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Tramways of Hong Kong and Shanghai

I have always had a very special interest for tramways. When living in Budapest before Shanghai, I used them daily. There tramways have been kept, maintained and expanded since the early part of the XXth century. In Shanghai, trams were dismantled in the ’70s. This early symbol of modernity was sacrificed to the new modernity of bus running on petrol and automobiles.

Tram on the garden bridge (Coll Shanghailander.net)

Trams in Shanghai were introduced in March 1908 in the international settlement (line from the Bund to Jing An temple). Part of today’s Metro line 2 follows the same track. This was followed in May 1908 by the first line of the French Concession. Part of today’s Metro line 1 follows the same line. The third company in the Chinese city, the Nanshi line was opened in 1913.

Trams on the French Bund (Coll Shanghailander.net)

In Chinese trams are called 有轨电车, but the colloquial name in Shanghainese was 铛铛车 / Dang Dang Chi, meaning dang dang car because of the bell used to wave off people and obstacles on the tracks.

The closest thing to tramway in Shanghai is probably the line 71, that crosses Shanghai on a East West line under the Yanan elevated motorway. Although it’s not a real tramway, but a trolley bus, it follows part of the former tramway track on former Avenue Joffre / Avenue Edouard VII. The story goes that it was originally planned to be an actual tramway, but then the project changed to a trolley bus that is more flexible. Anyway, it makes an enjoyable ride in central Shanghai, giving a bit of old time tramway feeling.

Many cities in China operated tramways, but the only one that kept them running continuously in mainland China is Dalian, that started operation in 1909.

Hong Kong is the other place to watch old tramways, where they have been running since 1904. Hong Kong tramways are nicknamed 叮叮车 Ding ding chi, similar to the name in Shanghai. Since I go to Hong Kong regularly, I often enjoy taking the tram to go to some business meetings.

Trams in Hong Kong were originally very similar to Shanghai ones. They changed to double deckers in the 1910s. As far as I could find, Hong Kong is the only place in the World were the entire tram fleet is made of double deckers. They never existed in Shanghai.

Tram cars in Hong Kong are of various age, and some are very old but well maintained. I recently took a tram with nice wooden chairs with rattan seat. Windows were wooden with a wooden supported roof. I don’t know when this car was built, but it felt like from the 40s or maybe even earlier.

Taking the tram in HK is very practical for short distances on the island. It is also a great way for a quick and cheap time travel, particularly around (the few remaining) old buildings. It’s a great way to imagine what it was to go down Shanghai Nanking Road or Avenue Joffre on a tram.

For more information on the tramways and transport system in Shanghai, please go to post Old Shanghai Tramways and China General Omnibus Company.

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Her Lotus year, by Paul French

I have never found any interest in the life of British Royals. As Paul French looked into Wallis Simpson stay in Shanghai in his new book: “Her Lotus year”, this attracted my attention into this episode of Royal history.

Having spent years living in Shanghai, Paul French is no new comer to Old Shanghai and author of several deeply researched books on the topic. Those included “The Old Shanghai A-Z“, Carl Crow’s biography “A tough Old China hand” and “City of devils, a Shanghai noir”. He then turned on to Beijing, investigation a 1937 crime in “Midnight in Peking“. This made him the perfect candidate to investigate Wallis Simpson stay in China, a part that was mostly overlooked from other biographers.

Wallis Simpson arrived in Hong Kong in September 1924, rejoining her husband, an american navy officer, in an attempt to revive their marriage. The reunification failed and she embarked on daring trips to Canton, Shanghai and Beijing. China political situation at the time was chaotic at best, as the country was nearly in civil war. Several armies were fighting for controlling the country, in what became known as the warlord period. The complete chaos of China at the time is well described by journalist Albert Londres who travelled to China at the same time and related his trip in book “La Chine en folie“. Travelling as a single women, Wallis Simpson was probably on missions carrying important documents for the US army or administration, shown by the monetary and logistics support she received.

