Modern Shanghai (1843-1863), Urban And Rural Landscape Changes

Shanghai Title Deed is the most important land deed file after 1843 in Shanghai. Title Deeds record the land deal information which contains the course of the land utilization, and therefore, they afford the primary sources for the study of the landscape in modern Shanghai. This study deals with the Shanghai Title Deed published from 1847-1911 methodically including establishing a database and categorizing landscape elements. On the basis of locating the lots of Title Deeds, this study rebuilds the rural landscape before 1843, and reveals the formation process of urban landscape from 1843 to 1863.This paper is divided into two parts to discuss the landscape transition. One is the rural landscape before 1843. Through clarifying the Title Deeds, this study rebuilds and analyzes the distributing of rural items around northern and western suburbs of Shanghai as follows:Shanghai subdivisions, such as tythings and wards, small village associated by clan, native countrymen's land, tombs and creeks. At the same time, personal accounts written by the western travelers are used to analyze the relationship between real landscape and landscape perception. Besides, three kinds of landscape elements are picked out to study the landscape transition after Shanghai's opening up in 1843. They are fields, tombs and creeks. These three are the typical rural landscape elements but disappeared little by little in the process of urbanization.Another part is to discuss the formation process of urban landscape from 1843 to 1863. In order to get a clear idea, the twenty years is divided into three periods by 1847 and 1853. It can both give an outline about the formation process of urban landscape, and compare the different character of urban landscape in different periods also. In this part, the study focuses on the land urbanization to estimate the extension of the built-up area and urban landscape, while population, architectures, city constructions and other factors are also considered. As for the research materials, Title Deeds are still the main source of research materials, and several maps of early settlements and descriptions from westerners are used as well.