02.13
The Bund (Waitan) is one
of the most recognizable architectural symbols of
an Anglo-Indian word for an embankment along a muddy waterfront and that is
what it was in the beginning when the first British company opened an office
there in 1846. Located on the west bank of a bend (running north
and south at this point) in the Huangpu River and just south of Suzhou Creek,
the Bund became the site of some of the earliest foreign settlements after
Shanghai was opened as one of five “Treaty Ports” in the Treaty of
Nanjing that ended the Opium War in 1842. Because of its proximity
to the Yangtze (Changjiang) River–the path into central
grew rapidly as the economic center of foreign interests.
Jardine Matheson &
Company bought its first land here in 1848 and the river front soon became
vital to the interests of the entire foreign settlement. In the latter 19th
early 20th century the Bund became the financial and political center of the
international community and (indeed of much of
financial market became the third largest in the world (behind
and
Nearby were located a number of important consulates, including the British,
American, Russian and Japanese.
Shanghai’s
cosmopolitan atmosphere today has its roots in a long history as a center for
trade dating to 960 AD As a result of the Opium Wars in the 1840′s, the British
imposed the Treaty of Nanjing on China thus forcing China to open Shanghai up
to westerners. Foreign interests quickly consumed most of what is now central
Communist party was founded in 1921 and, in 1960; it was here that the Cultural
Revolution began and its headquarters were established. During the Cultural
Revolution the Red Guard began destroying anything that was not defined by the
Communist Party as Socialist Realism, including anything foreign, Buddhist, or
just old, like many of the Colonial buildings. Many of these things survived
the worst of
and learning experiences, and they are there in
one of the remaining vestiges of
colonial period.
The twenty-four major
structures, of uneven height along approximately 1.5 kilometers of Zhongshan Lu
and the
since the 1930s. All were constructed in western-inspired styles
–classical, Gothic, renaissance, eclectic and modern–a reported seventeen
styles of architecture. The Bund has been called a ‘museum of
international architecture,’ and indeed it was and still is. But it
was also much more. Here were located the banks, hotels, exclusive
clubs, press organizations and headquarters of international concerns.
After the establishment
of the People’s Republic of
in 1949 the old tenants were gone. They had already been impacted by the
wartime crises. Many of the structures were subdivided into government
offices, department stores or storage areas, furnishings were sold off or
destroyed, and architectural features covered. The Bund, one might say,
was moribund.
Much of this now is
changing with the revitalization of
strongly encouraged by a visit of Deng Xiaoping in 1992. The next year
the plans for the Bund were finalized and the renewal of
the state-protected historic buildings of the Bund remain vacant, or perhaps
underutilized as government offices as of this writing (April, 2002),
there are strong indications that this might change–even though the old
tenants have outgrown their old quarters and will not return since many are
now in more spacious and comfortable quarters on the east side of the river in
Pudong. But their old buildings are newly appreciated, with even brass
plates outlining their previous use, and efforts are being made to bring
elements of the international community back to where it started in the Bund,
as well as on the Pudong side.
The area does have a new
vitality. Zhongshan Dong Lu has been widened to ten lanes to accommodate
the increased
motor traffic, and the promenade along the banks of the Huangpu has also been
elevated and enhanced as a place to view the ever-changing skyline of
Pudong across the water. It actually is part of a new dike to protect the
city. One only need look at a few images of this area taken in 1980
that are on this site to gain an appreciation of this new vitality.
A decade ago there was little in Pudong besides warehouses, shipping facilities
and small shops. Now it is the most extensive construction site in the
world. Both sides of the
past, present and future.
call it, the Bund, parallels the western bank of the
the European, American and Japanese built their banks, trading houses,
consulates and hotels. Renovated by the Chinese as a tourist attraction and
brightly lit at night it is a spectacular sight when viewed from the promenade
across the Bund and adjacent to the river.
Seeing the
Bund in daylight was one thing, but we’d seen pictures of it taken at night
when the all of the buildings are flood lit. While our tour did not include a
visit to the Bund at night,
Directly
across the
lies the Pudong Xinqu, or new area. It is the site of a 40 billion
project to include state-of-the-art container port, an international airport,
high-rises and skyscrapers. It is well on its way to making
giant.
Views across
the
are impressive with the high-rises and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.
The Bund and its Environment
This site shows a portion
of the historic center of the foreign presence in
times. Pudong, on the east side of the
is one of the world’s busiest construction zones. The transformation may
be dramatically seen in the juxtaposition of two photographs that introduce
this series. Additional architecture of the new Pudong may soon be viewed
on another part of this site.
the most important shipping artery of
wriggles like an undulating muddy dragon from the mouth of the Yangtze River in
Wusong to the
ice-free
400 meters wide and has an average depth of nine meters (30 feet).
joins 29 kilometers (18 miles) north of downtown
and divides
into two parts, east and west. Cruises are available everyday, including the
shorter cruises (navigating the main waterfront area between the
and the
(meandering eastward along the golden waterway, over a distance of 60
kilometers or 37 miles). Whether it is in the daytime or at night, the views
along the river are the same beautiful. The great modern skyscrapers and the
characteristic buildings in different architectural styles are the best records
of the development of the city and the
eyewitness.
