Songjiang is a suburban
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...
(formerly a county) of
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
. It has a land area of and a population of 1,582,398 (
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
). Owing to a long history, Songjiang is known as the cultural root of Shanghai.
Songjiang Town
Songjiang (; formerly romanized as Sungkiang) was a large town and the seat of Songjiang County in Shanghai. In 1998, Songjiang County was changed to Songjiang District and, in 2001, Songjiang was abolished to become ().
Songjiang is located ...
, the urban center of the district, was formerly the major city in the area. It is now connected to downtown Shanghai by
Line 9 of the
Shanghai Metro
The Shanghai Metro (; Shanghainese: ''Zaon6he5 Di6thiq7'') is a rapid transit system in Shanghai, operating urban and suburban transit services to 14 of its 16 municipal districts and to Kunshan, Jiangsu Province. Served as a part of Shang ...
.
History
The
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...
coastline of the
East China Sea was much farther inland, at
Xinzhuang near Songjiang's current eastern border with
Minhang District
Minhang District is a suburban district of Shanghai with a land area of and population of 2,429,000 residents as of 2010. The original Minhang consist of present-day Jiangchuan Road Subdistrict (Former Minhang Town) and the eastern strip of Wuj ...
. It was only gradually that silt from the
Yangtze River
The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flow ...
filled in downtown Shanghai about 2000 years ago and then
Pudong
Pudong is a district of Shanghai located east of the Huangpu, the river which flows through central Shanghai. The name ''Pudong'' was originally applied to the Huangpu's east bank, directly across from the west bank or Puxi, the historic city ...
and
Chongming Island
Chongming, formerly known as Chungming, is an alluvial island at the mouth of the Yangtze River in eastern China covering as of 2010. Together with the islands Changxing and Hengsha, it forms Chongming District, the northernmost area of the prov ...
over the last 1000 years.
Modern
archaeology
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts ...
has established a chronology of the main cultural groups who lived in the present area of Songjiang District in
Neolithic China
This is a list of Neolithic cultures of China that have been unearthed by archaeologists. They are sorted in chronological order from earliest to latest and are followed by a schematic visualization of these cultures.
It would seem that the defi ...
: the
Majiabang
The Majiabang culture, also named Ma-chia-pang culture, was a Chinese Neolithic culture that existed at the mouth of the Yangtze River, primarily around Lake Tai near Shanghai and north of Hangzhou Bay. The culture spread throughout southern Jiang ...
in the 5th millennium ), the
Songze
The Songze Culture was a Neolithic culture that existed between 3800 and 3300 BCE in the Lake Tai area near Shanghai.
Dates
Three radiocarbon dates were taken from Songze culture layers at Jiangli near Lake Tai. Two of the dates were obtained fr ...
in the 4th millennium), and the
Liangzhu in the 3rd millennium. The Majiabang were among the
first harvesters of
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly '' Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and ''Porteresia'', both wild and domestica ...
and kept domesticated
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus ''Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...
s while still frequently hunting
deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the ...
. The Liangzhu possessed a high stratified society that almost certainly represented one of the earliest states in
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...
. The Liangzhu site at
Guangfulin
Guangfulin is an archaeological site in Songjiang District, Shanghai, China. It is estimated to be over 5,000 years old. Artifacts from the Zhou Dynasty have also been unearthed at the site. The site covers 250 square kilometers (c.97 square miles ...
in Songjiang has been developed into Guangfulin Relics Park, an expansive museum and tourist attraction.
File:Neolithic china.svg , A map of the main cultural groups in Neolithic China
This is a list of Neolithic cultures of China that have been unearthed by archaeologists. They are sorted in chronological order from earliest to latest and are followed by a schematic visualization of these cultures.
It would seem that the defi ...
File:Spatial distribution of rice, millet and mixed farming sites with a boundary of rice and millet and possible centers of agriculture.png , A map of the likely centers of early agriculture in China
File:Guangfulinwenhuazhanshiguan.jpg , The main museum in Guangfulin
Guangfulin is an archaeological site in Songjiang District, Shanghai, China. It is estimated to be over 5,000 years old. Artifacts from the Zhou Dynasty have also been unearthed at the site. The site covers 250 square kilometers (c.97 square miles ...
