Bank of China Building

Bank of China Building

The Bank of China Building is a protected cultural heritage site in Shanghai.

Bank of China Building

It now serves as the Shanghai branch of the Bank of China, located at No. 23 Zhongshan East First Road. Completed in the 26th year of the Republic of China (1937), it was jointly designed by the British firm Palmer & Turner and Chinese architect Lu Qianshou, and built by the Tao Guiji Construction Company. The building occupies a land area of 5,075.2 square meters, with a total floor area of 32,548 square meters. The structure is divided into eastern and western sections. The eastern part faces the Bund and consists of a 17-story steel-framed structure that rises 76 meters high, while the western section has four floors and is made of reinforced concrete. The ground floor houses a cashier’s hall, the second floor contains a business hall, the third floor is for offices, and the fourth floor includes a dining room and an auditorium. Floors above the fourth are rented office spaces, and the basement contains large vaults.

Outside the building, there are nine stone steps leading up to a pair of bronze doors adorned with engraved patterns. The railings, window grilles, and other details feature rich traditional Chinese design elements. The building was designed to meet banking needs, with both interior and exterior decorations being refined and exquisite. The business hall features marble columns and counters, and a domed glass ceiling. All the steel used was produced by the German Krupp Steel Works, and all the tile and brickwork was contracted to the Oriental Tile Company. The massive automatic-opening bronze doors were manufactured by Rui Chang Ironworks. On either side of the ceiling in the hall are carvings depicting the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, and the ceiling is fitted with 36 square-shaped lighting fixtures, giving the entire hall an elegant and spacious feel. There are 14 elevators, and the building is equipped with heating and cooling systems.

It was designated as a protected cultural heritage site in Shanghai in 1989.

The building is named after the bank and features a copper-green glazed tile roof. Its exterior walls are clad in granite, and the top of the building adopts a gently sloping spire shape. Above the main entrance is a stone carving depicting Confucius traveling among the states, and the eaves are decorated with traditional bracket sets. The upper parts of the building are adorned with cloud and thunder motifs.

This building is a high-rise structure in the Bund architectural complex designed by a renowned Chinese architect and featuring traditional Chinese characteristics. It is also one of the iconic landmarks of Shanghai. Originally designed to have over thirty stories—surpassing the nearby Sassoon House—its height was opposed by Victor Sassoon (a member of the Municipal Council), who prevented the issuance of a construction permit by the council, forcing a reduction in the number of floors. Starting in 1952, the building was managed by the Municipal Real Estate Bureau and served as the office space for the Bank of China Shanghai Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Shanghai Branch, People’s Insurance Company of China Shanghai Branch, State Administration of Foreign Exchange Shanghai Branch, and 14 other entities including tea, livestock, local produce, and arts and crafts import-export companies.