with Shanghai Daotai to expand the concession, they called it Suzhou River, and the name gradually spread.

Speaking of Suzhou River, we have to say the bridge of Suzhou River. From the earliest 1672 reconstruction of the three-hole stone gate on Fujian Road to the completion of the Qilian Mountain South Road Bridge in 2008, there are about 30 bridges, from Zhenbei Road Bridge, Dadu River Bridge, Qiangjiajiao Pedestrian Bridge, Zhongshan West Road Ring Bridge to Waibaidu Bridge on Huangpu River. This bridge over Suzhou River has made great contributions to the expansion and networking of a small county to Shanghai. At that time, many refugees who fled from Jiangsu and Anhui first lived in Kaiqiao and set up shanty towns on the banks of the river. Only then did we get out of the working class in China and start the national industries on both sides of China.

During the period of 1847- 1848, it was only a few years before the British Concession was demarcated in the 25th year of Qing Daoguang (1845). At that time, the urban development of the British Concession was generally confined to the area from Huangpu River in the east, to Church Street (now Jiangxi Middle Road) in the west, to Suzhou River Beach in the north and to Pidgin (now Jinling East Road) in the south. At that time, there were many rivers in the concession, and the city was still in its infancy. Dozens of western-style buildings mainly gather on the side of Huangpu River facing the Bund, while Suzhou River in the northern part of the concession is still a natural river view, and there is not even a bridge on the Suzhou River in the northern part of the concession.

A map of Shanghai and its suburbs. The 1853 (Shanghai and its suburbs, about 1853, Figure 3) drawn by Anonymous clearly describes the basic form, internal administrative institutions, churches and temples, and the British-French-American Concessions of Shanghai County during or after the Knife War. According to the picture, the first bridge, Wells Bridge, has appeared at the mouth of Suzhou Creek into Huangpu River. This is a wooden bridge erected by British Wells at the mouth of Suzhou River in the sixth year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (1856). It is also called "Waidukou Bridge" because it is close to the "Waidukou" on the river. By 1906, it was transformed into an all-steel bridge, namely "Waibaidu Bridge", which became a landmark building in Shanghai.

? The Complete Map of Shanghai in Qing Dynasty is well measured and painted cleanly and elegantly. The picture truly shows the historical landscape of Suzhou River in Tongguang at that time: at that time, there were many small rivers and banks on the north bank of Hebei, and the banks were winding, showing the characteristics of natural rivers, while the south bank was neatly arranged, giving people the impression that the streets were orderly and the docks stood by the water, giving people the impression of prosperity. There are more bridges on the river-Zhapu Bridge, which is a pontoon bridge built by the Anglican Bishop (Wen Huikang) at Toubaidu Ferry. It was after the publication of 1873 "Full Map of Shanghai in Qing Dynasty" that this bridge was changed into a wooden bridge, which was called "Tou Ferry Bridge" by China people at that time. Since then, Shanghai has also entered the track of rapid urbanization.

The bridge of Suzhou River, from 1672 when the three-hole stone gate was rebuilt on Fujian Road to the completion of Qilian Mountain South Road Bridge in 2008, has more than 30 bridges, including Zhenbei Road Bridge, Dadu River Bridge, Qiangjiajiao Pedestrian Bridge, Zhongshan West Road Ring Overlapping Bridge and Waibaidu Bridge on Huangpu River. This bridge over Suzhou River has made great contributions to the expansion and networking of a small county to Shanghai. At that time, many refugees who fled from Jiangsu and Anhui first lived in Kaiqiao and set up shanty towns on the banks of the river. Only then did we get out of the working class in China and start the national industries on both sides of China.

Suzhou River, whose real name is Wusong River, was the main sea passage of Taihu Lake before the Ming Dynasty, and Huangpu River was its tributary. In the early Ming Dynasty, due to the serious siltation of Wusong River, Xia Yuanji, then Minister of Housing, dredged the tributaries on the north and south sides of Wusong River, diverted Taihu Lake, and made the Huangpu River flow northward from Fuxing Island to Wusongkou to the Yangtze River. On the contrary, the Wusong River has become a tributary, so there is a saying that "Huangpu captured the Song Dynasty". After the opening of Shanghai, Shanghai talents called the Wusong River in Shanghai Suzhou River.

