“Baoshan” what does it mean? The name Baoshan refers to a hill. Baoshan District earns its name from this hill. In Chinese, Shan means mountain or hill. Let’s uncover the story of this district in Shanghai.
Baoshan’s story starts in 1412 during the Ming Dynasty. A man-made hill was piled up on the seashore. It served as a navigation sign for shipping traffic. This was at the Changjiang estuary. Emperor Yongle named it Baoshan. The hill collapsed in 1582. Despite being inundated, its name Baoshan continued.
Originally, Baoshan District was part of Jiangsu Province. In 1742 during the Qing Dynasty, it was separated from Jiading County. It became Baoshan County. Baoshan County’s north and east were near the Changjiang River. The south reached today’s Tianmu Road in Zhabei District. Its west was bounded by Jiejing and Yangjing in Jiading County. The southwest bordered Zhenru District. The southeast extended to Gaoqiao area. This was east of the Huangpu River. The area spanned 38 kilometers east to west. It measured 41.5 kilometers north to south. This totaled 419 square kilometers.
In 1928, seven cities and villages became part of Shanghai. These included Zhabei, Jiangwan, and Wusong. Pengpu, Zhenru, and Gaoqiao were also included. Therefore, Baoshan’s area was reduced by half. After 1937, during the war against Japan, Baoshan County was under Shanghai’s administration. The north of Greek Wenzhao was called Baoshan District. The south was incorporated into other districts.
After the war, the area was under Jiangsu Province again. Dachang was the exception. It had been incorporated into Shanghai City. The area was about 200 square kilometers.
Following liberation, Baoshan initially belonged to Sunan Administrative Areas. Later, it was under Jiangsu Province’s direct control. In 1958, the entire area was put under Shanghai’s administration. Hengsha Island and the North suburb were also incorporated. Baoshan extended to Hengsha Island’s east coast. The south reached Guangzhong Road. Jiangwan, Yinhang, and Wusong were reincorporated into Baoshan. The area expanded to 443.64 square kilometers.
In 1960, Wusong Town was separated from Baoshan. It formed Wusong District. In 1964, Wusong District was incorporated into Yangpu District. However, in 1980, Wusong District was set up again. This was to meet the needs of BaoSteel’s construction. Chengxiang Town was incorporated into Wusong District as well.
In January 1988, Baoshan Town and Wusong District were rescinded. Baoshan District was formally established. The CPC commission of Baoshan District was organized in June. All work was finished in September.
Today, Baoshan District covers 424.58 square kilometers. In 2020, its population was 2,235,218. Baoshan is served by the Shanghai Metro. Lines 1, 3, 7, and 15 connect Baoshan to central Shanghai.
Baoshan stands as a testament to Shanghai’s dynamic growth. It has transformed from a simple navigation hill to a modern district. It connects Shanghai’s past and future. It exemplifies Shanghai’s spirit of progress.