Traditional Chinese historiography only recorded these people as among the
Baiyue
The Baiyue (, ), Hundred Yue, or simply Yue (; ), were various ethnic groups who inhabited the regions of East China, South China and Northern Vietnam during the 1st millennium BC and 1st millennium AD. They were known for their short hair, b ...
the "Numerous Southern Barbarians"until the growth of the
siniticized Wu Kingdom at
Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trad ...
in the 1st millennium. During the
Spring and Autumn period
The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history from approximately 770 to 476 BC (or according to some authorities until 403 BC) which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou period. The period's name derives fr ...
at the end of the
Zhou Zhou may refer to:
Chinese history
* King Zhou of Shang () (1105 BC–1046 BC), the last king of the Shang dynasty
* Predynastic Zhou (), 11th-century BC precursor to the Zhou dynasty
* Zhou dynasty () (1046 BC–256 BC), a dynasty of China
** West ...
and under the
Warring States
The Warring States period () was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the Qin wars of conquest ...
, the area of present-day Songjiang passed from Wu to
Yue to
Chu
Chu or CHU may refer to:
Chinese history
* Chu (state) (c. 1030 BC–223 BC), a state during the Zhou dynasty
* Western Chu (206 BC–202 BC), a state founded and ruled by Xiang Yu
* Chu Kingdom (Han dynasty) (201 BC–70 AD), a kingdom of the Ha ...
before the
unification of China under
Shi Huangdi
Qin Shi Huang (, ; 259–210 BC) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China. Rather than maintain the title of "king" ( ''wáng'') borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers, he ruled as the First Emperor ( ...
of
Qin Qin may refer to:
Dynasties and states
* Qin (state) (秦), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China
* Qin dynasty (秦), founded by the Qin state in 221 BC and ended in 206 BC
* Daqin (大秦), ancient Chinese name for the Roman Emp ...
in the 3rd century.
In the
Three Kingdoms period
The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the Wester ...
that followed the end of the
Han
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
in the 3rd century,
Sun Quan
Sun Quan (, Chinese: 孫權) (183 – 21 May 252), courtesy name Zhongmou (), posthumously known as Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of the Eastern Wu dynasty, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. He inherited control of the warlord regime es ...
's
Wu Kingdom helped develop and further sinify the area. Another boost came from the completion of the
Grand Canal under the
Sui Sui or SUI may refer to:
Places
* Sui County, Henan, China
* Sui County, Hubei in western Suizhou, Hubei in central China
* Suizhou, Hubei, China, formerly Sui County
* Sui, Bhiwani, Haryana, India
* Sui, Rajasthan, India
* Sui, Balochistan, P ...
, linking Songjiang with
Hangzhou
Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the province, sitting at the head of Hangzhou Bay, wh ...
,
Shaoxing
Shaoxing (; ) is a prefecture-level city on the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay in northeastern Zhejiang province, China. It was formerly known as Kuaiji and Shanyin and abbreviated in Chinese as (''Yuè'') from the area's former inhabitants ...
, and
Ningbo
Ningbo (; Ningbonese: ''gnin² poq⁷'' , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly romanized as Ningpo, is a major sub-provincial city in northeast Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. It comprises 6 urban districts, 2 sate ...
in the south and
Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trad ...
,
Luoyang
Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River (Henan), Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the ...
,
Xi'an
Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by #Name, other names, is the list of capitals in China, capital of Shaanxi, Shaanxi Province. A Sub-provincial division#Sub-provincial municipalities, sub-provincial city o ...
, and
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
in the north. By the mid-
Tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
, the region had developed enough that it was organized in 751 into Huating County, the first
county-level administration within modern-day Shanghai.
File:方塔2.JPG , The Square Pagoda in Fangta Park, built between 1068 and 1077
File:Huzhuta.JPG , Huzhu Pagoda
Huzhu Pagoda () is a Chinese Pagoda located on Tianmashan Hill in the Songjiang District of Shanghai. It is known for its leaning angle, surpassing that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
History
The tower was built in 1079 during the Northern Song D ...