The historical space of Suzhou Creek is roughly divided into "three sections and one line", namely, the cultural landscape area in the east section, the storage creative area in the middle section and the Huxi industrial belt and cultural education area in the west section. The first line refers to the "bridge view" on the Suzhou River. Among them, the "cultural landscape area" in the east mainly refers to the estuary in the lower reaches of Suzhou River from the east of Henan Luqiao. Because this area was once the earliest concession area in Britain and the United States, it was also the earliest westernized area and became the core area of the new Shanghai. Waitanyuan and the North Bund live in it, which is connected to the Bund in the south and an extension of the East Bund in the east, echoing the "Puxi Lujiazui" from a distance. Although similar to the Bund, this area also constitutes an important part of the "World Architecture Expo" with classic Western-style architecture. From the perspective of historical sites, the Bund mainly focuses on finance and trade, while the function of this area focuses on diplomatic culture and life services. This area has not only become an important part of the whole Bund historical and cultural features protection area, but also a natural extension of cultural sightseeing on the Bund.

The "warehouse creative area" in the middle section refers to the area between Henan Luqiao and Hengfeng Luqiao. Mainly because of the development needs of some banks and private banks at that time, they were founded in the 1920s. The warehouse group in this area, together with other industrial buildings on both sides of Suzhou Creek, has been playing its due role. Until the 1990s, due to the industrial transformation in Shanghai, a large number of factories and warehouses were abandoned. Later, with the upsurge of real estate development, a large number of factories and warehouses were demolished. After the appeal or urging of the media and academic circles and the advocacy of some artists, various conservation practices began. For example, in 1998, Taiwan Province architect Deng rented the Yuesheng Warehouse on Suzhou South Road, which was built in 1930s and used as a studio. Liu Jidong, a designer studying in the United States, rented a four-row warehouse on the north bank of Suzhou Creek to create a "creative warehouse", which had an impact for a while. Nowadays, with the rise of creative parks on both sides of Suzhou Creek, "Su He" is booming, and the transformation of abandoned blocks has found a satisfactory way.

From Hengfeng Road Bridge to Beixinjing, it is Huxi Industrial Zone. Especially near Changhua Road, there are a number of influential enterprises, such as Fuxin Flour Factory, Shanghai Brewery, Shen Xin No.9 Factory, domestic and foreign cotton textile mills and Shanghai Mint. In recent years, Putuo District, where the Shanghai-West Industrial Belt is located, has put forward the strategy of building Suzhou Creek Cultural Corridor, focusing on developing waterfront leisure and creative industries and building a series of industrial museums. The industrial belt that declined in the past is now full of vitality.

In the Hexi section of Suzhou, amid the noise of many industrial zones, there are St. John's University (now East China University of Political Science and Law) founded by 1879 and Daxia University (now East China Normal University) founded by 1924. The construction of St. John's campus spans Suzhou River, and it is connected with Suzhou River by a beautiful Rivalida River in summer. Both campuses have experienced the baptism of years, and the European architecture standing upright on campus seems to be telling the vicissitudes of Suzhou Creek.

The protection of Suzhou River not only means the management and protection of the whole basin, but also means the transformation of industry, the revival of declining areas and the transformation from historical space to cultural space.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the then concession authorities had measured the water quality of Suzhou River, Huangpu River and Dianshan Lake, and the result was that the water quality of Suzhou River ranked first. But since the late 1920s, Suzhou River has been polluted. Zhabei Waterworks, which was built on 19 14 and located near Hengfeng Road, took Suzhou River as its water source. On 1928, Zhabei Waterworks had to be moved to Simon Road to get water from Huangpu River. After 1949, Shanghai changed from a consumer city to an industrial city. Suzhou Binjiang industrial plant is more dense, and the population continues to grow. According to statistics, by 1996, there were 1430 factories and enterprises in the whole region with a coastal population of 4.05 million. By 1978, the urban section of Suzhou Creek was all black and smelly. 1August, 1998, the foundation stone was laid for the first phase of river sewage treatment in Suzhou Creek area. At that time, Shanghai's per capita GDP was less than 4000 dollars, which was far from the economic level of river sewage treatment in developed cities in Europe and America. At present, the third phase of the comprehensive environmental improvement project of Suzhou Creek has been completed, and the water quality of the lower reaches of Suzhou Creek and Huangpu River has been improved simultaneously, and the water quality of tributaries has been improved simultaneously with that of the main stream of Suzhou Creek. Suzhou River ecosystem has been further restored.

