Does Xiaobailou in Tianjin mean a white building? Or a place name? Why is it called Xiaobailou?

Tianjin's "Xiaobailou" is not a big place, but its reputation is not as familiar as that of Tianjin people. Even foreigners know that there is a Xiaobailou in Tianjin, and even some foreigners will go there to find their past dreams. Why is Xiaobailou so attractive? That has to start with the formation and development of Xiaobailou area.

The origin of Xiaobailou area

1860 after the opening of Tianjin, imperialist countries rushed to Tianjin to force concessions. When Britain, France and the United States first established the concession in Tianjin, Xiaobailou was now an American concession. Its four sides were Haihe River and Haida Avenue (now Dagu Road) from east to west, Kaifeng Road in the south and Zhangde Road in the north. It is this tiny land with a total area of about 13 1 mu that has developed and prospered for nearly a hundred years and formed the Xiaobailou area that people are familiar with today. The origin of the name Xiaobailou is because there used to be a bar on the second floor with a white exterior wall. At that time, there was no official place name in this area, so the local residents took this unique white building as a symbol and used to call this area Xiaobailou.

1902, the United States and Britain granted each other privately and merged the American concession into the British concession. However, the British Concession authorities did not really manage it, so the development was slow and the administrative management was not as strict as that of the British Concession. 190 1 year, the British Shang Xian Agricultural Real Estate Company was established and began to build houses in Xiaobailou. First, build the fairy countryside, and buy a similar small building 10 in the south of Xuzhou Road after World War I.. In the early 1920s, he bought a small market built by Zheng Yizhi, the comprador of Taikoo Foreign Firm, and changed a bungalow east of Xiannongli and south of Kaifeng Road into a reinforced concrete pavement and a three-or four-story building.

In the mid-1920s, five luxury apartment buildings were built at the west exit of Kaifeng Road, only for foreigners to live in. Xiannong Company continued to build houses in Xiaobailou, a large area located in the city center, and transformed the houses facing the street into new storefronts. This pattern objectively provides conditions for the prosperity of this region. With the development of the British and French Concessions, in addition, Xiaobailou area is adjacent to the Haihe River in the east, with shipping terminals such as Taikoo, Jardine Matheson and China Merchants, and adjacent to the Middle Street of the British Concession (now Jiefang North Road), which is a financial and trade center. Therefore, over time, gold-selling caves serving foreigners, bureaucrats, comprador, politicians and warlords have naturally formed in this area. There are many restaurants, bars and dance halls here, including hairdressing, beauty, suit cutting and other industries, as well as shops specializing in imported cosmetics, clothing, shoes and hats, canned wine, western pastry and candy, all of which are famous for their high-end and fashion. It is in this context that Xiaobailou has gradually developed and grown.

A paradise for foreign soldiers.

Since Tianjin opened the Nine-Nation Concession, armies from various countries have come to protect the interests of their nationals. The officers and men of these troops have fun everywhere, especially the US military barracks are located in the west of Qiangzi River in Xiaoyumenmen (now the former site of the Second Medical College of Guangdong Road), so a variety of business places for soldiers soon appeared in Xiaobailou, including bars, dance halls and brothels. Therefore, under the leadership of American officers and men, soldiers from Britain, France, Italy, Germany and other countries have long regarded Xiaobailou as a place for their enjoyment.

With soldiers from all over the world indulging in drinking and leaving, people who are greedy for profits regard Xiaobailou area as a place to make money, and large and small shops of different industries have emerged as the times require, which has promoted the rapid prosperity of this area. Every night, the Xiaobailou area is full of feasts and drunkenness, which is not so much prosperity as a major public hazard to the local society. This is also a portrayal of the abnormal development of semi-colonial society in China at that time.

From the late 1920s to the mid-1930s, Xiaobailou was in its heyday. Since then, despite Japan's invasion of China, the prosperity of Xiaobailou has been formed, and a large number of white Russians live here, so the prosperity has never diminished. 1945 after Japan surrendered, a large number of American marines flooded into Tianjin again. Prostitutes in the once bleak Xiaobailou area not only revived, but also changed from darkness to light. With bars and dance halls, the prosperity of Xiaobailou area reached its peak again.