Arriving in Shanghai in November 1924 on Canadian ship “Empress of Russia”, she stayed at the high end Palace Hotel on the Bund, close to the American consulate. Wallis Simpson quickly integrated the top of Shanghai foreign society, with the help of “Robbie” an English architect who later designed the new Shanghai Race Club building in 1934. He took her to the Majestic Hotel, to the horse races, and among the powerful people of city. In December 1924 she departed to Beijing. She only spent a few weeks in Shanghai, and none of the rumors seem true, apart from Wallis Simpson easily befriending people in the higher tier of society.

The Shanghai Bund in the 1920’s, looking at the Palace Hotel

One of the recurring theme about Wallis Simpson is the “China dossier” compiled by the British secret services, showing how scandalous she was. She was rumored to have had affairs with multiple men, even selling sexual services and using the exotic skills learned in Asia to capture her preys. The “Shanghai grip” was particularly talked about, “The ability to make a match stick feel like a cigar”. Paul French rigorous inquiry shows that most of those rumors where unfounded, but cleverly crafted so as to be made easily believable. A number of the stories were actually true, referring to other women living in China in the same period. Confusion was easily spread, supported by the Western fascination for the exotic East.

Paul French conclusion is that the whole China Dossier was falsely created to destroy the reputation of Wallis Simpson and discourage her marriage with future King Edward the VIII. In the end, the King abdicated a few days after his coronation, to be able to marry her. In retrospect, this was a perfect outcome as Edward VIII seems to have had a lack of judgment if not strong sympathies for Nazi Germany, even visiting Adolf Hitler in October 1937.

With little actual facts, Paul French is great at filling the gaps of the story and gives a lot of background information thanks to his in-depth knowledge of Shanghai and Beijing at the time. The books make an entertaining and easy read, while being supported by in-depth research. Besides the Wallis angle, it is also a great introduction to foreigners life in Beijing in the 1920s, where Wallis Simpson spent most of her China time.

For more books by Paul French, follow this link.

More Dijon Art Deco

The summer of 2025 was an opportunity to spend more time in my home city, Dijon, and to revisit its art deco heritage. With more time at hand, I could explore more areas, expanding from my original post from 2013 (see post “Dijon Art Deco” for more details). This is a side post from the main topic of the blog, Old Shanghai.

Although its traces go back to the Roman Empire, the city is mostly known for its medieval architecture, built during the Duke of Burgundy time in the 14th and 15th century. 16th and 17th Century renaissance architecture saw the rise “hôtels particuliers” or private mansions closely inspired by Paris ones like Hotel Sully. The city was called “small Paris” for a while. Dijon population grew rapidly in the 1920s, creating opportunities for construction. The style in vogue was modernistic, part of it is now called Art Deco.

Modernist building on 9 Rue Dr Chaussier

One of the most noticed Art / Deco modernist building is on 9 Rue Dr Chaussier, from 1938. The U shaped design with double exposure creates a lot of light in the apartments. The inside staircase is clearly streamline design and architect P. Leroy used floor patterns similar to the one used on the MS Normandy, as well as some LVK buildings in Shanghai (see post “Deja vu from Paris to Shanghai” for more information).

Unfortunately, the building was taken over by the Gestapo after June 1940 and used as its headquarter for the city. Brand new and located close to the German authorities headquarters in the city, it was an easy prey for the invaders. This story is quiet similar to the one of “Bridge House” in Shanghai, a great Art Deco building that became the headquarter of the Japanese Kempeitai.

Another great art deco building in the city center is the newly renovated Hotel Central by Dijon Architect Gaston Paris.

The city historical architecture was mostly protected, so Art Deco building in Dijon are mostly found in the suburbs of the time. Besides the Montchapet district seen in post “Dijon Art Deco“, the area of rue de la Maladière was also built during the 1920s and 1930s. In this area, the “Eglise du Sacré Coeur” is an art deco festival.

Started in 1933 and finished in 1938, the church combines some regional features (mostly the Burgundy style rood), with modernism of the time. Apart from the 50 meters clock tower, the main point is the giant fresco of Jesus over the heart of the Church.

The design of the side chapels and the stain glasses also has a strong Art Deco feeling.

The Sacre Coeur church of Dijon is on the great Art Deco churchs, built around the same time than Vichy’s Notre-Dame des malades (1925-1931), Paris Saint-Jean Bosco church in Paris (1933-1937). It is also a similar time line to Hudec Moore Church in Shanghai.

