For CNNGo: Shanghai
Hidden just to the south of Hongkou’s Lu Xun Park is a half-mile stretch of road bursting with historical and cultural significance. Duolun Cultural Street (多伦路文化名人街) was inaugurated in 1998 as an outdoor museum of 1920s-style architecture and a monument to the city’s literary history. It was here that the league of Leftist Writers was founded in 1930 and the street was a hub of a movement of revolutionary thought that included Chinese cultural celebrities such as LuXun, Xu Qiubai, Guo Moruo and Mao Dun.
Life-size bronze statues depicting the famous individuals who form part of Duolun’s heritage, such as the statue of Rou Shi (柔石) (above), are found along the street. Rou Shi was one of the five martyrs of the Left Union killed by the Kuoming Dang in 1931.
The League of Leftist Writers Museum, located just off the main street at number 2, lane 201, preserves for posterity the hall in which the league was founded. The museum is open from 9 am to 11:30 am and 13:00 pm to 16 pm, Tuesday through Sunday.
Much of the street’s charm stems from the fact that life continues as normal inside this ‘living museum.’ Here maintenance work is carried out in front of the historic Kong residence, one of Duolun’s many architectural attractions. The former residence of Kong Xiangxi, built in 1924, features an Islamic building style.
Examples of the typical Shanghai architecture of the 1920s, an amalgamation of imported ideas mixed with traditional practices driven by a booming contemporary exchange of goods and ideas, can be found along the street. In the photo on the left, a former student’s dormitory includes an arch-lined outdoor corridor on the first and second floors, and in the photo on the right, a 1920s house build in the Renaissance style features ionic columns at its entryway.
The Hong De church, build in 1928, is a rare example of a Christian church build with Chinese architectural styles. The church is a popular location for wedding and other photo shoots due to its unique appearance and spiritual meaning.
The Koala International Youth Hostel is located in a historic building that was once a private club. Cheng Ying (陈影), left, and Xu Yifang (徐依芳) say they come to the hostel frequently for lunch because they enjoy the relaxed atmosphere inside.
The rooms of the hostel are all individually decorated, reflecting period styles.
The street, dotted with slices of culture and history (such as the Chopsticks Collection Hall or the Old Movie Café) and small antique and trinket shops, seems a world away from the bustling thoroughfare of Sichuan Lu, which runs parallel.
The fact that it is a little off the beaten path definitely contributes to the street’s charm. Wandering into the small lanes lining can provide a sense of peace and quiet that sometimes seems hard to find in Shanghai. Duolun is a surprising oasis of calm, culture and heritage hidden in Hongkou.