"Russian cities"

From the early 1920s to the late 1940s, Xiaobailou area was called "Russian Town", which was widely circulated among foreigners. Xiaobailou area is called "Russian City" because 19 17 After the October Revolution of the Soviet Union, Russian expatriates in Tianjin concentrated in Kaifeng Road, the western half of Xuzhou Road, and Yiqingli and Runanli areas in the special zone (the old German concession). Russian expatriates have opened Russian restaurants, Russian shops, Russian-style food stores, small restaurants, bars, inquiry clothing stores, beauty shops and other large and small shops here. Russian signs of different colors and forms are hung in front of these shops. Russians with blue eyes, yellow hair and white skin can be seen everywhere. They come and go every day, greeting each other, and some sit in a corner in twos and threes to chat. Russian women sew and knit, children play in the alley, and the old man and his wife bask in the sun with crutches. This scene makes people feel that they are in a Russian city, so it is reasonable for foreigners to call it "Russian city".

Most of the white Russians who came to Tianjin at that time came from the northeast, and they entered the customs through Vladivostok and Lushun. Some of them are from Xinjiang. So they fled to Tianjin. First of all, Tianjin has a Russian concession. Second, Russian expatriates in Tianjin have certain economic conditions, such as Jitwenov who runs Saab Foreign Firm and Batuyev, a Belarusian aristocrat who runs Fuchang Foreign Firm.

At that time, the British lived everywhere for the convenience of the Russians. Russian children can go to British public schools, St. Louis schools. Anyone who knows a little English can go there. Ocean shipping companies or import and export companies will arrange suitable jobs. Although the salary is not as good as that of the British, it is much higher than that of China. At that time, Vides, Chairman of the British Industry Department, was a leading official in the British Concession, and his wife was Russian, so many Belarusians entered various institutions to find jobs through Vides. Some people in China (including the British) married Russian wives in order to spend less money. The police of the British Concession Ministry of Industry also added Russians as inspectors. In this way, the Xiaobailou area has formed a society where Belarus gathers.

The prosperity of Xiaobailou area was Europeanized from the beginning, and it was even more full of Eastern European colors after a large number of Belarusians lived together in the 1920s. For example, a kind of "snack" in western food called "Tokowski" is unique to Russians. Before the Russians came, the dishes in western food were very simple. Later, restaurants opened by Russians won with snacks and were very popular with people. For example, Pugleys, a Russian Jew, runs Yishunhe Restaurant and Tianjin Small Restaurant, and delivers six or seven snacks for each meal. Sometimes it is not included in dinner, so it is widely served. "Wind Boat" brand Russian Oscar shochu brewed by capps and "No.50" Oscar red wine brewed by Andreev are very popular in Xiaobailou area. Another example is sweet bread with ham sausage. The old Russian man walked down the street with a basket and shouted "buy bread" in Chinese with a Russian accent. There are many Russian food stores in Xiaobailou area, such as "Moscow Hard Sausage", "Spicy Sausage" and "Liver Sausage". The living habits of Russians also have a certain influence on China people who live in Xiaobailou.

In terms of entertainment, the larger gathering place is the Jewish guild, also known as the Jewish club (now the Museum of Popular Art). Most of the members here are Russian Jews, and the chairman is Rachkovsky. There are various gambling tools here. Belarus gambles in groups of three and five all day, and the night is an all-night dance. Others include the Opera School run by Miss burini, which teaches ballet, Russian opera, piano and singing. There is a modern dance school on Xuzhou Road, which specializes in ballroom dancing. The teacher is Bogfanova. There is a Mrs. Sando who teaches oil painting. She once held a solo exhibition at the Palace Hotel. There is a doctor, "Svidridov, who is practicing medicine in the residence of Xuzhou Road. Javert Hotel was opened by Russian Jew Bufman. In addition to some Russian tourists, there are often China people with prostitutes or social flowers and temporary rooms here. In addition, there are as many as four or five barber shops and beauty salons, of which Kaplitskaji is the largest, and most of the employees are Belarusian women, including makeup artists, manicurists, hairdressers and permers. In addition to their official business in museums, they also undertake the construction of large hotels and restaurants, such as Lishunde, Tailai and Huang Guan hotels. In addition, there are a lot of restaurants. In the early 1940s, Yishunhe Restaurant built a four-story restaurant on the original site, named Vigdoli, which was jointly run by Prissy, a Russian Jew, and Qi Rushan and Hao Rujiu, China. The store was large in scale and magnificent in equipment, which was unique in Xiaobailou area and even Tianjin at that time. There is also a Russian jurist, Shah Loblin, who runs a law firm to handle litigation matters for Belarus. These situations are enough to show that the life of Belarusians in Xiaobailou area involves all aspects, thus forming their own small world and objectively promoting the prosperity of this area.

