Post-war Reconstruction of Memorials to Sun Yat-se...

Post-war Reconstruction of Memorials to Sun Yat-sen in Shanghai

The surrender of Imperial Japan was announced by Hirohito on August 15，1945.On September 2，Japan signed the letter of surrender.The Nanjing National Government ordered the whole nation to celebrate the restoration of Shanghai the next day.

After the restoration of Shanghai，the first thing to change is still the naming of roads.On November 28，1945，the Public Works Bureau of Shanghai Special Municipal Government informed the public of the renaming of the main roads through the media，and decided to implement immediately from December 1.The principle of renaming the main roads is as below： （ⅰ） the names of provinces in China Proper and nine provinces in Northeast China are used；（ⅱ） the main roads are divided into several trunk lines，named Zhongzheng，Zhongshan，Linsen，Heping，Jianguo，etc.It was decided to rename （ⅰ） Xiafei Road （now Taishan Road） into Linsen Road；（ⅱ） Route Lafayette （now Dayu Road） into Fuxing Road；（ⅲ） Kangti Road （now Changxing Road），Route J.Frelupt （now Nanhai Road） and Route Stanislas Chevalier （now West Changxing Road）collectively into Jianguo Road；（ⅳ） Route du Capitaine Rabier （now Anhui Road） and Boulevard de Montigny （now Ningxia Road） collectively into South Tibet South Road；（ⅴ） Jing ’an Temple Road into West Nanjing Road；（ⅵ） Avenue Road （now Datong Road） into West Beijing Road；（ⅶ）Huangpu Road （now Huangputan Road） into Zhongshan Road together with Waibaidu Bridge，South Huangpu Road and Lima Road.The original Zhongshan Road and Heping Road in Nanshi would also be renamed.^[79]

There were still many activities related to the reconstruction of memorials to Sun Yat-sen in Shanghai，for example，Zhongshan Park remained the previous name and was renovated；in November 1946，Zhongshan Hospital was officially resumed；on November 12，1946，on the 80th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen ’s birth，the Central Committee of the KMT decided to make Sun Yat-sen ’s residence in Shanghai into the Memorial Hall of the Father of the Nation.Soong Ching-ling accepted this proposal and moved out of Sun Yat-sen ’s residence in Shanghai，marking the final completion of sanctification of this site.

But not all of the reconstruction efforts succeed.The plan to recast the bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen in Shanghai is an example.At the beginning of November 1945，several comrades of the KMT Headquarters in Shanghai proposed to recast the bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen in Shanghai.The mayor Qian Dajun attached great importance to it and designated the Bund on Nanjing Road as the site.At 11 o ’clock in the morning of November 12，the KMT，government，army and organs jointly held the Anniversary of Sun Yat-sen ’s Birth & the Foundation Laying Ceremony of the Bronze Statue for the Father of the Nation in the Bunds on Nanjing Road.Qian Dajun delivered a speech.Participants included Chen Lifu，Pan Gongzhan，Shen Chunhui，Zheng Dongguo，Li Jilan，Cao Jun，Lin Xiangxin，Du Yuesheng，and tens of thousands of people from all walks of life.There is “Foundation Laying Ceremony of the Bronze Statue for the Father of the Nation Built by Citizens of Shanghai and Inscribed by Qian Dajun”on the footstone.^[80] The sculpture and casting of the bronze statue were undertaken by the newly established Preparatory Committee.^[81] It was done secretly，neither the public opinion was solicited nor even the Shanghai Municipal Government was informed.In early 1946，the finished bronze statue triggered great criticism of the society upon coverage by the Sin Wan Pao，especially from the art circle in Shanghai such as Chen Shaozhou，Liu Xucang and Wu Yiqing.They wrote to the Shanghai Municipal Government to denounce various inferior mistakes in the design and casting of the bronze statue.They described the bronze statue as “a shame placed in Shanghai，an international city accommodating all walks of life，and people would laugh at China for lack of sculptors and at the Shanghai Municipal Government officials for no aesthetic knowledge；though their intention was to make Shanghai more beautiful，Shanghai has turned out to be ugly”.The Shanghai Municipal Government was also aware of the seriousness.The new mayor Wu Guozhen ordered Zhao Zukang，Director of the Public Works Bureau，to investigate it，and finally decided to destroy the original bronze statue and draw up a new plan.^[82] However，until the liberation of Shanghai in May 1949，the “planned” bronze statue failed to stand on the cornerstone reserved in the Bund on Nanjing Road.

Another failure was the construction of the Zhongshan Memorial Hall in Shanghai.At the end of 1946，the Shanghai Municipal Government received an order from the Executive Yuan of Nanjing National Government to find an “appropriate site” for the construction of Zhongshan Hall in accordance with the following requirements： （ⅰ） the hall shall have an auditorium and a small conference room；（ⅱ） the auditorium shall have a portrait or statue of Sun Yat-sen，with Courtesy，Righteousness，Integrity and Shame （Li Yi Lian Chi） written inside the tablet and Zhongshan Hall written outside the tablet；（ⅲ） Sun Yat-sen ’s last edification and the twelve rules can be built on the four walls with stone if there are sufficient funds；（ⅳ） the hall may set up two special rooms if the area is large: one is to store local specialties （including fine handicrafts），the other one is to collect local documents （county customs and records，etc.） as well as images and biographies of local heroes，officials，citizens and soldiers who contributed to the national revolution and Anti-Japanese War；（ⅴ） the hall shall have a square with a platform at its gate for open-air meeting and the gymnasium equipment for public sports shall be constructed；（ⅵ） the hall shall have a standard clock，a thermometer，and a big bell that can convey the sound to the whole area as well as a flagpole with equipment such as flags in the square；（ⅶ） the hall shall set up Zhongshan hospital，social service office and various proper entertainment venues according to its resources；（ⅷ） the hall shall plant trees in the vicinity according to local conditions；（ⅸ） the location shall be moderate；（ⅹ） the hall shall make full use of the office buildings provided by the KMT to assist in promoting the cause of the KMT；（ⅹⅰ） the hall shall have simple，solid and majestic buildings，so that they can stand and be respected for a long time.”^[83] The Shanghai Municipal Government immediately ordered the Public Works Bureau to draw up a construction plan，and said that if Shanghai Race Club could be recovered，it would be the most appropriate site for Zhongshan Hall.Unfortunately，Shanghai has never been able to build a large-scale memorial hall dedicated to Sun Yat-sen and although this seems to be the most serious attempt，it was not realized.