1939 Minguo 28 Urban Planning Map of Great Shanghai Redevelopment

An outstanding 1938 / Minguo 28 / Showa 14 urban planning map of 'Greater Shanghai', a massive-scale redevelopment of Shanghai proposed between 1927 and 1945. Published by the Shanghai-Hengshen Company, this map illustrates the proposed Japanese version of the Greater Shanghai Plan. The map is oriented to the east with the Hunagpu River at center. Color-coding illustrates a rigidly zoned urban center, with industrial areas, docks, commercial areas, parks, mixed use, and residential zones.

The Greater Shanghai Plan - 大上海计划

In 1927 the Chinese Nationalist government conceived of a grandiose plan to build a new Shanghai downriver from the Bund and concession areas - called Greater Shanghai (大上海计划). They hoped Greater Shanghai would diminish the significance of the International Settlement and French Concessions in favor of the new fully Chinese-governed city. Their plan for the new city ironically followed the guidelines laid down in British urban planner Ebenezer Howard's 1902 book Garden Cities of Tomorrow and included broad park-lined avenues, enormous plazas, municipal lakes, and more. It also included a new government center, with imposing buildings surrounded by manicured gardens.

The Shanghai-Hengshen Company Development

When the Japanese invaded Shanghai in 1937, they coopted the vision of Greater Shanghai, but put their own stamp on it with a new plan partially derived from the original. This they termed the 'Greater Shanghai Metropolitan Plan' (' 上海大都市计划). Development rights fell to the newly minted Japanese joint-stock company Shanghai-Hengshen Ltd. (上海恒產股份有限公司 / 恒产株式会社). The firm used war plunder to capitalize its development and construction operations. They brought in hundreds of Japanese immigrants to manage the Greater Shanghai construction project, constructing more than 100 garden houses in Wujiaochang (literally 'five corner plaza'). Development of the new city proceeded on-and-off throughout the war but ended in 1945, when the Japanese were fully driven from Shanghai. Following the war, governance of the concessions reverted to Chinese authorities, negating the original purpose for Greater Shanghai. Although Shanghai did ultimately expand into these areas, the grand vision was replaced by more organic growth

Publication History and Census

This map was published on behalf of the Japanese-owned Shanghai-Hengshen Ltd., the firm charged with the construction of Greater Shanghai. There are only two known surviving examples, one at the Tokyo Metropolitan University Library, and the present example.