Canidrome (Shanghai)

The Shanghai Cultural Plaza precinct (zh-tsp|s=文化广场|t=文化廣場|p=Wénhuà Guăngchăng) is an area in Shanghai's Luwan District, in the former French Concession of Shanghai, China. The area began as the Canidrome (zh-tsp|s=逸园跑狗场|t=逸園跑狗場|p=Yíyuán Păogŏuchăng), a stadium structure originally built for greyhound racing in 1928 [Brown, James Dale. [2002] (2002). Frommer's Shanghai. Frommer's Publishing. ISBN 0764566997] . The clubhouse and racetrack became a multi-purpose entertainment venue, but became a place for political rallies after the founding of the People's Republic of China and a mass execution facility. Later it became a theatre and exhibition space before it was demolished in 2006. The original Canidrome grandstand was demolished as part of the reconstruction of the precinct to become a park incorporating various cultural venuesBeyer Blinder Belle China. " [http://www.beyerblinderbelle.com/china/?ID=3 Shanghai Cultural Plaza] ." Retrieved on 2007-05-19.] .

Location

The Canidrome was located on the rue Lafayette, which is today known as Central Fuxing Road. Mountainsongs. " [http://www.mountainsongs.net/temple_.php?id=126 Mountainsongs] ." "Canidrome-YìyuánPǎogǒuchǎng." Retrieved on 2007-04-11.] . It occupies a large portion of the street block formed by what are today Jianguo Road, Shaanxi Road, Fuxing Road, and Maoming Road.

Name

The English name "Canidrome" is a composition of "cani-", dog, and "drome", race course. The Chinese name, "Yiyuan Paigouchang", means "Yi Garden dog racing track", where "Yi" literally means leisure. The Canidrome has also been labeled the Rendezvous for Shanghai's Elite.

After 1949, greyhound racing, like other forms of gambling, was banned by the Communist party, and the precinct's name was changed to the Shanghai Cultural Plaza.

History

Pre-1949

The stadium was built in 1928. It could seat 50,000 spectators. It was the largest of the three stadiums built at the time to house animal racingJackson, Beverley. [2005] (2005). Shanghai Girl Gets All dressed up. Ten Speed Press. ISBN 1580083676] .

In the 1920s and 30s, the canidrome was mostly a facility limited to Westerners and Europeans. The Canidrome ballroom was where the American Buck Clayton and his band performedJones. Andrew F. [2001] (2001). Yellow Music - CL: Media Culture and Colonial Modernity in the Chinese Jazz Age. Duke University Press. ISBN 0822326949] . The Chinese discrimination mostly came about from the effects of the Treaty of the Bogue.

The Canidrome also served as a sporting venue. On March 15, 1941 a soccer game between the Shanghai Municipal Police and the Chinese team turned into a riot in the Canidrome, and cause 20,000 Chinese spectators to flood the field. As many as 30 people were injured in the game riotWakeman, Frederic E. [1996] (1996). The Shanghai Badlands: Wartime Terrorism and Urban Crime, 1937-1941. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521528712] .

1949-1976

Mass execution facility

The People's Liberation Army marched into Shanghai in May 1949Bellucci, Lucille. [2005] (2005). Journey from Shanghai. iUniverse Publishing. ISBN 0595343732] . Public trial meetings held in the Canidrome was referred to as "The Shanghai Enlarged Joint Meeting of People's Representatives' Conference" [Karanjia, Rustom Khurshedji. [1952] (1952). China Stands up and wolves of the wild west. People's Publishing House. No ISBN digitized] . The Canidrome and the separate Shanghai Race Course were places where mass executions took place in the hands of the Communist Party, killing hundreds each day. The city police, helped by Communist political police, in a single night arrested an estimated 24,000 Chinese, and dragged them off to concentration camps in Shanghai's outskirts. Among the arrested were former Kuomintang officials, school-teachers, Christian churchmen, non-Communist union leaders, property owners, newspaper workers, factory managers, and students" [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,859181,00.html "Kill nice!"] Time magazine, May 21, 1951, Retrieved on 2007-05-08.] . The executions were selected by a committee of 24 Communist-appointed "civic leaders". The Xinhua News Agency reported that Shanghai high-school students marched beside the prisoners on their way to execution beating gongs and drums, and chanting: "Kill nice! Kill them well! Kill all of them!". At the time 10,000 people gathered and demanded the death of the accused in a unanimous roar.

Reconstruction

After banning greyhound racing and other forms of gambling, the Communist government re-constructed the Canidrome. Additional buildings gradually turned the entire race-course into an indoor venue. The existing grandstand, including its auditorium, was retained. During the Cultural Revolution, the Cultural Plaza became a venue for public meetings, where Red Guards and other agitators denounced "class enemies" and figures of authority.

1976-1980s

For the 20 years after the end of the Cultural Revolution, the Cultural Plaza served a number of purposes. Its auditorium was used as performance space for films and theatre. It was also used as a conference venue, often housing political conferences and meetings. Beginning from the 1980s, the Shanghai Municipal Government began discussing the redevelopment of the Cultural Plaza precinct. Decades of neglect had left the buildings in the precinct in need of repair. Construction in the precinct since 1949 had lacked overall planning. Its former role as a space for political meetings had diminished in significance, while its role as a performance space had been superseded by newer or better facilities.

1990s-2000s

Redevelopment

The large, covered space built over the former Canidrome also served as a versatile exhibition space. In 1997, this area became the location of the Shanghai Flower Market.

In 2003, a series of international design competitions were held. A plan was adopted to rebuild the precinct as a park. Certain elements of the original structures will be retained, including the long-span space frame structure over the auditorium, which was, at the time of its construction, the longest such span in the Far East.

The original grandstand, along with most of the other structures in the precinct, was demolished in 2005. [Sina News. " [http://news.sina.com.cn/c/p/2005-12-01/06118454097.shtml Landmark of yesteryear, Shanghai Cultural Plaza demolished] ". 2005-12-01. Retried 2007-05-19.]

ee also

* People's Square
* Treaty of the Bogue

External links

* [http://www.mountainsongs.net/ Canidrome pics]

References