Chen Jiang: The "United Front Years" in the Shanghai Building"

In the summer of 1950, 21-year-old Chen Jiang stood on the viewing platform on the 18th floor of the Shanghai Building, with a panoramic view of the scenery on both sides of the Pujiang River.

Since then, Chen Jiang spent an unforgettable time in this landmark building in Shanghai, which also laid the foundation for future research on economic history.

In the summer of 1950, 21-year-old Chen Jiang boarded the Shanghai Tower for the first time.

Standing on the viewing platform on the 18th floor, you can see the scenery on both sides of the Pujiang River: a beautiful Waibaidu bridge crossing the junction of Suzhou River and Huangpu River; along the Huangpu River, there is a complex of buildings with different styles. "The architecture tells of more than half a century of pride and humiliation, and the bright lights at night show the glory of a new chapter in history. "Looking out of the window, changing the world, the scene in front of this young man's heart is filled with infinite pride and excitement for the new era.

This is his third year in Shanghai and the first day he joined the United Front Work Department of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Since then, Chen Jiang spent an unforgettable time in this landmark building in Shanghai, which also laid the foundation for future research on economic history.

　

 

Witness the Liberation of Shanghai's Broadway Mansion

 

Shanghai Building, formerly known as Broadway Building (Broadway Building), is located on the banks of the Suzhou River in the north of Shanghai's Waibaidu Bridge. It covers an area of more than 8 acres. It is a 76.7-meter-high skyscraper, plus a basement and a 2-story equipment house with more than 19 floors., Generally called 22 floors, it was one of the top high-rise buildings before liberation and one of the landmark buildings in Shanghai at that time.

The building is of steel frame construction. The construction area is more than 24000 square meters, plus ancillary buildings totaling more than 31000 square meters. At that time, the International Hotel, which was known as the 24-storey building, was the tallest building in Shanghai, but the area of the Shanghai Tower was larger than that of the International Hotel. It began construction in 1934 and was completed in 1935. It was originally designed by British businessmen and foreign companies, and built by Xinrenji Construction Factory. The owner is Yingshang Guangye Real Estate Company.

The building was originally a hotel and an apartment for foreigners living in China. The building is of the Art Deco style, abandoning the classical decoration, the body shape adopts the combination of cubes, and the plane is butterfly-shaped, which is conducive to the use of the site and can also strive for the orientation of the four-wing room. The basement is a boiler room. The ground floor is a general guest room and a public service department, with Chinese and western restaurants, lounges, barber departments, etc. The four wings from the 2nd to 9th floors have 4 large and small apartment rooms and 19 guest rooms. From the 10th to 14th floors, there are 15 rooms each. From the 15th to the 16th floors, there are 16 guest rooms. The 17th floor is a small restaurant and kitchen. The 18th floor is a special room; the 19th floor is the machine room and water tank equipment. There was also a large garage to the north of the building, which could park 80 cars. The whole building from the 11th floor began to take in layer by layer, forming its unique shape. Exterior treatment and interior decoration are greatly simplified, and the exterior wall is made of brown brick.

Because it is located at the junction of the Suzhou River into the Huangpu River, the Shanghai Tower also has a military importance. In the early morning of May 25, 1949, after the liberation of the area south of Suzhou River, the people's Liberation Army attacked the Kuomintang army in Suzhou and Hebei. In the fight for the bridge head, the Kuomintang youth army and traffic police stationed in the bunker on the north bank of the Suzhou River, the Shanghai Tower, and the post and telecommunications building blocked the river with dense firepower and resisted. The PLA attack troops suffered many casualties. The commander decided to change his tactics. On the one hand, he took a feint attack on the Suzhou River to contain the enemy's forces. On the other hand, after dark, he waded part of the main force across the river from the side, copied the road behind the enemy, took the bridgehead, and surrounded the enemy guarding the post and telecommunications building. After fierce fighting, the enemy was forced to surrender. At the Shanghai Tower, a battalion of the enemy continued its stubborn resistance. The attacking troops launched a political offensive and close fire. Four hours later, all the enemy surrendered.

 

Attend the dance with Chen Yi and eat small cages again with the week.

 

The Shanghai Tower, where soldiers had fought bloody battles, was already a peaceful scene in the summer of 1950. Zhou, then secretary-general of the United Front work Department, came out of the elevator wearing a summer dual-purpose shirt to welcome the young people who came to report from Fudan University.