, a leaning tower on Tianma Hill built in 1079
Songjiang Qingzhensi.JPG , Songjiang Mosque
The Songjiang Mosque (), formerly called the Real Religion Mosque, is a mosque in Songjiang District, Shanghai, China. It is the oldest mosque in Shanghai.
History
The mosque was originally constructed during the Toghon Temür reign of the Yua ...
after its 1391 rebuilding
File:Entrace to Zuibaichi Park.jpg , The entrance to Zuibaichi
Zuibaichi () is a Chinese garden in Shanghai's suburban Songjiang District that dates back to the Song Dynasty. It occupies an area of 5 hectares and is one of the five ancient Chinese gardens in Shanghai, along the Guyi Garden, the Yu Garden, ...
, a Song
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...
-era garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...
in Songjiang
In the 1250s at the end of the
Southern Song
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...
, the 10-year-old Songjiangese girl
Huang Daopo
Huang Daopo (; 1245 – 1330) rose from poverty to become one of the most famous women in the early Chinese textile industry.
Biography
Huang was likely born around 1240 or 1245. Her family name was Huang, and Daopo was an honorific that she wa ...
fled her hometown and an
arranged marriage
Arranged marriage is a type of marital union where the bride and groom are primarily selected by individuals other than the couple themselves, particularly by family members such as the parents. In some cultures a professional matchmaker may be us ...
to live with the
Hlai on
Hainan
Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slight ...
. She returned around 1295 with new strains of
cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor p ...
, an early
cotton gin
A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); a ...
, and other advances to cotton cultivation and processing that made the sandy lands of eastern Huating County so much more prosperous that Huang was later
deified
Apotheosis (, ), also called divinization or deification (), is the glorification of a subject to divine levels and, commonly, the treatment of a human being, any other living thing, or an abstract idea in the likeness of a deity. The term ha ...
out of gratitude. By the mid-Qing, as much as ¾ of Songjiang's farmland was devoted to cotton. Under the
Yuan
Yuan may refer to:
Currency
* Yuan (currency), the basic unit of currency in historic and contemporary mainland China and Taiwan
** Renminbi, the current currency used in mainland China, whose basic unit is yuan
** New Taiwan dollar, the current ...
, this new wealth saw Huating elevated to
prefectural status and renamed Songjiangfu. This is sometimes considered the origin of China's modern
textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the design, production and distribution of yarn, cloth and clothing. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry.
Industry process
Cotton manufac ...
. It was also under the Yuan that the city first had enough
Hui
The Hui people ( zh, c=, p=Huízú, w=Hui2-tsu2, Xiao'erjing: , dng, Хуэйзў, ) are an East Asian ethnoreligious group predominantly composed of Chinese-speaking adherents of Islam. They are distributed throughout China, mainly in the ...
to establish
Shanghai's first mosque.
File:1664 Sungkiang detail of map of Huquang, Kiangsi, Che Kiang, ac Fokien by Jansson BPL 15928.png , A detail of Jan Janszoon
Jan Janszoon van Haarlem, commonly known as Reis Mourad the Younger (c. 1570 – c. 1641), was an Ottoman and Salé Rovers Dutch pirate in Algeria and Morocco who converted to Islam after being captured by a Moorish state in 1618. He began ser ...
's 1664 map of Huguang
Huguang was a province of China during the Yuan and Ming dynasties. It was founded by the Yuan dynasty in 1274. During the Yuan dynasty it included the areas of modern Hubei south of the Yangtze river, Hunan, Guizhou, and Guangxi. During the Min ...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi (; ; formerly romanized as Kiangsi or Chianghsi) is a landlocked province in the east of the People's Republic of China. Its major cities include Nanchang and Jiujiang. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north into h ...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by ...
, and Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its c ...
