Xintiandi and the Site of the First CPC National Congress
新天地与中共一大会址 · Huangpu District, Shanghai, China
Xintiandi, a commercial district converted from shikumen lilong lanes, sits right next to the memorial hall at the site of the First CPC National Congress: on one side, the lanes of old Shanghai; on the other, the exhibition at the 1921 meeting site. You can walk between the two in one visit.
Know before you go
- Do not make noise or run about inside the hall
- do not take photos where photography is prohibited
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
The meeting on Wangzhi Road
On 23 July 1921, the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China opened in a shikumen house at No. 106 Wangzhi Road. The delegates from around the country are usually counted as 13 (some accounts say 12), and the Comintern representatives Maring and Nikolsky also took part. On the evening of 30 July, a stranger burst into the meeting room; the delegates dispersed at once, and French Concession police then came to search the house, cutting the meeting short.
Source: Wikipedia (Chinese): First National Congress of the CPC
History
Resuming on a boat at South Lake
The meeting later moved to a boat on South Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang, where it continued and closed. Accounts give different closing dates, such as 2 August and 3 August, and the question is still debated.
Source: Wikipedia (Chinese): First National Congress of the CPC
History
From meeting site to memorial hall
In 1951 Shanghai decided to set up a memorial hall at the site; after the site was restored in September 1952, the memorial hall officially opened to the public. Its exhibition tells the story of the congress and its move.
Source: Wikipedia (Chinese): Site of the First National Congress of the CPC
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Xintiandi was converted from shikumen lilong housing, keeping the lane layout and brick-and-stone facades; today it is a district full of restaurants and shops. The site of the First CPC National Congress is at Nos. 76 and 78 Xingye Road (formerly Nos. 106 and 108 Wangzhi Road in the French Concession), a pair of side-by-side two-storey shikumen lane houses that now serve as a memorial hall. In 1961 the State Council listed the site among the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.
Local customs
Stroll through the shikumen lanes and visit the exhibition at the memorial hall, learning about the society of early twentieth-century Shanghai and the history of this site.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Do not make noise or run about inside the hall
- do not take photos where photography is prohibited
Locals appreciate DO
- Keep quiet inside the memorial hall
- follow the hall's rules on photography and visiting
- in the commercial district, check that prices are clearly displayed
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The two places are adjacent, so half a day covers both. Check the official channels for how to visit and book the memorial hall. The commercial district offers many places to eat, at every budget.
- It is in the city centre and reachable by metro and bus
- check the official channels for exact routes and stops. You can visit all year round
- spring and autumn have the most pleasant weather. In summer the lanes are lively at night, and in winter there are fewer visitors.
Photos
Photos
Kamesenin · CC BY 2.0
Zallaevan · CC BY-SA 4.0
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