中一村

“A hidden gem?” you might wonder, gazing at Zhongyi Village. Don’t let the unassuming name fool you. Zhongyi Village, originally known as Central One Village, holds a unique place in Shanghai’s history. Nestled within Changning District at Jiangsu Road, numbers 46, 54, 62, 70, and 78, this residential complex spans 1.3 hectares. It houses over 70 buildings and approximately 1100 residents. Zhongyi Village’s story begins in 1929. The Central Trust Company purchased the land, previously the site of the Shanghai School for the Blind. Their intention was to develop a new residential area. The name “Central One Village” reflected the company’s name. Later, when the company changed its name to Zhongyi Trust, the village followed suit, becoming Zhongyi Village. Initially, Zhongyi Trust allocated some of the houses to its employees. However, the high rent left many units unoccupied. Around 1930, British soldiers stationed nearby rented the vacant houses. This continued until the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, when the British departed and the company reallocated the housing. The architecture of Zhongyi Village is a distinct example of interconnected garden residences. The exterior walls, constructed from red machine-made bricks, create a visually striking appearance. The buildings, arranged in six rows, have a total floor area of 6160 square meters. Each unit also boasts a small private garden, a testament to the original design’s focus on integrating nature into the residential environment. Zhongyi Village housed many notable figures, including Tang Yun, the vice chairman of the Shanghai branch of the China Artists Association. He moved to Shanghai in 1938 and resided at number 46, lane 5, of Zhongyi Village until his passing in 1993. In 2005, Zhongyi Village received recognition for its architectural and historical significance, earning a place on the fourth list of Shanghai’s Excellent Historical Buildings. Today, Zhongyi Village stands as a reminder of Shanghai’s complex history, a quiet testament to the changes that have swept through the city. It’s a place where the echoes of the past still resonate in the present.