In recent years, Putuo District has started the construction project of Suzhou Creek Cultural Corridor in an all-round way, which consists of the cultural and creative industrial zone, the artistic transformation project of the bridge across Suzhou Creek, the lighting and greening landscape project of Suzhou Creek, the navigation project of water bus, and the museum construction project. Changfeng area used to be the factory area of light industrial enterprises in Shanghai, but now it has been transformed into a high-grade commercial building, and the Museum of Culture and Art is adjacent to it. Spark museums, yacht clubs and water bus docks are scattered all over the ecological green space along the Yangtze River, echoing the Hongqiao transportation hub center across Suzhou River. Even the old Shanghainese don't know that there is such a business circle along the Suzhou River in the west of Shanghai, which exudes a new look of 2 1 century. The appearance of Lujiazui and Hongqiao business districts once made Shanghainese shine, but it always gave people a feeling that something was missing after the prosperity. The embryonic form of Changfeng Eco-business District makes people understand the meaning of the word "ecology". Perfect combination of river bend, green space and architecture; The harmonious convergence of office, shopping, leisure and cultural atmosphere enables people to enjoy an "ideal small society" in which natural ecological environment, rich material civilization and rich spiritual and cultural life are integrated in their work and life. Look at the buildings that have sprung up: Changfeng Financial Port, Guofeng Hotel, Yin Hui Mingzun, Huahong Investment, Yangtze River Riverside Plaza, Schneider Electric, Marriott Asia Pacific Hotel and so on. There are Jackie Chan Film Art Museum, Changfeng Visual Art Museum, especially the Shanghai Multinational Procurement Center under construction, with a total investment of 2 billion, integrating meetings, exhibitions, offices, businesses and restaurants, which can undertake various international conferences, large-scale professional exhibitions and high-end business and cultural activities, and will become the largest reverse procurement event for global multinational buyers and China import and export enterprises in China. Just a quick glance will make you feel a new business circle with international standards, Shanghai style and ecological environment.

Suzhou River flows to Waibaidu Bridge, accumulating the essence of Shanghai-the source of the beach, symbolizing the glory of Shanghai. After nearly three years of transformation, it exudes her unique charm. Waitanyuan 1, the former British Consulate, was built in 1873, which is the earliest existing western-style building on the Bund. A typical English Renaissance country villa, with porches and balconies, two-story carved brick walls and a four-slope China butterfly tile roof. Under the shade of lush old trees and surrounded by wide lawns, it shows its unique tranquility, elegance and nobility. There are still the ruins of the fort where the Qing army fought against foreign enemies during the First Opium War. I went there a few years ago when I visited my classmates, but the feeling of walking inside was different. During the reconstruction, people of insight once proposed to build the Bund Museum to show the footprints of the sons and daughters of Shanghai who rose to the east of the world for the first time after its opening. Unfortunately, it has now become a financier's club, and ordinary people can't get in. However, it is not bad to walk around Yuanmingyuan Road. There is a small piece of dark granite pavement in Kowloon, with eight classic buildings such as Zhenguang Building, Lanxin Building, YWCA Building, Ampere Foreign Firm and Guanglu Grand Theatre on one side, and churches, green spaces and Peninsula Hotel on the east. Think of the Wen Hui Building that stood here at the beginning. In order to restore the original appearance of the beach source, a building with dozens of floors that was only built for ten years was demolished, which shows the courage of politicians at that time. It is not difficult to see that this block will be the most fashionable and elegant block in Shanghai, and it will also inject some wealth into Suzhou Creek culture. You see, the elegant pedestrian street combines the urban green space with the exquisite historical buildings along the street. You can not only enjoy the beautiful landscape environment, but also feel the unique historical and cultural atmosphere of the Waitanyuan. More quiet and tasteless than the fashionable new world.