The Bund, also called the
is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of
from the
which is at the connecting point of the
and the Suzhou Creek, to the
Jinling Road
one mile) length. Walking along the Bund, which is at the west shore of the
the Oriental Pearl TV Tower can be seen on the opposite side and also the
Top Ten Shanghai Attractions, the Bund is a really beautiful and special place
which is worth visiting. The newly-built Flood Control Bank takes the function
of preventing the oversize flood; the square with the statue of Marshal Chen Yi
is an open air podium which gives new views of the Shanghai Plaza Culture; the
Cenotaph which stands on the man-made island is a monument of people’s heroes;
the riverside greenbelt, the Electronic Waterfall Bell, and the Great Mural
Carving are all representatives of the Bund.
The most famous and
attractive sight which is at the west side of the Bund are the 52 various
buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque,
Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. The Bund was the centre of
economy and culture hundreds of years ago, consulates of most countries and
many banks, businesses and newspaper offices were settled there, and that’s why
we have these art-like buildings. Although they were not designed by the same
person or built in the same period, the architectural pattern is similar.
The Bund got its name from a
desolate beach outside the old
city. If you have never been to the
Bund, then you have never been to
The Bund symbolizes
epitome of
history.
Tracing back, from the Opium War
broke out in 1840 to the 1930’s; many foreign businesses snatched the prime
area in
to establish concessions, banks, headquarters, and consul houses and so on.
Hence,
hundred years ago, became the largest city in
It also earned the reputation of “The Oriental Wall Street”. Even
today, visitors can still feel the prosperity of the old
buildings.
The east side of the Bund is right
next to the
Bund, there are group of 52 buildings standing in various styles, Gothic,
Baroque,
Renaissance, Classic and the combination of Eastern and Western style. Although
these buildings were completed at different time and were in different styles,
the main elements of these buildings were fairly unified and the overall
outline is well coordinated.
Walking on the
a kind of vigorous, forceful and solemn momentum. Some say actually that the
Bund is like “an exhibition of buildings”.
If the building zone on the Bund
were a gallery, the rest of the Bund would be a showroom. When the sun rises in
the east, the Bund is a place where people do exercises. In daytime, this
building complex, blended with the beautiful scenery of the
and the Pudong area, this scenic spot is tourists’ favorite. When evening
comes, city lights coats the Bund with brilliant colors, which makes the Bund
particularly beautiful. Old buildings by the river echo with the new scenic
spots the Oriental Pearl T.V. tower and the Jinmao mansion, that this
spectacular scenery often amazes many tourists.
The Dongfeng Restaurant was a
famous meeting place for British. This building was a typical old British style
classic structure; it has in total six levels. There were two watch towers on
top, interior was magnificently decorated. There was a spacious bar on the
ground floor, a 110.7-feet-long bar counter, longest of its kind in
You can imagine the scene that the richest businessmen gathered here for social
engagement.
The No. 12 of the Bund is also No.
12 of the
The former famous Huifeng Bank was located here. Constructed in 1923, this
square-shaped five-storage building, come with a round roof, in the style of
ancient Greek, and a hemisphere-shaped top. The steel-framed building was
exquisitely decorated. The building was equipped with the specially decorated
reception halls. The British builder took great pride in this marvelous
building. They rated this structure as “from east of the Suez Canal to
in the west, this is the most exquisite building”.
Adjacent to the Huifeng Bank
building is the Customs Building of Shanghai. It was built in 1927. The classic
building in the style of the 19th century is rare in the world. The huge clock
on the building could have been seen from all sides. The melodious sound of the
clock could be heard from several miles away. Its time synchronizes with
Beijing Time perfectly.
The two buildings at the end of
belong to the well-known Peace Hotel, built in 1906, and initially named
Huizhong Hotel. In the style of European Renaissance, it is the oldest hotel in
building looks solemn, elegant, and unique from distance. It really is an
architectural masterpiece.
The
was built in 1928. This steeled-framed “A” shape building is in
typical Chicago Architectural style. The famous 19-meter-high pyramid on the
top of the building is made from oblique tile, which was made of purple copper.
The owner of
off his wealth. Various ornaments and furniture from nine different countries
were used to decorate the mansion. It became a post where adventurers from all
over the world gathered. It was also travelers’ first choice to spend their
night. Those who had stayed here said that its atmosphere and liveliness were
unforgettable.
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