SHANGHAI

[s. 683] : The most important emporium in China, and the city which shows more of Western than any other settlement of Euro Hong kong. It is situated on the Wu-sung River in the Province of Kiang-su, about 14 miles from the sea. There are two civilization peans, except distinct parts to the city: (1) The Native City; (2) The Foreign Settlement. The first (1) The Native City is very old. mention of it is found to be in 1015. In 1360 it became a district city. The British captured it in June, 1843, and it was the fifth of the treaty entirely During poits thrown open to foreign commerce. the Taiping rebellion it was captured by the insurgents and occupied by them for 17 months, and when they were driven out in 1860 the eastern and southern suburbs were almost entirely destroyed. By virtue of its position it is the out The Wu-sung and let for a vast territory. Hwang-pu rivers, the latter emptying into the Wu-sung at Shanghai, give it communication with Su-chow, Che-kiang, and all the region of the Grand Canal; while the Yangtse, only a few miles distant, makes it the outlet for the great Yangtse valley. The city, walled, three miles in circuit, stands in a large and fertile plain. Along the water front are ve els which carry goods to and from the interior. The streets are narrow and paved, the houses built of brick, and shops, eating-houses, and the usual temples and Buddhist shrines common to all Chinese cities are found here in abundance, but none of the public buildings or temples are peculiar to this city any more than to other cities of the empire. The population is estimated at 420,000, but probably the estimate is low. The climate varies greatlj from an intense heat in summer to freezing cold in winter, and great changes of temperature in 24 hours are common in the spring and autumn. The mean temperature, like that of Rome, is 59° (F.). Heavy rainfalls occur in the summer, but from September to May the climate is delightful. (2) The Foreign Settlement is a municipality, and is divided into the English (and American) and French conce ions, is governed by municipal officers, and there is a mixed court where cases involving natives and foreigners are tried Spa before both Chinese and English officials. cio us docks line the river front for three miles. The streets are broad, overhung with trees, lighted with electric light, and nearly all the com- — forts of modern civilization are to be found Jinrikishas, together with the native sedan chairs and wheelbarrows, provide abundant means of transportation, and horses and equipages of the latest European style are to be seen on the streets, especially along the Bubbling Well Road, the Hundreds of native boats ply fashionable drive. for hire on the river, and with the shipping, the steam-tugs, and small boats, the water presents The land of the a most animated appearance. conce ions belongs really to the Emperor of China, to whom a mere nominal rental is paid. The domestic and foreign mails are handled at seven post offices at the consulates in con nec Clubs, libraries, tion with the Chinese customs. museums, in addition to the various mi ion estabhshments, present attractions to the visitor. Telephone service is provided. The great northern line of telegraph was connected with the settlement in 1871, and the city is now in cable communication with the rest of the world. The first railroad in China was opened in 1876 between this city and Wu-sung, at the mouth of the river; the Chinese Government bought it the ensuing year, tore it up, and sent the material to Formosa; it has been rebuilt, neverthele , and has been in use since 1898. From this port is carried on the most important trade in China, the value of it having risen from 65,000,000 taels in 1868 to 240,000,000 taels It is the center for the export of tea in 1901. — — and silk. According to the census of 1890, the population of the municipality, exclusive of the French conce ion, was 168,129; of the French conce ion, 34,722; the foreigners numbered onlv 4,265, Such of whom 444 were in the French quarter. a wide range of nationality is seldom found in any foreign of the Oriental settlement; while the bulk _ British, American, French, and is German, yet twenty-one other nationalities are population represented in varying numbers. Together with the estimated population of the native city, the total population of Shanghai is (1901) 620,000. Shanghai is the literary center of the foreigners Here is pubUshed the best English in China. daily paper, together with a considerable number At the of the mi ionarv pubHcations in China Presbyterian Mi ion Pre books are printed in SliJinj^poong Sliefia, John H. — Chinese not only religious, but scientific; and the Chinese Religious Tract Society i ue from here their periodicals in Chinese, and the Chinese Recorder and the Mesf^enger are published in On account of its central location, the English. beauty of its situation, the hospitality of the foreign community, it has been the place of meeting for the great Mi ionary Conferences. Its importance as a center for religious work was early appreciated, and a larger force of mis or representatives of more denominations, are probably not met with elsewhere in sionaries, Mi ion societies now represented at China. Shanghai, with the last available statistics, are: LMS (184,3), CMS (1845), PE (1848), Seventh Day Baptists (1847), MES (1848), PN (1850), CIM (1854), AVU (1881), FCMS (1891), and German General Protestant Mi ionary Society (1886); altogether these societies now (1903) have 106 mi ionaries, men and women; 180 native workers, men and women; 46 places of worship, 6 hospitals, with dispensaries; 3 printing houses, and 1,921 profe ed Christians. The BFBS and the ABS have each a center for their Bible work. The (1898) also has an agency here, with (1901) 2 men and their wives and a Young Men’s Christian A ociation. ch125.xhtml y 684