The Bund, the symbol of Shanghai, witnesses the recent history of China.
The most remarkable of the Bund is its clusters of exquisite and graceful buildings: gothic spire, Grecian vault,baroque pillars, Spanish balcony.
These exotic building styles has become Shanghai’ and even world’s unique landscape, which is a gallant and splendidepic symphony. Now, let’s read some histories of the Exotic Building Clusters in the Bund of Shanghai.
No. 1 Asia Building
The building is located on No.1 East Zhongshan road.
After the liberation of Shanghai, the building was used by Shanghai Metallurgy Design Institute, it was also called Metallurgy Design Building.
But the older people are used to calling it Asia Buding.
Established in 1916, it has 7 storeys and became the highest building in the Bund.
In addition, it gained the No.1 housenumber on No. 1 East Zhongshan road, thus getting a new name at that time —No.1 building in the Bund.
After Shanghai established foreign tradeport, it was the property of a foreign firm.
In about 1899, the building was bought by an English merchant called Mike Bayne.
And in 1913, he decided to tear down the building and reconstruct a business office building which was called by some people Bayne Building.
In 1917, Bayne himself used only a small part of the building and rented most part to Asiatic Petroleum Company, allowing the company to put its logo.
Owing to the fact that the company monopolized Chinese petroleum products which are widely used by citizens, people had a deep impression on it and replace the previous name with a new name — Asia Building.
After the breakout of the Pacific War, the building was occupied by the Japanese, so many English staff moved to Chongqing.
The company continued its business after the defeat of the Japanese Invasion and enjoyed a good performance.
In 1950, the building was taken over by EastChina Petroleum Company.
In 1959, Shanghai Metallurgy Design Institute, Shanghai City Real Estate Administration and Shanghai Silk Company moved into the building.
In 1996, the building became the headquarter China Pacific Insurance Company Ltd.And in 1989, it is labeled as Shanghai cultural relic protection unit.
No. 2 Shanghai Club
Located No.2 in the Bund, it is a famous building among the clusters in the Bund, and becomes one of the Shanghai cultural relic protection units.
Among all the great clubs in the Bund,Shanghai Club ranks the highest and enjoys the most influential reputation.
It was a club for English emigrants, whichis a very important social place.
Owing to the financial support by Hiram Fogg and Shanghai Sports Fundation.
In 1863, people began to construct it and finished in 1964.
At the beginning of the 20thcentury, the club decided to reconstruct it and reopened in on June 1 1910.
The first club in Shanghai that has the membership.
Other than holding eventful activities, the newly-built club is mainly open to its members.
If you wanted to become its member, you must first stay in Shanghai for more than 6 months and were recommended by two female foreign members. And Chinese people and women were excluded.
Its membership was not only a symbol of wealth but also that of nobleness, which become many foreign merchants and emigrants pursuit.
In 1971, the building was run by East Wind Restaurant.
Later, KFC occupied it as its store.
On Mar 4 2009, Hilton Hotel managed the building and reconstructed it as its first Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Asia.
No.3 Union Building
Built in 1916, it was co-rented by Hua Shang Insurance, Bao Jia and other insurance companies.
A few years later, English Union Bank was interested in it and spent 80 thousand pounds buying it, and moved its Shanghai branch from Hangzhou road to this location, changing its name as Union Building.
In 1953, Shanghai Civil Building Design Institute rented the building.
In 2004, it became a first-class shopping place — No.3 in the Bund.
You can now see on the first floor Armani’s first flagship in China, on the second floor Evian Spa. and on the sixth floor Laris run by the Austrilian chef David Laris.
It has become the first private enterprisethat has the right to develop and design the building in the Bund.
No.5 Ri Qing Building
It was established by Ri Qing foreign firmand designed by Lester，Johnson&Morriss.
In 1907, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Osaka Steamboat Firm and Hunan Steamboat Firm co-founded a boat firm, which includes few Chinese shares.
In order to compete other foreign firms,they named the company Ri Qing steamboat Firm (and Chinese called it Ri QingForeign Firm) to get some privilege.
No. 6 Commercial Bank of China Building
It was the first bank run by Chinese people, and the first to issue note in China.
The bank was founded in 1987 by Sheng Huaixuan.
It was built in 1906, and its headquarter is on No.6, No.1 East Zhongshan road.
After the establishment of the bank, the government endowed it with the right to issue silver dollars and taels.
At the beginning of the Republic of China,the bank changed its to Commercial Bank of China, becoming a pure commercial bank.
In 1936, the bank was operated jointly by the government and private merchant.
When the New China came to the stage, the people’s government took over the bureaucratic part of the capital.