Xiaobailou's business

The earliest prosperous street in Xiaobailou area is Zhujiahu area, Haidu Road (now Dagu Road). There are many small shops opened by China people. Almost half of their customers are from China and half are foreigners. "So, people who socialize in the store must know some business English; The goods and processing services sold should also be suitable for western habits and tastes. At that time, there were more than enough shops in Xiaobailou area, such as Taiyi, Fuxingtai and Dachanghe, which specialized in selling canned wine and daily groceries, and the rest of them operated for a long time and had a larger scope. The goods in this shop are all imported, although expensive, they are suitable for westerners and high-level people in China. It first set up the southern end of Middle Street in the British Concession. Due to the booming business, there is another branch next to Haidao Xiaoying Market, which is the tallest Chinese shop in Xiaobailou. There's a small shop named Tianxiang Room opposite the branch. Manager Cao Tianyou is from Shanghai. This shop is famous for its needles and needles in Xiaobailou (a small department store). In the past, the goods sold in Tianxiang Room were only sold by vendors with wooden suitcases and hand drums on their shoulders, while vendors with a facade rarely engaged in sewing business. The needles sold are all imported by Suntech Shichang Foreign Firm, and the thread is "clothing thread" (jacket style) and shaft. There are many tailors who make Chinese and western clothes around Xiaobailou, so we must make the clothes with needle and thread. Therefore, most garment makers in Tianjin go to Tianxiang Room to buy needlework. Tianxiangfang had been in business for nearly 40 years before liberation. The first-class technicians who made suits, uniforms and uniforms in their early years, including He of Xiaobailou Jiangxia and Wang Amin of French Concession, were all from Ningbo. He's suit is exquisite in workmanship, completely in line with the English gentlemen's school, and it fits me very well. At that time, the patrol uniforms of the British Concession Industrial and Commercial Office were all made by He Bao, so he had a close relationship with the Industrial and Commercial Office. Whenever he goes out and takes a bus in the street, the British patrol will salute him to show his respect.

There are several silk shops in Haidao, such as Zhu Hua Store, Long Yuan Store, China Tongchang Silk Company and Yichangxiang Silk Store. Yi Changxiang 1927 started the business, and the manager Liu Jiesan is an expert in the silk industry. He deals in silk according to the characteristics of Xiaobailou area. For example, Belarusian women like to wear silk with large plaid, which is what he bought, not high-grade goods, but sold well. For the surrounding rich man's mansion, he appointed a special person to deliver the goods, settled accounts every year, and treated the guests kindly and thoughtfully, but he worked until liberation. Other countries, such as Zhu Hua and Longyuan, closed down in the early 1930s due to business depression.

There are also many hawkers in Xiaobailou area, and the sea lanes from Xuzhou Road to Zhenjiang Road abound on both sides. This industry is a business without capital, but generally speaking, honest people can't do it. Only local influential people can run it. In this business, even foreigners are foreign hooligans. They are well informed and well informed. For example, they know very well which enterprise is bankrupt and which rich family is the black sheep. Some people even steal valuables from home and take them to vendors to sell. These vendors are responsible for handling and earning kickbacks from them. They buy valuable goods at low prices. The biggest auction house in Xiaobailou is Kuichang.