There are many more Art Deco apartments building in Dijon, including the massive Art Deco apartment building on 33 Rue Sambin, by Dijon Architects Joseph and André Favre.

For information on Dijon Art Deco, please go to post “Dijon Art Deco“. Although Shanghai Art Deco is not the same a Dijon’s, they have a lot in common in terms of time period and style. Looking for Dijon Art Deco is like keeping the link with old Shanghai when I am away.

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Meanwhile in India

Old Shanghai crime novels have long been an interest of mine as part of this blog. A number of them are really good, including City of lost souls, 2024 and the inspector Danilov series, recreating Old Shanghai atmosphere, sounds and smell while keeping the historical context. Taking place in modern Shanghai, I have also tremendously enjoyed inspector Chen novels by Qiu Xiaolong, including Red Mandarin dress. Besides Old Shanghai, crime novels are also a good way to explore other places in 1920s and 1930s as well as their connections with Old Shanghai. I read Babylon Berlin, taking in place in 1930s Berlin a few summers ago. For a trip to 1920s India, I turned to Abir Mukherjee’s “A rising man”.

1920s Calcutta and 1920s Shanghai have a lot more in common that I expected. First of all, Calcutta transportation was mainly done by hand pulled rickshaw. The japanese invention that is so often assimilated with Shanghai also made its way to India. Calcutta also had tramway network, similar to Shanghai.

*Image Credit: bjornmoerman.blogspot.com*

Although large areas of India were largely controlled by Britain throughout the 17th century, the actual control of India by the British government, known as the British Raj, started in 1858. In China, the 1842 Nanjing Treaty opened 5 treaty ports including Shanghai. The world “Bund” in Shanghai Bund is even from an Hindi word band (बंद / بند), showing the influence of the Indian experience on Brits coming to China.

Brits also imported the same club culture and segregation between the white rulers and the local population. The Shanghai Club scene seemed to closely ressemble to Calcutta one. However, in Shanghai this seems to have receded in the 1930s in turn for a more mixed society. This did not seem to have happened in India, with British control making the separation even stronger.

Trade connection was very strong between India and the Chinese treaty ports. Opium was the main export, grown in India and then transported to China in a triangular trade. The main traders were Shanghai British based Jardine & Matheson and Butterfield & Swire. Although they originated from Shanghai, that had strong business links with India. Jewish families originally from Baghdad, also moved to India in the centuries before then on to Shanghai in the late 19th and early 20th century. The Sassoon and Kadoorie families who dominated Shanghai where from Mumbai. The Ezra family, another preeminent Jewish family in Shanghai originated from Calcutta.

Another strong link was through the police and the military. Although the Shanghai police force of the international settlement was not directly a British force, it employed many former military and policemen who had served in the UK or in India. The British forces even brought their Sikh guards that were common in India, to serve as guards and traffic police in Shanghai.

“A rising man” takes place in April 1919, with the Amritsar Massacre in the background of the story. More than 350 people were killed when the British forces opened fire on a crowd protesting against repressive colonial ruling and the arrest of important Indian leaders. This post WW1 period also saw the emergence of the May 4th 1919 movement in China, that was also protesting against colonial rules in China. The Amristar Massacre is also sadly similar to the 1925 Louza lu police station incident, when Chinese protester confronted the police which fired on the crowd. Just like the Amritsar massacre, the Louza Lu police station incident sparked a much wider nationalistic movement demanding the end of colonial rule.

“A rising man” is a great way to get some exposure to British India and an understanding of the British Raj. It’s also a page turner crime novel with fascinating characters and a twisted story. Calcutta and Shanghai had a lot more in common than I thought at first. This made it an even more enjoyable read.

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The wild side of GuLangYu

For this 9th trip to the beautiful island of Kulangsu (today GuLangYu), we chose to use the ferry to the west side of the island. The Gulangyu Neicuo’ao Wharf (鼓浪屿内厝澳码头) is located where the Foo kien Tanning Co factory used to be. This side of the Island is away from the port of Xiamen and could only accessed on land via the long costal road in the 1930s. As a consequence, it was more secluded and old villas are rarer that on the other side. This whole area is now covered with parks and modern hotels. This makes it a nice place to disembark, but lacks the real Gulangyu feeling. However, one does not have to look too far to find nice surprises.

