The Research Of Shanghai International Cemetery (1909-1949)

In1914, Xielu Cemetery was established by estate merchant Runshan Jing in Shanghai for got rid of the disadvantages of traditional tomb, soon renamed International Cemetery. It was the first modern cemetery in China, also once was the model of all other cemetery. In1934, the government took over the cemetery from Runshan Jing’s wife, from then it gradually turned into an ordinary cemetery. As the first modern cemetery of China, International Cemetery played an important role in the progress of people recognizing and admitting modern cemetery. Although the cemetery has some compromise to the original funeral custom, it indeed a huge challenge to the existing burial forms of common sepulture, comply with the urbanization of Shanghai. In several decades, the International Cemetery not only demonstrated the Chinese cemetery’s evolution, but also reflected the blend of Chinese traditional funeral and the modern western funeral. Viewed from another perspective, the municipal government took over the International Cemetery to its own jurisdiction, also indicated the transformation of Chinese government functions on institutionalized the cemetery. We can observe the character of funeral culture evolution clearly through the research of International Cemetery.This article was based on the carding of the documentary of Shanghai archives and newspapers, and centered on the switch of the manager to expand narrative, recounting the history of the International Cemetery, try to analyze the changes of Shanghai funeral culture.