Xinhua Road - 新华路
1.It was part of the External Roads area during the concession era.
2. It is 2.4-kilometer-long road which borders the former French concession. It extends east to west from Huaihai Road to Kaixuan Road.
3. It is located in what was once known as the “Columbia Circle” neighborhood of Shanghai — which took its name from the former Columbia Road (now called Panyu Road).
4. The original name was Amherst Avenue after its construction in 1925. Later it was renamed Fahwah road. This name came from the temple and village that used to stand on the side, beside the creek ( the creek was covered over in 1958 and turned into Fahuazhen Lu)
5.It hosts over 100 garden villas and heritage buildings on its both sides, many designed in traditional Dutch, Spanish, French and Chinese architectural styles.
6. Most unique historic sites on Xinhua Road are:
1)Italian style country villa is also called the “Roman Home” and was built by the Rong family in 1932, a well-known family of wealthy tycoons. Rong Desheng built the house as a dowry for his niece Rong Shuren, the sister of Rong Yiren, the late Vice President of China during 1993-1998.
2) The U-shape lanes that used to be called the “Foreign Lanes” because many foreign nationals lived here in the 1930s and 1940s.
3) Buildings designed by Laszlo Hudec: No.36, Lane 329, also known as the “Cake House” for its circular shape.
4) No.1, Lane 211 was previously home to the British-born manager of the Shanghai Colombia Phonograph Records Factory.
5) House B, No. 32, Lane 329 is a garden house in English style with Roman elements. Built in 1925 with a design by Hudec, it was the former site of the old Swedish Legation.
6) An early high-end residential community, Meiquan Villa was designed in 1933 by Xi Fuyuan, one of the renowned architects in China. The complex contains 20 two-story houses of wood and brick. The project was funded by real estate developer Wu Qida, who lived in building No.10.
7) Garden residence which features a mix of Eastern and Western architectural styles and was once the home of politician Chen Guofu and his wife.
8) Two-story French style garden residence now houses the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra and the Shanghai Light Music Orchestra. The site was the former residence of American Military Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault and his Chinese wife Anna Chan Chennault.
7.Some of the famous foreigners who used to live there were J.G. Ballard - English novelist, short story writer, and essayist and China-based American lawyer, consul, newspaperman and judge and also served as a member of the Shanghai Municipal Council from 1940 to 1942.