Behind some more modern constructions, stands one of the rare neo-Confucian style building on Gulangyu. The style is a combination of modernity and traditions. Bottom floors are modern but the top floors and roof look like traditional Chinese buildings. This style was popular in Xiamen in the 1920s and 30s coming with the influence and money from South East Asia. One classical example is the famous Xiamen University, along with the Xiamen Overseas Chinese Museum.

This villa was clearly the private estate of a wealthy South East Asian family. At the time of construction, it was probably far away from other houses. From the style I guess it’s from the early 1930s. The top floor is of traditional Fujian style, while the bottom is much more modern. On Gulangyu, the only other one I know is 海天堂, Hi heaven, the largest old villa complex on the island.

The Sino-American School of Gulangyu was located a little further on the same beach road. It was run by missionaries and associated with the Seventh-days Adventists. From the map, I believe the school building is still there (see below), although it has long stopped been a school. It’s mix of modern and classic western is totally different from the house above.

Former Gulangyu Sino-American School building

Our hotel was once again located in a renovated old villa. Overlooking both the West and East side, it was a large park on the top of hill. The main building is mentioned as being from the 1920s, but the style is more like late30s. The entrance on the small street under the tree shade is really enjoyable.

View from the top of the main building clearly shows this must have been a really secluded place in the past, all buildings looking down are modern. In the old time, this could have been forest or even agricultural fields. The location is clearly on a high point of the island as the view goes all over to Xiamen port far away. There is only one house upper in the street.

As the East side is much steeper, no modern building seem to have been added. This side seems abandoned, giving a good feeling of how it used to be when only few old houses stood here. A mysterious old and uninhabited villa stand among the lush trees. This side really feels like far away from the World, a great place to relax and imagine how quite and secluded this side of GuLangYu was before tourists came over.

Although the island has now become a main tourist attraction, there are still spots away from the crowd on this wild side of Gulangyu, while being only a few steps away from the more famous spots.

For more posts about Gulangyu Island, please click here.

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Paris streamline building

The 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs is seen as the spring box of the Art Deco style, from which it spread all over the World. At that time, it was mostly called modern style and evolved in various sub-branch. One of the later one is called “streamline design” in English, or “Style paquebot” (i.e. sealiner style) in French. I recently got an opportunity to visit a very specific paquebot style building in Paris, thanks to Paris Art Deco Society.

Located at 1 Rue Jacques-Callot, in Saint-Germain des Prés, the Callot building was designed by Roger-Henry Expert and completed in 1933. In the same year, Roger-Henry Expert also designed the passenger deck of the SS Normandie steamship, an Art Deco showcase. The Callot building was originally housing the architecture department of the nearby “Ecole des beaux-arts”. It is now one of the campuses of the architecture school ENSA-Paris Malaquais, thus it was an architecture school since conception until today.

It was extremely avant-garde at the time, and probably influenced many of the architecture students who then helped spreading the style all over the World. The ground floor space is an exhibition hall. The best spot of the building is probably the 5th floor offers a fantastic view over many Paris historical buildings.

The metal structure supporting the glass roof looks quite similar to the structure of the Normandy building over the 1st class deck. Both were designed by the same architect. Tiling similar to the SS Normandie tiling style can also be found in Shanghai, see post “Déjà vu from Paris to Shanghai“.

Streamline design buildings were also built in Shanghai, the most visible being the former empire Mansion at the corner of Huai Hai lu / 淮海路 (the former Avenue Joffre) and Changshu Lu / 常熟路 (the former Route de Say-Zoong). Up the same street stands another steamship style building, not far from the former location of the “Jardin Français“. Another example was the Lafayette cinema that has recently disappeared (See post “Goodbye to Lafayette Cinema“).

Long after the end of streamline design in the late 1940s, the style was still popular in Shanghai. Many buildings form 1990s Shanghai still show remains of streamline design, as shown in post “Frankenstein Art Deco“, where the link with the original Callot building is still clearly visible.

The ground floor of the Callot building has an newly refurbished exhibition space that would be just right for a Art Deco exhibition. Hopefully such exhibition will happen soon.