File:City of Songjiang in 1818.jpg , An map of early modern Songjiang (1818) showing the importance of its many canals
File:Field of Campaigns of the Ever-Victorious Army 1860-1864.tif , A map of the canals around Songjiang during the 19th century
File:阳华桥上眺望 8796.jpg , One of the canals today
In 1404, headwaters previously emptying into the Wusong were rerouted by local officials, diminishing the size of
Suzhou Creek
Suzhou Creek (or Soochow Creek), also called the Wusong (Woosung) River, is a river that passes through the Shanghai city center. It is named after the neighboring city of Suzhou (Soochow), Jiangsu, the predominant settlement in this area prior ...
and expanding the
Huangpu River
The Huangpu (), formerly romanized as Whangpoo, is a river flowing north through Shanghai. The Bund and Lujiazui are located along the Huangpu River.
The Huangpu is the biggest river in central Shanghai, with the Suzhou Creek being its ma ...
to its modern importance. Songjiang was better fortified under the
Ming
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han peop ...
in response to attacks by the
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
"Wokou" pirates, who sometimes raided and sometimes occupied to the town. The Ming also saw the
Jesuits
The Society of Jesus ( la, Societas Iesu; abbreviation: SJ), also known as the Jesuits (; la, Iesuitæ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...
who counted the influential
Shanghainese
The Shanghainese language, also known as the Shanghai dialect, or Hu language, is a variety of Wu Chinese spoken in the central districts of the City of Shanghai and its surrounding areas. It is classified as part of the Sino-Tibetan langua ...
official
Xu Guangqi
Xu Guangqi or Hsü Kuang-ch'i (April 24, 1562– November 8, 1633), also known by his baptismal name Paul, was a Chinese agronomist, astronomer, mathematician, politician, and writer during the Ming dynasty. Xu was a colleague and collaborato ...
among their convertsestablish the town's first known church. Owing to the importance of
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Port ...
and
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...
at the time, the town's name was romanized Sumkiam.
File:Sung-kiang Fu (China's Spiritual Need and Claims, 1887).png , The city wall in the 1880s, following the battles of the Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a massive rebellion and civil war that was waged in China between the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the Han, Hakka-led Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It last ...
File:松江府衙門樓.jpg , A restored gatehouse from Songjiang's Ming-era city wall
File:Some events of Boston and its neighbors (1917) (14577209638).jpg , A Songjiang shrine to General Ward, founder of the Ever-Victorious Army
"Ever Victorious Army" ( ''cháng shèng jūn'') was the name given to a small imperial army that fought rebels in late-19th-century China. It was directed and trained by Europeans. The Ever Victorious Army fought for the Qing dynasty against th ...
File:Shanghai in Songjiang Prefecture 1754.jpg , The counties
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of Songjiang Prefecture under the Qing dynasty
Following
Dorgon
Dorgon (, ; 17 November 1612 – 31 December 1650), was a Manchu prince and regent of the early Qing dynasty. Born in the House of Aisin-Gioro as the 14th son of Nurhaci (the founder of the Later Jin dynasty, predecessor of the Qing dynasty ...
's 21 July 1645 edict mandating the
queue __NOTOC__
Queue () may refer to:
* Queue area, or queue, a line or area where people wait for goods or services
Arts, entertainment, and media
*''ACM Queue'', a computer magazine
* ''The Queue'' (Sorokin novel), a 1983 novel by Russian author ...
, the people of Songjiang rose up against the
Qing
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
to protect their hair, viewed as a symbol of virility and
filial piety
In Confucianism, Chinese Buddhism, and Daoist ethics, filial piety (, ''xiào'') (Latin: pietas) is a virtue of respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors. The Confucian '' Classic of Filial Piety'', thought to be written around the lat ...
.
Li Chengdong
Li, li, or LI may refer to:
Businesses and organizations
* Landscape Institute, a British professional body for landscape architects
* Leadership Institute, a non-profit organization located in Arlington, Virginia, US, that teaches "political te ...
(, d. 1649) retook the city and massacred its population on 22 September 1645. Nonetheless, Songjiang remained the primary metropolis of the area of present-day Shanghai as late as the mid-19th century, when its name was typically
romanized
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Latin script, Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing writ ...
as Sungkiang. It continued to serve as the prefectural capital under the "Right" Governor of
Jiangnan
Jiangnan or Jiang Nan (; formerly romanized Kiang-nan, literally "South of the River" meaning "South of the Yangtze") is a geographic area in China referring to lands immediately to the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, incl ...
based in
Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trad ...
and then later under the governor of
Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its c ...
at Jiangning (now
Nanjing
Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Map Romanization, alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu Provinces of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and t ...
