Shanghai Seaside Cemetery

Beneath the sprawling metropolis of Shanghai, where skyscrapers pierce the clouds and the Huangpu River weaves its way through the city, lies a hidden gem, the Shanghai Seaside Cemetery. Few visitors realize that this serene final resting place holds a fascinating history, intertwined with Shanghai’s vibrant past. Shanghai Seaside Cemetery was once known as the “Hill of Foreign Tombs” (Wai Guo Fen Shan). In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Shanghai’s foreign population grew significantly. Many expatriates made Shanghai their home, but the long sea voyage from Europe meant that some never made it back. The Shanghai Seaside Cemetery became the final resting place for thousands of foreigners. The cemetery offered a stark contrast to traditional Chinese burial practices. It was meticulously planned, hygienic, and imbued with a peaceful, garden-like atmosphere. In contrast, Chinese burials at the time were often haphazard. The influence of Western cemeteries like Shanghai Seaside Cemetery spurred a modernization of Chinese burial traditions, leading to the creation of more organized cemeteries. The cemetery held not only the ordinary but also the prominent. Dr. Erich Paulun, a German doctor who established a medical school for Chinese, and Henry Lester, a British architect and philanthropist, both found their final rest at Shanghai Seaside Cemetery. Their legacies continue to resonate in Shanghai today. Paulun’s medical school evolved into today’s Chang Zheng Hospital and the Medical School of Tongji University. Lester, despite his wealth from Shanghai real estate, donated most of his assets to Chinese education. He funded a medical institution near Nanjing Road W. and a foundation that still sponsors Chinese scholars studying in the UK. The Shanghai Seaside Cemetery wasn’t always the quiet haven it is today. Historical accounts paint a picture of a bustling place, especially on occasions like the American Memorial Day. Parades with marines and bands would march along Bubbling Well Road to the cemetery, where ceremonies and speeches honored the fallen. In the 1950s, the Shanghai government made a significant decision. The tombs at Shanghai Seaside Cemetery were relocated to Pudong, and the land was transformed into a public park. Today, the Shanghai Seaside Cemetery lives on in memory, a testament to Shanghai’s multicultural past and the enduring impact of those who found their final rest there.