Subscribe to free Email Newsletter

Duolun Road is a famous Chinese historic cultural street which is located off of the west side of North Sichuan Beilu in the Hongkou District of Shanghai. It is south of Lu Xun Park and the new Hongkou Football stadium, with its back to the Inner Ring Road and the Shanghai Metro Line. Duolun Road has some of the Shanghai’s best examples of European villas and mansions as well as old Shanghai-style buildings.

The history of Duolun Road covers more than 100 years, crossing the 19th, 20th and the 21st centuries. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Duolun Road prospered gradually. During the first 20 to 30 years of the 20th century, a number of great Chinese literature masters were beginning to move into Duolun Road one after another. In the 1930s, during Shanghai’s famous wide open colonial years, Duolun Road flourished as "the famous and major district of modern Chinese literature". During that time some of China’s most famous literature masters and cultural giants such as Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Guo Moruo , Ye Shentao, Qu Qiubai, Feng Xuefeng, Ding Lin and Rou Shi all lived at various locations on the street, making the road an important feature in China's modern cultural history.

During that time the Uchiyama Bookshop was opened by Lu Xun’s Japanese friend Uchiyama Kanzo. Lu Xun often went there to buy books, or to meet guests. The Hengfeng Tea Shop, which was next door to the bookstore at 48 Duolun Road, quickly became the place where Shanghai’s famous literature elite often visited and socialized, and because of this the Hengfeng Tea Shop also became known as the “House of Famous People” or “Celebrity’s Teahouse”.

In the latter part of the 20th century, with the famous literature masters and cultural giants all gone away, Duolun Road was forgotten and fell into a state of complete disrepair. Many of the old villas which lined the street became rundown and a few were demolished.

Recently the government recognized the historic and cultural importance of Duolun Road and has invested in a major renovation project to Duolun Road. The street is now home to a fascinating selection of art and antique shops as well as the more usual souvenirs stalls selling Chinese curios and collectibles. It is a great place to shop for handicrafts and antiques and has a peaceful and culture atmosphere.