In 1956, the bank was grouped into the People’s Bank Of China.
And the building was occupied by ChangJiang Shipping CORP and was named as Yuan Fang Building because of its vicinity to Yuan Fang alley.
In 2006, the building was bought by Bes tCoast Properties company, which invested 30 million in it and changed sit to No.6. It still adopts the top-level clothes flagship and advanced food model.
No.7 Great Northern Telegraph Co building
Built in 1908, it was originally Qi ChangFirms’ property, but was bought by
China Merchants Steamship Navigation Company, thus belongingto Great Northern Telegraph Co.
After the victory over Japanese Invasion,the Commercial Bank of China bought it as New Commercial Bank of ChinaBuilding.
After the liberation war, it was run by Yangtze River Shipping Administration.
In 1990s, Pan Gu Bank of Thailand got the right of use.
Plus, Royal Thai Consulate – General Shanghai is also in this building.
No.9 Investment Promotion Building
In 1846, the most famous Americanenterprise — Qi Chang Firm, moved its headquarter to this palce.
In 1877, the building, combine with the office building(No.9) were sold to the Investment Promotion Bureau protected by Li Hongzhang.
In 1901, the building was reconstructed by the bureau and became the Shanghai branch of the Bureau.
Now, it has become the flagship store of SHIATZYCHEN
No. 12 HSBC Building
It is considered as the masterpiece of modern western classic architecture and the most beautiful building among therest buildings in the Bund.
Also, it is a national cultural relic protection unit.
In 1949, HSBC’s branch in China stopped its business and moved with Standard Chartered Bank to Lan Xin Building on Yuan Ming Yuan road.
In 1955, Shanghai Government moved to the building and changed its name to Shanghai People’s Government Building, which is abbreviated as City Building
In 1956, the annex building was used by Shanghai Archives.
In 1995, the Government moved to No. 200 People’s Square
In 1999, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank managed to buy the building with 1.7 billion.
No. 13 Customs House
In 1857, the foreigners established a Customs Department in a Chinese style.
In 1925, the building was reconstructed andnow Shanghai Customs is its owner.
The building was designed by Gong HeForeign Firm, which is in the style of classicism.
It has eight storeys and a tall bell tower on the top, which is modeled on the clock on American Congress Building. The clock was made in America and assembled in Shanghai, being the biggest clock inAsia and one of the famous clock in the world.
No. 14 Shanghai Federation of Trade Union
It was originally the property of English enterprise— Bao Shun Foreign Firm.
In the second part of the 19thcentury, the business failed and bought by
Deutsche Asiatische Bank.
After the end of the World War I, China confiscated German’s property in China and the Shanghai branch of the Bank of Communications took over the building.
In 1928, as the national political center moved from Beijing to Nanjing, the Bank of Communications moved its headquarter to this place.
In 1951, the Bank moved back to Beijing,and Shanghai Federation of Trade Union keeps the building till now.
No. 15 Shanghai Foreign Exchange TradingCenter
It was built by Russo-Chinese Bank, Harbinin 1902, so people called it Dao Sheng Building or Hua Sheng Building.
Afterwards, it was taken over Kuomingtang of China and run by Central Bank.
In 1980s, Shanghai Aerospace Bureau took it over.
In 1994, Shanghai Foreign Exchange Trading Center enters and manage the building till now.
No. 16 Taiwan Bank Building
The building was designed in the Japanese style.
It belonged to Taiwan Bank but now iscalled China Merchants Bank Building
No.16 was originally Taiwan Bank Building built by Japanese merchant in 1911
After Tai Wan became Japanese colony, the intruder set up the Tai Wan Bank in Tai Bei, and Shanghai branch in 1911.
Winning the Anti- Japanese War, KMT put the Tai Wan Bank under the Shanghai branch of Agricultural Bank of China.
And now it belongs to the Shanghai branch of China Merchants Bank.
No.17 AIA Building
It was invested by the most influential English paper North China Daily News issued by China and was built in 1924.
The newspaper office uses part of the building and rents the rest to others.
American International Assurance Company is its main renter.
On Mar 31 1951, the newspaper stopped publication, so the building was taken over.
In 1996, AIA return to it and named it AIA Building.
No. 18 Chartered Bank Building
Chartered Bank was the first to move intoNo.18, and was named after its first manager’s name.
But most people prefer another name — Zha Da
Built in 1923, it was Chartered’s headquarter in China.
After the bank’s relocation, the Housing Administration Bureau took over the building and named it Chun Jiang Building.
In 2002, Shanghai Yan Yi Real EstateCompany got it and hire the Italian ancient building restoration specialist to re-decorate the building.