). Unlike the
foreign-held area of Shanghai, however, it fell to rebels during the
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a massive rebellion and civil war that was waged in China between the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the Han, Hakka-led Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It last ...
's
Eastern Expedition
The Eastern ExpeditionName appears in several sources like Fogel's translation of Shunshin Chin's ''The Taiping Rebellion'' encompassed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's efforts to capture the Yangtze River Delta, the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui ...
. About a hundred Europeans under
Frederick Townsend Ward
Frederick Townsend Ward (; November 29, 1831September 22, 1862) was an American sailor and soldier of fortune known for his military service in Imperial China during the Taiping Rebellion.
Early life and education
Ward was born in Salem, Mass ...
failed to retake the town in June 1860. After gathering more Westerners, over 80
Philippine
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
"Manilamen", and several pieces of
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieg ...
, a second assault in July 1860 retook the town with heavy losses. Out of about 250 men, 62 were killed and about 100 wounded, including Ward. Songjiang was then used by Ward,
Henry Andres Burgevine
Henry Andres Burgevine () (1836–1865) was an American sailor of French ancestry, mercenary and soldier of fortune, who became famous for his military victories for Imperial China during the Taiping Rebellion.
Family
According to Caleb Carr ...
, their
Ever-Victorious Army
"Ever Victorious Army" ( ''cháng shèng jūn'') was the name given to a small imperial army that fought rebels in late-19th-century China. It was directed and trained by Europeans. The Ever Victorious Army fought for the Qing dynasty against th ...
, and
Cheng Xueqi
Cheng Xueqi (; courtesy name Fangzhong 方忠; born in Tongcheng, Anhui, (1828–1864) was a general of the Taiping Rebellion who surrendered to the Qing dynasty in 1861 with Ding Ruchang. He was an eminent Han Chinese official and a Captain ...
's division of the
Huai Army
The Huai Army (), named for the Huai River, was a military force allied with the Qing dynasty raised to contain the Taiping Rebellion in 1862. It was also called the Anhui Army because it was based in Anhui province. It helped to restore the stabil ...
as a base for raids and attacks on other Taiping positions under
Li Xiucheng
Li Xiucheng (; 1823 – August 7, 1864) was a military rebel commander opposing the Qing dynasty during the Taiping Rebellion. He was born to a peasant family. In 1864, he was captured and interrogated following the third and final Battle of ...
throughout the "
Battle of Shanghai
The Battle of Shanghai () was the first of the twenty-two major engagements fought between the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Republic of China (ROC) and the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) of the Empire of Japan at the beginning of the ...
".
Despite Shanghai's greater importance by the beginning of the 20th century, its international settlement meant Songjiang was still used as the formal center of Chinese government for the region. Under the
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northea ...
, the
Zhili clique
The Zhili clique () was one of several mutually hostile cliques or factions that split from the Beiyang clique during the Republic of China's Warlord Era. This fragmentation followed the death of Yuan Shikai, who was the only person capable of k ...
leader
Sun Chuanfang
Sun Chuanfang () (April 17, 1885 – November 13, 1935) a.k.a. the "Nanking Warlord" or leader of the "League of Five Provinces" was a Zhili clique warlord and protégé of the "Jade Marshal" Wu Peifu (1874–1939).
Biography
Sun Chuanfang ...
's Songhu () or Songjiang Special Administrative District covered most of what is now Shanghai Municipality, extending as far north as
Chongming Island
Chongming, formerly known as Chungming, is an alluvial island at the mouth of the Yangtze River in eastern China covering as of 2010. Together with the islands Changxing and Hengsha, it forms Chongming District, the northernmost area of the prov ...
.
["Chongming County" in the ''Encyclopedia of Shanghai'', pp. 50 ff.]
Shanghai Scientific & Technical Publishers (Shanghai), 2010. Hosted by the Municipality of Shanghai.
