Shanghai International Settlement

The Shanghai International Settlement began in 1863 when the British and American areas in Shanghai joined together. British and American people living there did not follow Chinese laws because of special agreements called unequal treaties. These treaties allowed foreign people to live under their own rules in certain parts of China.

The British first set up their area in Shanghai after winning a war called the First Opium War. This war ended with the Treaty of Nanking, which opened several ports, including Shanghai, to foreign trade. Americans and French also set up their own areas nearby soon after.

The Shanghai International Settlement was different from places like Hong Kong because China still owned the land. A group called the Shanghai Municipal Council managed the Settlement, but it mostly followed British rules until Japan became more involved in the late 1930s. The Settlement ended suddenly in 1941 when Japanese soldiers took over Shanghai after attacking Pearl Harbor. Special rights for foreign people ended in 1943, and the French gave up their rights in 1946.

History

After the British won the First Opium War, foreign powers including France gained special areas called concessions in China through special agreements. These agreements let foreign nations have their own rules in these areas.

The British and Americans joined their areas in Shanghai in 1863, forming the Shanghai International Settlement. This area had its own leaders and rules, separate from China’s control. Over time, more people from different countries moved in, and the Settlement grew. By the early 1900s, Japan became a strong power in the area. During World War II, Japan took control of Shanghai, including the International Settlement. After the war, the area was returned to Chinese control. Today, you can still see the old buildings from that time in Shanghai.

Currency

In the 1800s, China had many different ways of using money, making it very confusing. In places like Shanghai, people used many types of coins and money from different countries. One common type of coin was the Spanish pieces of eight, which came from faraway places like Mexico on ships called Manila galleons.

Shanghai had its own special way of measuring value using a unit called a tael, which was a weight of silver. People also used Chinese copper cash coins and coins from Mexico. Banks from Europe and North America started printing paper money in Shanghai, sometimes using Mexican dollars as the value.

Even though there were many different kinds of money, silver was the main thing that tied everything together. People in China always measured value by comparing it to the weight of silver. This is why even after most of the world started using gold as their main value, China and places like Hong Kong kept using silver as their standard.

Postal services

Shanghai had a postal service since the Ming dynasty, but during a special time called the treaty port era, foreign countries managed their own postal services through their consulates. For example, the United States Post Office Department had a special office at the US consulate in Shanghai, letting Americans send mail to and from the United States using US stamps.

In 1919, the United States made special stamps just for Shanghai, marking them with the city’s name and doubling their value. By 1922, this created a full set of stamps known in stamp collections. The British used their own stamps at first, then switched to Hong Kong stamps. In 1865, Shanghai started issuing its own stamps using a local currency unit called the Shanghai tael.

Eventually, in 1922, all the different postal services in Shanghai joined together under one Chinese Post Office, which included Shanghai in an international postal group. However, some countries, like Japan, still sent most of their mail in special diplomatic bags that couldn’t be opened by postal workers.

The main post office in Shanghai moved to a building on Sichuan North Road, which today houses the Shanghai Post Museum.

Music

International merchants brought their musical talent, leading to the creation of the Shanghai Philharmonic Society in 1868. This led to the official formation of the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra in 1879.

In 1938, there was a discussion about disbanding the orchestra, but it was saved because people believed its educational benefits were important. The orchestra received support from many countries, including Italy, France, and Japan, who helped keep it running. Besides symphonies, the orchestra also enjoyed opera and choral music, often accompanying singers during concerts.

Government

Shanghai Municipal Council

Members of the Shanghai Municipal Council were chosen by foreign residents who paid taxes. Not many people could run for office, as they needed to own property and pay taxes. Seats on the council were sometimes given to certain countries.

List of chairmen of the Shanghai Municipal Council

Legal system

The International Settlement did not have one legal system. The Municipal Council made rules about land that everyone had to follow. For people from countries that had special agreements with China, they followed the laws of their own countries. Cases against them were handled in their own country’s courts, overseen by officials from those countries.

By the 1930s, 14 countries had these special agreements. China handled cases for its own citizens and those from countries without these agreements in special courts set up in the Settlement. Britain and the United States had their own court systems in China, but they stopped working during a conflict in 1941.

Notable people

The International Settlement was home to many interesting people from different countries.

Born in the International Settlement

Some well-known individuals were born there, including:

• J. G. Ballard, a British writer famous for his novel Empire of the Sun, set in Shanghai.
• Mary Hayley Bell, a British actress
• Eileen Chang, a Chinese-American writer
• Edmond H. Fischer, a Swiss-American scientist who won a Nobel Prize
• Qian Xuesen, a Chinese engineer important to China's space program
• Terence Young, a British film director

Residents of the International Settlement

Many notable people also lived there, such as:

• J. Howard Crocker, a Canadian educator and sports leader
• Eleanor Hinder, a social worker who helped improve lives in Shanghai
• Addie Viola Smith, a U.S. trade official in Shanghai
• Peter Wyngarde, a British actor

Relation with the French Concession

Further information: Shanghai French Concession

The French Concession had its own leaders chosen by a group of people in charge. It was different from the International Settlement but still had some shared interests, which you can see from the French flag used on official symbols.