Homesickness Warehouse is located in the north bank of Suzhou River in the south of Zhabei District, Shanghai, at the northwest corner of Tibet Road and Bridge, with the address of Guangfu Road 1 17. It is a six-story building with reinforced concrete structure, which was built in 193 1. It was originally a warehouse invested and built by four banks: Jincheng, Zhongnan, Mainland China and Salt Industry, so it was called "Four Stores". After the Battle of Songhu broke out on August 13, Xie Jinyuan, deputy head of the 524th Regiment of the 88th Division, led more than 400 warm-blooded men, holed up in the four-row warehouse, and fought fiercely with the attacking Japanese army for four days and four nights, killing more than 200 Japanese soldiers and injuring countless enemies. The iron wall made of flesh and blood blocked the Japanese attack and successfully covered the retreat of the No.1 18 Division of the National Revolutionary Army to the west. The four-row warehouse has also become a symbol with special commemorative significance in the history of the Anti-Japanese War. After years of baptism, the outside of the four-row warehouse now looks simple, and inside it is an exhibition hall and a patriotic education base in Shanghai.

On the other side of Suzhou River are the workshops and warehouses of the former Fuxin Flour Company. The doorplate clearly reads the characters 423-433 Guangfu Road. This building is very distinctive. It is a two-or three-story brick-wood building, facing south, with clear water and red brick exterior walls, wooden columns and floors. It is very beautiful. Many people like to walk from the first floor to the west tableware hall on the sixth floor. Entering the old warehouse seems to be just a visit. This is an art park now, where you can watch exhibitions and performances. 19 12, Rong brothers (Rong and Rong Desheng) jointly established Fuxin No.1 Machine Flour Factory at No.423-433 Guangfu Road. During the First World War, flour was in short supply, and the Rong brothers benefited a lot. By 192 1, they have developed into eight flour mills. "Warship" brand is the first registered trademark in the history of Chinese trademark registration.

Located at Suzhou South Road 1307, the building has a long history and is the private warehouse of Shanghai underworld tycoon Du. This building is the only old warehouse building in China that won the "Asia-Pacific Heritage Protection Award" issued by UNESCO. With the essence of modern architecture in Shanghai, it is now planned by the government as South Suzhou Creek Creative Industrial Park, with strong artistic flavor and fashionable and quaint environment. Now there is a "bone China" shop in the facade room on the first floor. The environment inside is elegant and the things are beautiful, but it's a little expensive. But very petty. It's good to go in and have a look if you like.

An old English warehouse-1929 "Li Yanqing" beside Tibet Road and Bridge on the south bank of Suzhou River is still clear, and it is said to be the property of Shanghai old real estate king Zhou. The name of Yan stone carving is a vigorous Wei stone tablet, which belongs to the early Shikumen Hutong. Like an old man in time, it witnessed the great changes in Shanghai: the birth of the first gas company in China, the bloody battle in eight hundred heroes, the fourth warehouse in the "August 13th Incident", the liberation and rebirth of Shanghai, and the earth-shaking changes since the reform and opening up ... It recorded the changes of Suzhou Creek. It bears the responsibility of inheriting the waterfront culture. Now, the "Li Yanqing" British Cultural and Creative Park, which has been carefully built and rebuilt, will preserve historical sites and integrate into modern human landscape, and perfectly integrate history with the present. Being in it will add strength and inspiration to your creative soul!

Waibaidu Bridge is the first all-steel riveted bridge in China, the only remaining unequal-height truss bridge in China, and the fourth bridge built in the same position near the mouth of Suzhou River since 1856. Because it is located at the intersection of Suzhou River and Huangpu River, it has become an important traffic artery connecting Huangpu and Hongkou.