File:上海天后宫.jpg , Tianfei Palace This is a list of Mazu temples, dedicated to Mazu (媽祖) also known as Tian Shang Sheng Mu (天上聖母) or Tian Hou (天后) Chinese Goddess of Sea and Patron Deity of fishermen, sailors and any occupations related to sea/ocean, also regarded as ...
, an 1883 Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of v ...
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called church (building), churches), Hindui ...
to the sea goddess
A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with water or various bodies of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great river was more important. Anot ...
Mazu
Mazu or Matsu is a Chinese sea goddess also known by several other names and titles. She is the deified form of the legendary figure Lin Mo or Lin Moniang, a Fujianese shamaness whose life span is traditionally dated from 960 to 987. ...
, in Fangta Park, Songjiang
File:Stairs She Shan Basilica 20050410.jpg , Sheshan Basilica
The Sheshan Basilica, officially the National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan () and also known as Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians is a prominent Roman Catholic church in Shanghai. Its common name comes from its location on t ...
, constructed from 1924 to 1935 on She Hill
File:Map showing Japanese-Chinese warfre (sic) now in Shanghai (2674774585).jpg , A 1932 map showing Sungkiang on Shanghai's southern railway
File:Xilin Temple Overview, Songjiang Shanghai .jpeg , Xilin Temple after its 1980s reconstruction
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
,
Japan occupied
' ( Norwegian: ') is a Norwegian political thriller TV series that premiered on TV2 on 5 October 2015. Based on an original idea by Jo Nesbø, the series is co-created with Karianne Lund and Erik Skjoldbjærg. Season 2 premiered on 10 October ...
Songjiang from 9 November 1937 until 1945. Afterwards, both the Nationalist and Communist regional government was moved to Shanghai proper, leaving Songjiang a comparatively rural county. The city's many ancient religious structures and examples of traditional architecture were seriously damaged during the 1960s and 1970s amid the
Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated go ...
. Following the PRC's
Opening Up Policy
The Chinese economic reform or reform and opening-up (), known in the West as the opening of China, is the program of economic reforms termed "Socialism with Chinese characteristics" and "socialist market economy" in the People's Republic of Chi ...
, Songjiang restored its more important religious buildings and developed into a
college town
A college town or university town is a community (often a separate town or city, but in some cases a town/city neighborhood or a district) that is dominated by its university population. The university may be large, or there may be several sma ...
hosting several large universities. In 1998, it was elevated to its current status as an
urban district
Urban district may refer to:
* District
* Urban area
* Quarter (ur ...
.
Significant Features
Some of the notable features in Songjiang District include:
* Songjiang New City is a major new-town development located within Songjiang District. It was developed as part of Shanghai's "One City, Nine Towns" plan. The New City will encompass an area of when completed, and will have a total population of 500,000 residents. The New City reflects
Garden City design principles, with a large proportion of land allocated to green-space and parks.
*
Thames Town
Thames Town () is a new town in Songjiang District, about from central Shanghai. It is named after the River Thames, which flows through London, United Kingdom. The architecture is themed according to British market town styles. There are cobbled ...
is a residential and commercial development located within the Songjiang New City that both imitates and is influenced by classic English market town styles. Some of the architecture has been directly copied from buildings found in England.
*
Songjiang University Town
Songjiang University Town or Songjiang University City () is a tertiary education hub located in the outskirts of Shanghai in Songjiang District.http://www.shanghai.gov.cn/shanghai/node2314/node2315/node15343/userobject21ai447363.html,
The unive ...
is a major higher education sector located in the district. It is the largest higher education sector in mainland China.
* Shanghai First People's Hospital has a campus located within the Songjiang New City.
*
Shanghai Film Studio
The Shanghai Film Studio (), one of the three biggest film studios in China, is the film division of the Shanghai Film Group Corporation in Shanghai, China. It is responsible for the production of Chinese films and TV programs.
History
Shangh ...
s are located in Songjiang District.
*
InterContinental Hotel ''Shanghai Wonderland'' is built against the walls of a former quarry, and partly underwater: it claims to be the world's first underground five-star resort.