Xiaobailou's cinema, the oldest of which is Ping An Cinema (now Concert Hall), was built at 1922 and managed by British Indian Bali and British China Lugen. Lu Gen, a Cantonese, runs a cinema in China. He was the first. Guanglu Cinema (now Beijing Cinema) was run by Belarusian kulayev, and was later joined by Li, the representative of Universal Studios in China. They not only run movies, but also open the Santa Ana ballroom in the front building. Most of the dancers in this ballroom are Belarusian girls. On the north side of Guanglu, there is also a small general meeting banquet hall. The manager of this ballroom, surnamed Liu, is the owner of Baocheng Cotton Mill and also runs a social canteen (the former site of Chongqing Barber Shop). Daguangming Cinema was first founded by Wei Yaoqing, a native of China, and later sold to Taylor ladder, an Indian in Britain. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, it was transferred to Gao Bohai, the boss of Quanyechang. This cinema is very large, and there have been two Indian soldiers guarding the door before.

Xiaobailou's restaurant, in addition to the above-mentioned western restaurants and bars in Belarus, Chinese restaurants are also famous in several places, which can make dishes that people like to eat. Hongfulou Restaurant is located in the east of Xuzhou Road, Dagu Middle Road. It is a restaurant with pure Tianjin flavor, with eight bowls, five bowls and four famous dishes. There is a Bailou restaurant diagonally opposite the Xiaoying market in Haidao. The operator invented a dish called "Bai Lou Cai", which is nothing more than fried shrimp, eggs and meat. People eat well, so they sell well. Seweisi Restaurant is located in the south of Xuzhou Road and is famous for its Cantonese flavor. It is run by two sisters in Guangzhou. It attracts American soldiers and carries dancers and prostitutes in and out of Service, making this small restaurant very prosperous. Lady Xia Hotel is a Russian-style western restaurant, located near the wall of Xiaoyingmen, Zhengzhou Road. Mrs. Xia is from the northeast. She speaks fluent Russian. She is good at Russian cooking. In the mid-1930s, she ran a western restaurant in the basement of her home in Zhengzhou Road. Most of her customers are middle and senior officials and businessmen.

Today, there is a big triangle to the south of Xuzhou Road, to the west of Dagu Road and to the east of the Qiangzi River in Dayingmen. People here are generally called "triangle land". The property along Dagu Road here belongs to Chongde Church of the Catholic Church. Chongdetang has built a big shopping mall here, which has attracted some nondescript vendors such as catering vendors, golfers and gamblers. Later, there was a circus performance and I lived in the US Army. The church can't do business, and it hasn't done well. 1932, the manager of Huaqingchi in French Concession took over the shopping mall and converted it into a bathhouse, named "Tianxiangchi". After three years of operation, due to losses, it was transferred to Fu Xian Chi Li, a Japanese concession. Li was smart enough to redecorate the place and set up a private room on the third floor to accommodate the so-called "opposite basin" for men and women to wash together, which greatly increased business. Qufu Road (formerly known as Jia Zhu Hutong) has a medium-sized bathhouse, formerly known as Xu Dong Bathhouse. Due to the sluggish business, Yu's family later renamed it Haiquanchi. Bathhouses are small in scale and suitable for popularization. Workers from Taikoo, Jardine Matheson and Dalian Wharf are frequent visitors here. On Hai Avenue in the center of Xiaobailou, there is a sauce and meat shop comparable to Belarusian ham and sausage shop called Tianyushun sauce and meat shop. The head office is located in the south of Yingqiu Room (now the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress) in the Middle Street of the British Concession, and was co-founded by three foreign chefs. They are Gao Tianxi, Zhang Yushan and Cai Qishun. Everyone's name has a word named Tian Yushun. The sauce products in this shop are delicious, and Chinese and foreign people come all the way to buy them, which is a must for sauce products. In 1930s, we set up a branch in Xiaobailou.

In order to do business, China and Bank of Communications have set up branches in Haishu Road. Qian Shang Zhao Renqing opened Enqing Yongyin, the only bank in the British Concession, at the corner of Tonghai Avenue in Zhujiahu, which satisfied the convenience of Xiaobailou industry and commerce.