Numbers and dishes:What’s in a Shanghai road name?
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As you wander the streets of Shanghai, you’re likely to notice some unusual and intriguing road names, ranging from numbers and landmarks to dishes and celebrities, representing the unique culture and history of the city.
These road names not only indicate the city’s geographical location and direction, but also reflect the special taste and sense of humor of Shanghai people.
Let’s explore the fascinating stories behind some of the fun road names, uncovering the unique origins and quirky details that have made them such an important part of the city’s identity.
Yisu St.
Located in the southwest area of Shanghai’s Old Town in Huangpu District, the street was built in the 1660s during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and was named after Yisu Temple nearby. Now the nunnery is gone, leaving only the road name.
Ermalu | Jiujiang Rd.
Ermalu, literally No. 2 Street, used to be the nickname of Jiujiang Road in downtown Huangpu District. At the time, Nanjing Road was called Damalu, which meant the Great Avenue.
The roads south of Nanjing Road E. were arranged by numbers from two to six, corresponding to Jiujiang Road, Hankou Road, Fuzhou Road, Guangdong Road and Beihai Road. In 1865, the street was named after Jiujiang, a city in Jiangxi Province.
Sanpailou Rd.
Also in Huangpu District, this road was built before 1908. There were three pailou (memorial archways) built by the county government during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) nearby. Thus the road was named Sanpailou, literally three archways.
Sichuan Rd.
Running through central Shanghai, this road was named after the southwestern Chinese province in 1946. It is divided into three sections: north, middle and south.
Sichuan Road N., built in 1877, is a famous commercial area in Hongkou District.
The middle section in the east of Huangpu District was built from 1855 to 1860 during the Qing Dynasty. It used to be named Bridge Street as there was a bridge along the street.
The south section is also in Huangpu District. After the completion of a Catholic church nearby in 1861, it was once named Catholic Church Street.
Wuyuan Rd.
It starts from Changshu Road in the east and ends at Wukang Road in the west in Xuhui District. Built before 1925, it used to be called Zhaozhujiao Road, named after a French missionary’s Chinese title. In 1943, the road name was changed to Wuyuan.
Liuhe Rd.
This road starts from Nanjing Road E. in the south and ends at Zhifu Road in the north in Huangpu District. Built in 1871, it was formerly known as Lloyd Road. In 1943, it was named after a district in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province. Shanghai No. 1 Department Store is on the west side of the road.
Qipu Rd.
The road spans Hongkou and Jing’an districts. It was built in 1898 and named later after Jiangsu Province’s Qiputang. In 1981, the Qipu Road Small Commodity Market was launched and then gradually developed into a professional clothing market.
Bayi Rd.
Located in Chongming District, the road is a commercial street of the town, linking Nanmen Port, Nanmen Bus Station, district libraries, cultural centers, theaters and hotels.
The Confucian Temple, also called wenmiao, used to be the Shanghai County School of Confucianism in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). With a history of over 700 years, it was built in 1294 during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The current structure at 215 Wenmiao Road was built in 1855 as the only Confucian Temple downtown.
When: Built in 1914
Where: Huangpu District
Named after: Confucian Temple
The original structure of Dajing Pavilion was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as an arrow tower on the city wall to protect Shanghai against Japanese pirates. Later it was turned into a Taoist temple. The city wall was demolished in 1911, but a nearly 50-meter-long section and the Dajing Pavilion survived.
When: Built in 1910
Where: Huangpu District
Named after: Dajing Guandi Hall (now Dajing Pavilion)
Longhua Temple is the oldest and largest ancient temple in Shanghai. It is said that Longhua Temple was built by Sun Quan for his mother during the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280) and has a history of more than 1,700 years. Since 1991, ringing the bell at Longhua Temple on the New Year’s Eve has attracted many local residents and tourists.
When: Built in 1870
Where: Xuhui District
Named after: Longhua Temple
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