Modern Shanghai City Square Study (1912-1937)

In this paper, modern Shanghai city square is regarded as the research object, the Chinese political rallies held in the city square from 1912 to 1937 is regarded as the research center.The factors of affecting the political rallies, the characteristics of the political rallies and the functions of modern Shanghai city square are regarded as the main research areas.City square is the center of city political, economic and cultural, having a profound impact on the social life of the city. Shanghai was influenced by western countries most in modern China, and also the first city to enter the modernization.However,in about a hundred years after Shanghai opened to the world, it did not appear a city square like west countries. And there’s no central square in city center, nor special independent square in each administrative area.Though there’s no city square in narrow sense, there are many city squares in broad sense,such as Shanghai Racing Course,Hongkou Park,Gujiazhai Park,Zhang Garden,Yu Garden,Xu Garden,Bansong Garden,Shanghai Public Stadium, Nine Acres of Land.Actually they assumed the functions of the city square,and became the city square in the eyes of Shanghai citizens.Due to the large population, the convenient transportation, the developed media,and many anti-imperialist and patriotic movements emerged,Chinese political rallies presents some characteristics,such as large-scale, extensive community involvement,many celebrities participated in and organized well.Modern Shanghai city squares held a lot of important political rallies from 1912 to 1937,many Chinese gathered together,pursuiting national interests and democratic ideals.City square has become a big stage for citizens to participate in politics, pursuit national liberation and freedom.Chinese political rallies are also helping to train the modern national consciousness, awakening more to fight.From this perspective,city square also become a big stage to promote social change and progress.With the functions of the city square, the Shanghai ethnic Chinese from different administrative areas gathered together, the Shanghai ethnic Chinese from different social classes gathered together, the standpoint and voice of concerning about national affairs and national interests transmitted at home and abroad,reflecting the Shanghai ethnic Chinese caring about the fate of the nation.