The new regime is employing people at a time. At that time, Chen Jiang, a Fujian guy who was studying in the Institute of Economics of Fudan University, graduated early and was assigned to the United Front Work Department with several classmates. The United Front Work Department of the East China Bureau was established on June 1, 1949. It is also in charge of the united front work in Shanghai. Mayor Chen Yiqin and Minister, Deputy Mayor Pan Hannian and Deputy Minister, and Zhou Efu is the Secretary-General. At first, there were only 7 people. Later, 20 people including Sha Qianli, one of the famous "Seven Gentlemen of the Salvation Council", came one after another. Many old comrades were underground party members. In March 1950, the United Front Work Department of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee was established, but it was still co-located with the East China Bureau. Shortly after Chen Jiang and several other young people joined, three female graduates were transferred from Daxia University.

The United Front Work Department is located on the 11th floor of the Shanghai Building and the dormitory is located on the 12th floor. Because everyone eats and lives in the Shanghai Tower, they quickly get to know each other. Chen Jiang began to work in the research section of the secretariat, mainly engaged in writing back office work. Work during the day and go back to the dormitory to rest at night. Early in the morning, workers came to fold the bed and clean the room.

In Chen Jiang's memory, during that time, everyone lived happily and the atmosphere was harmonious, like a big family, and everyone was immersed in the joy and pride of the new life of the Republic. In addition to the office, the staff also have a club. After work, everyone can play table tennis and recreational ball. People will be invited every week to teach everyone to sing progressive songs and hold dances.

Chen Yi sometimes comes to the Shanghai Tower on weekends to attend dances with everyone. Chen Jiang remembered that Chen Yi was very tall and did not take any airs. He took part in the activities with all the people very kindly. The Secretary-General Zhou Wefu is not so much a senior cadre as a cultural man. He will take young people to the small street behind the Shanghai Building to eat Xiaolongbao and duck blood soup in the evening. One summer night, Zhou erfu also drove everyone to Nanjing road for a drive and then went to eat Zheng fuji plum soup near the big world.

 

Mrs. Pan Hannian facilitated the marriage.

 

Chen Jiang's love also came in this happy period.

Among the three new girls who joined the United Front Work Department, one is Ren Peiyi, who graduated from the Education Department of Daxia University. Because of the like-minded, the two young people soon fell in love.

Pan Hannian's wife Dong Hui was then head of the Secretary Section of the United Front Work Department. In the eyes of young people, she does not have the style of the mayor's wife at all, and she never shows off her past. On the contrary, she is kind and close, and often buys fruit snacks out of her own pocket to share with everyone. the veteran comrades affectionately called her "a-dong". Seeing that his young people were in love, Dong Hui enthusiastically pushed Ren Peiyi and said, "Xiao Ren, I think Chen Jiang is good, so don't hesitate. Hurry up and get married!"

In this way, Chen Jiang and Ren Peiyi got married on May 1, 1953. Following the new trend at that time, the two men neither held a wedding nor a wedding banquet, but distributed some candies to colleagues in the department. Colleagues joined forces to buy hot water bottles, desk lamps, notebooks and other daily necessities to congratulate them. Zhou and gave the newcomer a four-volume version of Sholokhov's "Quiet Don". What Dong Hui gave to the newcomer was a delicate knife.

 

Provide material for Morning in Shanghai

 

In 1950, if both husband and wife worked in the office, what was the income level?

After marriage, Chen Jiang and his wife moved to Ruihua apartment, and then moved several times. According to the supply system, the monthly life is only two or three yuan, which is only enough to buy some towels, soap and other things, but because housing, food and clothing are provided by the public, they do not feel strapped. After 1955, the two sons of Chen Jiang and his wife were born, and they could have a nanny fee according to regulations. After the couple sent the children to the nursery, the remaining money could be used to buy books. At that time, foreigners left Shanghai, and many second-hand bookstores in the western part of Shanghai had a large number of old books in foreign languages sold by them. After work, looking for and buying these old books has become a great pleasure for Chen Jiang.

At this time, the office space of the United Front Work Department has also been moved to the fifth floor of the construction building at the Fuzhou intersection of Jiangxi Middle Road. In 1952, Chen Jiang joined the "five anti" inspection team and was assigned to the cotton textile group. Zhou erfu specially called Chen Jiang to the office and asked him to record the capitalists' speeches at the group meeting for him to see. at that time, famous capitalists such as rong yiren and liu jingji were all in this group. Later, Chen Jiang learned that Zhou Efu was preparing to write a novel "Shanghai Morning" and was collecting materials. Later, some of the briefs recorded and sorted out by Chen Jiang were indeed absorbed into "Shanghai Morning" by Zhou Re. After the publication of the first and second novels, Zhou erfu also gave Chen Jiang a special copy to express his gratitude.

After that, until 1957, Chen Jiang was transferred to the Shanghai Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (later changed to the Institute of Economics of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences) and began to engage in economic history research.

 

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March 03, 2017 Source: Jiefang Daily