20 years of Gulangyu

During our latest trip to the beautiful island of Gulangyu / 鼓浪屿 also called Kulangsu, in Xiamen / 厦门, I realized that my first trip there was exactly 20 years before. Things have changed on the island, but I still love going there.

My first ever trip to Gulangyu was in the first days of January 2005. It was part of group tour to Fujian, mostly focused on the World famous Tulou, aka Hakka buildings. Xiamen and Gulangyu were a side trip before taking the plane. I only spent a few hours there but got under the charm of the island and its old villas.

The beautiful house hosting Night Lilly B&B in 2007

The next trip took place in February 2007, way before mobile internet and AirBnb. I heard from friends of this charming place in the heights of Gulangyu. The Night Lily guest house is long gone, but it was really charming. There was no other hotels on the island, apart from the horrible state owned one. The house was really remote and difficult to find. GPS and mapping were not available yet so we navigated the small streets of Gulangyu with a paper map… and got lost many times. Shanghai was cold and grey, Gulangyu was sunny with 20 degrees… a real paradise of silence as we barely met any tourists on the island.

Unrenovated beautiful villa on Gulangyu in 2007

We went again to the island in February 2008. Night Lilly was closed, but some new home stay and guest house had opened. We stayed at the Art Deco Boat house. The weather was really cold and we spent a lot of time in a new cafe in the former German consulate. We also climbed the Sunlight Rock and took the (now gone) Gulangyu cable car.

Gulangyu cable car and Sunlight rock (2008)

2009 trip brought some news, a real modern hotel in an old Gulangyu villa. This trip was also the first post about Gulangyu on this blog, “The revival of Gulangyu“. Old houses started renovation, but many remained in their original state like the beautiful Huangjia garden, before becoming a luxury hotel.

Huangjia Garden before renovation (2009)

Following trip in 2012 was to attend Gulangyu International Piano festival. By this time, the island had already turned into a tourist attraction, but it still had its charm at night as described in post “Night on Gulangyu“.

It took us ten years to go back to Gulangyu. One of the first trip in early January 2023, we went right after the CoVid pandemic when travel became possible again. In the meantime, Gulangyu had become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017 followed by a massive increase in tourism. Luckily, right after CoVid visitors were few. This time we stayed in a different part of the of the island, on the West side that was more local and industrial. It was also the first opportunity to view the inside of beautiful Huang Zhongxun estate, part of the Hui-Bon-Hua family in Saigon, that I came to see every year, now the National Record Museum as mentioned in post “Rain on Gulangyu“.

The Huang Zhongcun house on Gulangyu (2005)

The next trip in January 2024 was also the opportunity to find the former French Consulate in Amoy, that was located on Gulangyu. The history of the Consulate is described in details in post “French Consulate of Amoy“.

Former Amoy French Consulate on Gulangyu (2024)

In the most recent trip, in late December 2024, we stayed in a place overlooking the main beach, just below the Sunlight Rock. The mansion was built famous overseas Chinese merchant of Indonesia Guo Chuyang in the 1920s. Xiamen had a lot of connection with South-East Asia, as explained in post “Xiamen, the South-East Asia Connection”. Guo Chuyang was one of them.

This trip was an opportunity to visit all the places that I love on Gulangyu. I also had the chance to visit the reopened Ba Guan Lou / 八卦楼, the largest mansion on the island that is also the organ museum.

There were a lot of visitors on Gulangyu as we landed on a Sunday, which was not so pleasant. Fortunately, by Monday most people were gone and the island was more tranquil. In 20 years of Gulangyu, the island has changed and has transformed into a tourist top spot. Best to visit it in the winter during a week day to get away from the crowd and enjoy its charm. And most importantly, stay overnight on the island.

Xiamen, the South East Asia connection

Xiamen heritage is often linked to the island of Gulangyu about which I have written several posts. There is much more to it as Xiamen had 2 concessions. The original concession was the port of Amoy (English transcription close to the local dialect) / 厦门. It became part of the 5 first treaty port from the 1842 Nanjing treaty. It has to be noted that the prior battle of Amoy on 26th Aug 1841 was pivotal for the city and the whole of China.

