Shanghai Concession

Nearly 100 years since the middle of 19th century, the word'Shanghai Concession' appeared very often on the historical materials during this segment. The earliest Britain Concession was established in 1845 and all the Concessions were abolished in 1943. Being concession for such a long time really had a great effect on the development of Shanghai, which was we could not deny. Until today, when people are traveling in Shanghai, they could easily notice that the witnessed remains are still telling their memories of Old Shanghai, and faintly, realize Shanghai people's occidental way of thinking and living.

The predecessors of Shanghai International Settlement are American Concession and Britain Concession. But since Britain was the major power in ruling, this concession was also called Britain Concession. The core of Britain Concession is the bund while Huaihai Road is the core of French Concession. And the French Concession was governed by a separate municipal council, under the direction of the Consul General. The French Concession was not part of the International Settlement.

Britain Concession focused on the construction of economic facilities which left Shanghai a framework of the biggest trade and financial center. Obviously, based on the Bund, the main street Nanjing Road was planned to extend to the west. And French Concession left the fashionable lifestyle to the Old Shanghai.

The French Concession is the area of Shanghai once designated for the French, consisting of today's Luwan and Xuhui Districts. Luwan's Huaihai Road is a busy shopping street and is also home to both Xintiandi and Tian Zi Fang, extremely popular shopping and dining spots for tourists. Xuhui is also ever popular for tourists and is home to Shanghai Stadium. The tree-lined avenues and their many Tudor mansions in the area still retain an air of the 'Paris of the East'.

Old French Concession Streets is Huaihai Road. Get away from the busy streets and explore the area between Julu Rd (巨鹿路) to the north and Huaihai Rd (淮海路) running through the center, plus Maoming Rd (茂名南路) and surrounding area to the south of Huaihai Rd. Pleasant tree-lined streets and local Shanghainese bustle, combined with a growing number of trendy boutiques and restaurants. Changle Rd (长乐路) and Xinle Rd (新乐路) are rapidly becoming the places to find small designer clothing shops. Interesting architecture built with French and Belgian money and showing mixed Chinese-European styles.

上海旧法租界，是上海的两个租界之一（另一个是上海公共租界），主要位于上海市的卢湾区（已并入黄浦）和徐汇区两区内，东部狭长地带则伸入今黄浦区。 上海法租界是近代中国四个法租界中开辟最早、面积最大、也最繁荣的一个。1920年代发展成上海最好、最高级的住宅区。上海旧法租界的贸易虽远不及公共租界繁盛，但是在零售商业方面，则具有可与之抗衡的地位。在法租界发展的早期，这是由于较之公共租界，旧法租界更为接近华人居住的旧城区，而且很早就有众多的华人居民入住，消费人口众多。在第一次世界大战以后，则是由于法新租界良好的基础设施和环境，吸引了大批欧美侨民和中国中上层人士入住，具有发展为繁盛商业区的基础。

在法租界可以欣赏到风格各异的小洋楼、茂盛的法国梧桐、留声机、靡靡之音、月历女郎、百乐门舞厅、黄金荣、杜月笙的流氓天下，'冒险家的乐园'、银行、股票、交际花、亭子间、霞飞路、那浓浓的咖啡香和甜美的冰淇淋.......