The current Waibaidu Bridge was completed and opened to traffic on1October 20th 1908 65438+. Because of its rich history and unique design, the Waibaidu Bridge has become one of the symbols of Shanghai and a symbol of Shanghai's modernization and industrialization. 1February 994 15, the Shanghai Municipal People's Government listed the Waibaidu Bridge as one of the outstanding historical protection buildings. [1] In a rapidly changing city like Shanghai, the Waibaidu Bridge still exudes unique charm. Since the completion of 1908, the Waibaidu Bridge has become an indispensable part of the Shanghai skyline.

Binjiang Building is located in (Binjiang Building). Investment by New Sassoon Foreign Firm, design by Gonghe Foreign Firm, construction of Shen Xin Building Factory, completed on 1935. , with a building area of 54,000 square meters. The steel-concrete structure has eight floors (now 1 1 floor), facing south and full of modernity. According to the irregular terrain, the plane is arranged in a continuous "∽" shape, which not only coincides with the first English letter of Shaxun Foreign Firm, but also solves the ventilation and lighting problem that the building is located in a narrow strip with wide east and narrow west, which is difficult to deal with in design. The facade along the river forms a virtual contrast with the wall with small windows through the inner balcony.

There is an octagonal tower at the top of the middle corner. The wall is made of large fireproof sponge bricks. There is a heated swimming pool in the basement, which is 15.5m long, 9m wide and 2. 1m deep. The green space in front of the building is about 150 square meters.

This building is the largest apartment building in Shanghai (known as the first apartment in Asia), and its "∽" graphic design is unique. The building is surrounded by the street, which is the earliest "waterscape residence" in Shanghai. In the early days, it was mainly rented by Americans and Spaniards. After 1945, American Columbia Film Company, MGM Film Company, American Film Association, Radio and Television China Film Company and United American Film Company all rented the apartment to set up institutions. Today, "E.D." (short for elias david sassoon of New Sassoon Foreign Firm) is still hanging at the gate. Due to the Jewish background of the building, the reception station for Jewish refugees in Shanghai is set at 1938.

1994 February 15, Shanghai Municipal People's Government announced that Binjiang Apartment was an excellent historical building in Shanghai.

Shanghai Post Museum is located at No.276, North Suzhou Road, Luqiao, Sichuan, formerly known as Shanghai General Post Office. Shanghai Post Museum, one of the birthplaces of modern postal services in China, Shanghai, was designed by Xiecheng Foreign Firm 1922 and constructed by Xinfengji Construction Factory. It was built on the original Jimei Li plot and completed in 2004 1 1. It was listed as one of the top ten buildings in Shanghai at that time. The address is No.395 Tiantong Road, Hongkou District (1 entrance)/No.250 Suzhou North Road, Hongkou District (entrance 2, which is closed on Sundays). Shanghai Post Museum is located in Shanghai Post Building, a national key cultural relic protection unit and an excellent building in Shanghai. It traces the origin and development of postal service with detailed historical materials and real objects and modern scientific and technological means.

Shanghai Building, formerly known as broadway mansions, was built by British businessmen in 1934. 1 951May1It was renamed as "Shanghai Building" with the approval of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, and now it is a five-star foreign-related hotel.

Pujiang Hotel, formerly known as Richard Hotel, was founded in 1846 (the 26th year of Qing Daoguang) and is the first western-style hotel in China. The hotel is located in the east of Shanghai's famous landmark Waibaidu Bridge, covering an area of 4,580 square meters, with a total construction area of16,563 square meters. There are 134 rooms with 400 seats.

1907 (thirty-three years of Guangxu in Qing dynasty), it was expanded into a neoclassical Victorian baroque building. Its architecture can be roughly divided into five parts: Huangpu Road Building, Jinshan Road Building, Daming Road Building, Middle Building and Trading Hall. These five parts are integrated in the architectural structure, maintaining the original architectural style. It was the most luxurious western merchant hotel in Shanghai at that time and one of the most famous hotels in China and the Far East. Although it has experienced the historical changes of 150 years, it still maintains its original architectural style and historical traces. She stands proudly like a historical monument, reflecting the epitome of Shanghai's changes.