When the re-decoration was finished in2004, many famous European stores opened one by one:
Cartier, Zegna, Boucheron, Patek Philippe,etc.
Other than Sibilla Boutique Café on the first floor, many other restaurants are upstairs.
There is an innovative center on the fourth floor which holds periodical exhibition. And lots of foreigner come here to enjoy the exhibitions.
No.19 the South Building of the Peace Hotel
At the beginning of 1850s erected the three-storey Central Hotel, enjoying the longest history among foreign hotels in the concession.
In 1903, the Central Hotel was regrouped asthe Hui Zhong Restaurant.
In 1947, Chinese Da Qing Company got the property right from the restaurant and continued its business. But the company stopped its business in 1952.
In 1965, the building changed its name — the South Building of the Peace Hotel and reopened.
The building witnesses many historical events:
1.In 1909, China, Britain, America, France and other nations held the Anti- Smoking meeting.
2.In 1911, people from all walks of life inShanghai commemorated Sun Yet-Sen as the temporary President.
3.In 1927, Jiang Jieshi and Song Meiling held the engagement ceremony.
4.In Jan 1964, Chou En Lai worked in Room742
No. 20 the North Building of the PeaceHotel
Cathay Hotel , which was built in 1926 and finished in 1929 by English jew Elias David Sassoon was also called SassoonHouse.
After the Anti- Japanese War, the House was bought by Shan Xi Yu Hua Bank.
In 1952, Shanghai Government took over it.
In 1956, the building reopened as the PeaceHotel.
The World Hotel Association labeled the Peace Hotel as one of the world famous hotel.
No. 22 Bund 22
It was built in 1906 by English foreignfirm Taiku
In 1949, as the New China came onto the stage, the whole building was confiscated by the government, which belonged toFeng Hua ball pen manufacturer, so the building was also called Feng Hua Building.
In 2009, the Bund 22 had a reconstruction and restoration, thus consisting of five sotreys and becoming a new commercial landmark in the Bund.
No. 23 Bank of China
Built in 1937, it was the only building designed and established by Chinese, and became one the most successful skyscrapers in Shanghai.
No. 24 Yokohama Specie Bank,LTD Building
The building originally belonged to Sassoon property and was bought by Yokohama Specie Bank，LTD which was for its Shanghai branch.
In 1945, the building is distributed to Central Bank and its name changed to Central Building.
In 1949, it became the office building for Eastern China Region of People's Bank of China
And now, it is the Shanghai branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
No. 26 Yangtze Insurance Building
The Yangtze Insurance Building, established by American Qi Chang Firm, was the office for the Yangtze Fire and Water Insurance Company.
And now it is occupied by the Shanghai branch of Agricultural Bank of China.
No. 27 Jardine Matheson Building
At the beginning of 20th century, the English Jardine Matheson Firm was already the biggest firm in Shanghai,enjoying the reputation of the King of Foreign Firms.
Therefore, the 2-storey English rural architecture seemed cheap and stingy.
So, the firm bought three-mu land around the south corner on East Beijing road to build an East Indian style house.Later, the firm still thought it was not grand. So the building was to be reconstructed in 1920.
In 1955, the building was taken over by Shanghai Housing Administration Department and used by Shanghai International Trade Bureau and its subsidiary. So it was also called International Trade Building.
And now, the Rolex flagship in on the firstfloor, and on the second, third, eighth and ninth floor the House of Roosevelt invested by Roosevelt family.
No. 28 Glen Line Building
Built in 1922, it originally belonged toChan Chen Foreign Firm.
Later, it was in the possession of England GlenLine Company.
In 1951, Shanghai People’s Radio Station moved into the building and named it Radio Building
Now, it belongs to Shanghai Clearing Houseof the Central Bank.
No. 29 Banque de l'Indochine
The building was built by Banque de l'Indochine for its Shanghai branch.
In 1899, the bank set up its Shanghai branch in Shanghai French Concession.
From 1911 to 1914, the bank build the house at No. 29 in Shanghai Public Concession.
In 1956, the house’s name was changed toDong Fang Building.
And now the Shanghai branch of China Everbright Bank.
No. 33 the Previous British Consulate - General in Shanghai
Built in 1849, it was originally the British Consulate - General in Shanghai.
It is among the building clusters in the Bund one of the oldest architecture built in 19th century.
The house was ruined in a fire in 1870, andreconstructed in 1873.
In 1966, the consulate is closed and is now the only oldest remaining building in the Bund.
In 2003, New Huangpu Group got the house.
After redesign and reconstruction, the Peninsula Grand Hotel opens for business this year.
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