Cultural sights in Songjiang include:
*
Sheshan Hill
Sheshan, formerly known as Zose, is a pair of hills in Songjiang District in western Shanghai, China. The two hills are distinguished as East and , although the more important western hill is also called Sheshan on its own. East Sheshan has an ...
with
Sheshan Basilica
The Sheshan Basilica, officially the National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan () and also known as Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians is a prominent Roman Catholic church in Shanghai. Its common name comes from its location on t ...
*
Fangta Park, one of the first celebrations of traditional Chinese architecture following the
Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated go ...
, including the city's
Square Pagoda and
Mazu Temple This is a list of Mazu temples, dedicated to Mazu (媽祖) also known as Tian Shang Sheng Mu (天上聖母) or Tian Hou (天后) Chinese Goddess of Sea and Patron Deity of fishermen, sailors and any occupations related to sea/ocean, also regarded as ...
*
Huzhu Pagoda
Huzhu Pagoda () is a Chinese Pagoda located on Tianmashan Hill in the Songjiang District of Shanghai. It is known for its leaning angle, surpassing that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
History
The tower was built in 1079 during the Northern Song D ...
on Tianmashan
Government and infrastructure
The
Shanghai Women's Prison
Shanghai Women's Prison (), also called Songjiang Women's Prison, is a women's prison in Songjiang District, Shanghai, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most popul ...
is in Songjiang District.
[Zhao, Wen.]
Women behind bars meet their mothers
Archive
. ''Shanghai Daily
''Shanghai Daily'' (Chinese: 上海日报, Pinyin: Shànghǎi Rìbào) is an English-language newspaper founded in 1999 and owned by the Shanghai United Media Group, a state media company under the Shanghai committee of the Chinese Communist Part ...
''. Saturday March 8, 2014. Retrieved on December 21, 2015.
Transport
Songjiang District is located approximately from
Hongqiao International Airport
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is one of the two international airports of Shanghai and a significant airline hub of China. Hongqiao Airport mainly serves domestic and regional flights, although the airport also serves international fl ...
and from
Pudong International Airport
Shanghai Pudong International Airport is one of two international airports serving Shanghai and a major aviation hub of East Asia. Pudong Airport serves both international flights and a smaller number of domestic fights, while the city's othe ...
. Songjiang is currently served by one metro line operated by
Shanghai Metro
The Shanghai Metro (; Shanghainese: ''Zaon6he5 Di6thiq7'') is a rapid transit system in Shanghai, operating urban and suburban transit services to 14 of its 16 municipal districts and to Kunshan, Jiangsu Province. Served as a part of Shang ...
, one suburban line operated by
China Railway
China State Railway Group Company, Ltd., doing business as China Railway (CR), is the national passenger and freight railroad corporation of the People's Republic of China.
China Railway operates passenger and freight transport throughout Ch ...
, and two tram lines.
Metro
* -
Songjiang South Railway Station
Songjiang South railway station () is a railway station on the Shanghai–Hangzhou high-speed railway located in Shanghai, China.
With the construction of the Shanghai-Suhu Railway Station in Songjiang and the upgrading of Songjiang South Station ...
,
Zuibaichi
Zuibaichi () is a Chinese garden in Shanghai's suburban Songjiang District that dates back to the Song Dynasty. It occupies an area of 5 hectares and is one of the five ancient Chinese gardens in Shanghai, along the Guyi Garden, the Yu Garden, ...
,
Songjiang Sports Center,
Songjiang Xincheng,
Songjiang University Town
Songjiang University Town or Songjiang University City () is a tertiary education hub located in the outskirts of Shanghai in Songjiang District.http://www.shanghai.gov.cn/shanghai/node2314/node2315/node15343/userobject21ai447363.html,
The unive ...
,
Dongjing,
Sheshan
Sheshan, formerly known as Zose, is a pair of hills in Songjiang District in western Shanghai, China. The two hills are distinguished as East and , although the more important western hill is also called Sheshan on its own. East Sheshan has an e ...
,
Sijing,
Jiuting
Suburban Rail
* -
Chunshen,
Xinqiao,
Chedun,
Yexie
Songjiang Tram
*
Line T1
*
Line T2
Subdistricts and towns
Songjiang District has six subdistricts, eleven towns and three special township-level divisions.
