Yongjia Road, a chic Shanghai street worth exploring for elegance, history

The quaint Yongjia Road is another among Shanghai’s 64 never-expanding historic roads.

The “fluffy green” castle-style residence at No. 425, coated in thick creepers and vines in summer, might well be one of its signature street scenes that draw visitors.

As the season changes from winter to early spring, however, the castle hides like a chameleon without its green coat. Yet it is still worth exploring the street for the leaves sprouting from the sycamore trees, and here and there some garden villas of German, French and Spanish styles standing out proudly. The villas boast beautiful appearances, or legendary anecdotes, or both.

Yongjia Road runs east-west parallel to nearby Yongkang Road and its past name Route Herve De Sieyes refers to a late French cruise staff, who fell in the battle of World War I (1914-1918).

Construction for the road started in 1920 from Route Pere Robert, now Ruijin No. 2 Road. In 1922, the section from Albert Avenue, now Shaanxi Road S, to Route Ghis, now Yueyang Road, was completed. A year later, the road was extended westward to Route Pottier, now Hengshan Road.

In 1943, its name was officially changed to Yongjia Road after Yongjia County in neighboring Zhejiang Province. The road stretches for 2,072 meters now.

An event representing youth culture was recently held on the road. A popular local radio program brought together retro brands offering antique accessories, vinyl records, art pieces and unique handmade creations, and celebrated the festival of love and prime youth together.

The location — Lane 309 Yongjia Road — was the Jialanting pocket park. Since a renewal of city space, it has become an outdoor public venue that is also pet friendly.

The rectangular park is surrounded by lineal loggias on four sides. The height of the loggias is around 2.1 meters to 2.7 meters. The lowered roofs and raised ground create a sense of privacy and protection.

Its warm color scheme corresponds to red bricks of the surrounding neighborhood, whereas the supporting iron pillars and painted dark green leaves of sycamore trees stand out as a contrast.

Yongjia Road is infused with traces of the past century.

The eclectic garden villa at 383 Yongjia Road is the former residence of Kung Hsiang-hsi (1880-1967), a politician, banker and merchant, and the husband of Soong Ai-ling (1889-1973). Soong was the elder sister for Soong Ching Ling (1893-1981), the revered former first lady of China.

Eclecticism was popular in the West from the first half of the 18th century to the early 19th century. Trying to make breakthroughs from the Classic and Romantic architectures, Eclecticism mimics and combines freely with any architectural style in history.

The eclectic garden villa was designed by contemporary Chinese architect Fan Wenzhao (1893-1979) in 1926.

Its main building and attached building are connected by an overpass. The facade faces south and has a garden in the front and a spacious yard and a garage in the back.

The yellow cement textured walls and red-brick piled corners of walls and roofs are characteristic of British country-style architecture. Yet its two porches in the south and north are supported by ancient Roman-style pillars.

Notably, two giant stone jars near the pillars are carved vividly with traditional Chinese figurines, floral and fauna, and pavilions.

From 1977 to 2003, the residence housed the Shanghai Film Dubbing Studio and was equipped with the best recording facilities in China at the time. Films which mesmerized a generation of audiences, such as “Yesenia,” “Les Miserables,” “Zorro,” “Death On The Nile” and “Jane Eyre,” were dubbed inside the house.

The residence is now a cultural and tourism law enforcement site for the city.

A German castle hidden under lush trees and lawns at 501 Yongjia Road is said to be the Shanghai office of Tse-ven Soong (1894-1971), a politician, diplomat and financier in the earlier 20th century and younger brother of Soong Ai-ling and Soong Ching Ling.

Its cone-shaped tower resembles a cinematic magic school’s campus. The tower has slim rectangular windows and tin plate roof. Inside, the spiral staircase reaches the top.

The entire villa is of German classic style. Buried behind foliage, the castle seems to have withstood the vagaries of time and hides like an aged recluse, neatly attired.

Yet, the name of the architect who designed the garden residence remains unknown.

The venue now houses a retired officials' art and sports center.

The former Sieyes Garden includes 571 Yongjia Road. The venue is occasionally accessible when its gate is unlatched and nobody jumps on you for trespassing.

The French-style garden residence was designed by Leonard, Veysseyre & Kruze and built by a Sino-French construction company in the earlier 20th century.

The villa is formed by a main building in the northeast corner and an auxiliary building. It adopts textured walls inlaid with red-brick decorative belts. Its central part in the south facade is protruding, with fold-line roof, cornices leaning forward, and semi-circular arch windows. The balcony on the second floor is supported by Tuscan pillars.

The villa is now a civilian house, yet it had international residents from the 1920s to 1940s.

Among its former residents were a Swiss national C A Weber and his wife.

Weber was a manager of Swiss Nabholz & Osenbruggen’s Shanghai branch. The firm was engaged in Sino-European trading, some insurance and commission businesses at first, and then silk and textile exports.

Weber purchased the firm when the branch met an operation crisis in the middle of the 20th century. He promoted some Chinese employees and actively cooperated with other foreign firms. Business improved to also include lace and embroidery works trading.

After the Pacific War broke out in 1941, British and American expats and some from other countries faced deportation. Relying on the neutral attitude of Switzerland, Weber helped arrange for the transportation of these expats back home with their possessions, earning much gratitude and reverence among them. He left Shanghai for Switzerland later.

Lane 495 Yongjia Road boasts Spanish-style houses wearing scale patterns, and 389 Yongjia Road is a British classic garden villa.

The road also has former residences of some Chinese poets, painters, musicians and translators.

In its renovated commercial square Yong Ping Li visitors can admire a bronze sculpture by Australian artist Tim Storrier, visit the Dumonteil Gallery and appreciate some Italian jewelry.

The road is scattered with lovely stores such as wine taverns, ice cream booths, bakeries, and coffee and accessory stores.

A creamy-colored architecture with baby blue window blinds at the intersection of Yongjia Road and Jiashan Road is another popular attraction where people flock to snap photos.

If you go:

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