As Amoy had long been a center for export of tea and silk, foreign trading companies found a natural home for their business. However, foreigners soon moved to Gulangyu to establish there base. The island became an international settlement in 1903, similar to the Shanghai international settlement. Modern urban development including paved road and electrification took place on the island, leaving the city behind for many years.

Fujian has a long been closely connected to South East Asia. Many Chinese traders moved to Melaka and Penang in the 18th and 19th Century. The main Chinese dialect in South East Asia is Hokkien, called MinNan Hua / 闽南话 in China, the language from South Fujian. The connection is also reflected in the food with Xiamen Sha Cha Mian being very close to Malaysian Laksa, and stir fried rice noodle being very similar in both places.

The return of Fujian immigrants from South East Asia in late 1920s sparkled the development of the city. With the 1929 crises taking on the World, China was still a good place to invest so people of South East Asian heritage cake back to Fujian. This fueled a construction boom in Amoy that transformed the city. Although technically a British Concession, Amoy was modernized by ethnic Chinese, not Westerners.

ZhongShan road / 中山路 feels very much like Shanghai Nanking Road (Today Nanjing Xi Lu / 南京西路). It was the high street were shoppers would flock, with a tramway line going up to the river. All buildings along this road date from 1929 or around that period, the time of the real-estate boom.

Although from the late 1920s, most of those buildings are of a style that was not modern of the time. With many glass color windows, they reflect more the style of colonial South East Asia than modernity. “Chinese from South East Asia were very conservative for architecture. They built in the style they knew, that was popular in South East Asia where they came from”, explained Aaron from Discover Amoy, a local friend who studied the history of his own city.

A few buildings in the area are of modernist style or Art Deco, including the ones above. Buildings on Zhong Shan lu have been restored, but it’s not the case of the side streets. A few steps away, nice buildings from the same time are still waiting for renovation. One of my favorite is Art Deco Orion novie theater.

Orion theater, a great art deco building

The main department store was run by French people, with “Epicerie” written on the store front (see below picture) of then and now.

Although Zongshan lu has received a lot of attention, the rest of the area is not so well preserved. It worth strolling around the whole area and enjoy the view. Hopefully, the preservation effort will be extended further.

For more info about other old foreign influenced city in China, go to post “Up River, Hankou’s foreign concessions” for Hankou (today Wuhan). For Tianjin, go to post “Piazza Regina Elena, Tientsin”. For posts about the island of Gulangyu follow this link.

Shanghai Auto museum

Shanghai district of Jiading, located miles away from Old Shanghai in what used to be faraway farm land, is an unlikely visit for an Old Shanghai lover. However, it is worth the trip, showing interesting pieces of old automotive and documents about Shanghai history and its relationship with cars.

Old Shanghai was a super modern city, new inventions like electric lighting, tramways and skyscrapers were introduced soon after they became available. This was the case for cars, with the first automobiles introduced in Shanghai in 1901. By the 1920s cars were everywhere in Shanghai. They were a status symbol as well as used by various institutions and administrations. Cars in Shanghai were imported from abroad, mostly US, UK, France and Japan. Cars from the period are long gone in Shanghai, but the museum displays a number of collection car imported from abroad that are a match for the time.

This reminded me that a few years ago, a classic car show was taking place in Shanghai. Unfortunately, none of those cars are allowed to ride on Shanghai streets. That would be a great sight to have some of them driving the streets of the former French Concession. The only substitute for a while was driving a sidecar, although this is also not allowed anymore either.

The museum also displays a number of documents and old ads about cars from the 1920s and 1930s. This is only a small part of the museum, but I spent quite a while there, finding out that I have some pieces that could very well fit into this section.

What was probably missing was more pictures of those cars in Old Shanghai, just to show that those cars were in Shanghai, and not only in America and Europe. A good example is above picture of super star actress Hudie. Another small section could have been devoted to car dealership and petrol statinos in Old Shanghai. That would also have shown a stronger links between those beauties and Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s. In any case, it was definitely worth the trip.

The Shanghai Auto Museum is located a 7565 Boyuan Rd, Jiading District, Shanghai, China, 215332. It is located in the same area as the Shanghai Formula 1 race track.