Climate
Attractions
Xilin Chan Temple
Xilin Chan Temple () is a Buddhist temple located in Yueyang Subdistrict, Songjiang District of Shanghai. The modern temple was built between 1986 and 2003.
History
The temple traces its origins to the former "Xilin Vihara" (), founded by Hu Z ...
is a
Buddhist temple in Yueyang Subdistrict, which is also a famous tourist attraction.
Zuibaichi
Zuibaichi () is a Chinese garden in Shanghai's suburban Songjiang District that dates back to the Song Dynasty. It occupies an area of 5 hectares and is one of the five ancient Chinese gardens in Shanghai, along the Guyi Garden, the Yu Garden, ...
is one of the five ancient Chinese gardens in Shanghai that dates back to the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...
.
The
Songjiang Mosque
The Songjiang Mosque (), formerly called the Real Religion Mosque, is a mosque in Songjiang District, Shanghai, China. It is the oldest mosque in Shanghai.
History
The mosque was originally constructed during the Toghon Temür reign of the Yua ...
is the oldest mosque in Shanghai with its latest rebuild in 1391.
Songjiang's emblematic tower is the 9-story Fangta Pagoda, or
Songjiang Square Pagoda
The Songjiang Square Pagoda or Songjiang Fangta, officially the Xingshengjiao Temple Pagoda, is a Buddhist pagoda in the old town of Songjiang in suburban Shanghai. Originally built in the 11th century, it is the only structure remaining from th ...
.
Dacang Bridge
The Dacang Bridge () is a historic stone arch bridge over the Old City River in Songjiang District of Shanghai, China.
History
Dacang Bridge was built in 1626 during the late Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, wa ...
is a historic stone arch bridge over the Old City River in the district.
Songjiang Tangjing Building
The Songjiang Tang Sutra Building, also known as Songjiang Tang Dynasty Dharana Sutra Stone Building, is located in the Zhongshan Primary School, Songjiang District, Shanghai, China, People's Republic of China,上海市文化广播影视管理局� ...
is located in the Zhongshan Primary School, Songjiang District and it is the oldest surviving above-ground relic in Shanghai built in 859 AD.
Notable people
Birthplace:
*
Han Bangqing
Han Bangqing (; 1856–1894),Downer, Lesley." ''The New York Times''. November 20, 2005. Retrieved on March 27, 2015. also known by the given name Ji (寄), courtesy name Ziyun (子雲), and pseudonyms Taixian (太仙), Dayi Shanren (大一山人) ...
– Author of ''
The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai
''The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai'', also translated as ''Shanghai Flowers''Forbes, p240 or ''Biographies of Flowers by the Seashore'', Idema, p. 355 is an 1892 novel by Han Bangqing.
The novel, the first such novel to be serially published, c ...
'' (Lou County, Songjiang Prefecture)
[Wang, David Der-wei. "Foreword." In: ]Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...
br>PT9
Heroes: Hou Shaoqiu, Jiang Huilin, Xia Yunyi, Chen Zilong, Xia Wanchun;
Statesmen: Gu Yong, Lu Xun, Xu Jie;
Litterateurs: Lu Ji, Lu Yun, Chen Jiru, Qian Fu, Gu Qing;
Chinese Painting and Calligraphy (Songjiang was listed among "cities of Calligraphy" in 2013
) Artists: Shen Du,
Dong Qichang
Dong Qichang (; courtesy name Xuanzai (玄宰); 1555–1636), was a Chinese painter, calligrapher, politician, and art theorist of the later period of the Ming dynasty.
Life as a scholar and calligrapher
Dong Qichang was a native of Hua Ting (l ...
, Zhang Nanheng,
Zhang Zhao, Shi Zhecun, Cheng Shifa;
Craftsmen: Zhu Kerou, Huang Daopo, Ding Niangzi;
Experts: Tao Zongyi, Zhu Shunshui, Chen Yongkang;
Educators: He Dong, Ping Hailan, Ma Xiangru;
Intelligent woman: Ye Gu.
References
Further reading
*
External links
Songjiang Official Local Government WebsiteDowntown Songjiang - English travel guide of Songjiang
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Districts of Shanghai