Home » Feature » Art and Culture
The financial epicenter that owes its pedigree to a famous ancient scholar
Print Edition
THE transformation of Lujiazui in the Pudong New Area from a low-rise area in the 1980s into the “Wall Street of China” by the turn of the century remains one of the most striking paradigms of China’s modernization.
But reaching farther back, the history of Lujiazui is equally fascinating. The earliest mention of “Pudong” as an official place name dates back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), documented in the regional gazetteer “Yun Jian Zhi.”
It was originally a site of salt production, vital to Shanghai’s early economy.
Even earlier than that, what is now Pudong was officially made part of Huating County, the original name of Shanghai, during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
As the Huangpu River became a major artery during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), its shores were distinguished as Pudong, or east bank, and Puxi, or west bank.
Lujiazui was named after Lu Shen (1477-1544), a Ming Dynasty scholar and collector, who spent much of his life there. The place name also came, in part, from a prominent river sandbank nearby that resembled a bird’s beak. The geographical feature became known as zui.
Lu was a leading Ming Dynasty intellectual, excelling in literature and history from a young age. Among his many roles, he was an adviser to the emperor and authored 32 works. He was also a famous bibliophile with a collection of tens of thousands of books in his ancestral library.
His writings not only reflected the intellectual climate of his time but also illustrated a golden era in Jiangnan, or regions south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Lu also excelled in calligraphy, producing works such as the “Rui Mai Fu” scroll, which spans about 3 meters and is now housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Lu’s residence after retirement became an early cultural landmark in Pudong. The complex, described as picturesque, housed numerous literary and artistic treasures collected by Lu. The residence had vanished by the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
After his death, Shanghai was attacked by Japanese pirates in 1553, and his wife Madame Mei donated land and demolished some houses of the family’s to make way for the construction of the Small East Gate as part of the city’s efforts to fortify itself against pirates. The gate was later called the “Madame’s Gate.”
Lu Xixiong (1734-1792), one of Lu Shen’s descendants, was a prominent figure in the Qing Dynasty. He became a successful scholar at 27, and during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, was appointed one of the editors-in-chief of the exquisite “Siku Quanshu,” or “Complete Works of Chinese Classics,” the largest collection of Chinese history books.
The encyclopedia, compiled by more than 380 scholars and officials, covered a wide range of disciplines and set the standard for future historical and bibliographic works.
Lu Xixiong’s fame was somewhat overshadowed by another editor-in-chief named Ji Yun, also known as Ji Xiaolan, who was an influential, eloquent scholar. In 1787, Lu and Ji were tasked with emending texts deemed denigrating to the imperial court. The task took a toll on Lu’s health. He died in 1792 at age 58.
The achievements of these two literary giants added rich cultural significance to the history of Lujiazui and helped establish the area as a center of knowledge and literature.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
