Former Site of the Shanghai Bureau of the CPC Central Committee

Former Site of the Shanghai Bureau of the CPC Central Committee

The Former Site of the Shanghai Bureau of the CPC Central Committee is a municipal cultural heritage site in Shanghai and a classic red tourism attraction.

Former Site of the Shanghai Bureau of the CPC Central Committee

Located at No. 21, Lane 389, Jiangsu Road (formerly No. 21, Yongle Village), in late 1946, the Kuomintang-Communist negotiations broke down and the full-scale civil war began. The following year, the Shanghai Bureau of the CPC Central Committee was established, with Liu Xiao as its secretary, overseeing the Party's organizations and work in Shanghai, the Yangtze River basin, southwestern provinces, as well as the Beiping-Tianjin area, and also leading the Hong Kong branch when necessary. In May 1947, the Shanghai Bureau of the CPC Central Committee organized the "Anti-Hunger, Anti-Civil War" movement, which gradually expanded to over 60 cities nationwide, forming the second front against the Kuomintang reactionary clique and effectively supporting the People’s Liberation Army on the main battlefront.

The entire building at No. 21, Yongle Village, Jiangsu Road was rented in the name of Wang Xinnan as a secret office for the Shanghai Party organization. Zhang Zhiyi and Fang Xing, along with their families, moved in to serve as cover. After January of the 36th year of the Republic of China (1947), this location successively served as the secret office for the Shanghai Branch and then the Shanghai Bureau of the CPC Central Committee until the liberation of Shanghai. In addition to hosting important meetings and activities of the Shanghai Bureau leadership, it was also frequently used for meetings by Zhang Zhiyi, secretary of the Culture, Industry and Commerce Committee of the Shanghai Bureau, and Zhang Chengzong, secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPC.

No. 21, Yongle Village is a four-story pseudo-building constructed in the mid-1930s. It is located at the end of the Yongle Village lane, featuring an independent small courtyard in the front and a rear exit to the outside, making it relatively secluded and hidden. At the time, the first floor parlor was used as a living and dining area for the elderly and children of the Zhang Zhiyi and Fang Xing families; the second floor housed the residence of Fang Xing and Wang Xinnan. The third floor was the residence of Zhang Zhiyi and Wang Xi and also served as a venue for leadership meetings and work discussions. The fourth floor was generally used for storage, and Qian Ying, who was transferred from Nanjing to Shanghai, initially lived there. During underground Party meetings, mahjong or playing cards were placed on the table as a cover. Fang Xing and Wang Xinnan guarded downstairs and were responsible for seeing the “guests” out after the meetings. This secret office played a vital role in ensuring the security and smooth operation of the Shanghai Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. After the liberation of Shanghai, according to instructions from Liu Changsheng, the property and furniture were handed over to the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions, and the building later became residential housing.

In June 1992, the municipal government approved it as a municipal cultural heritage site in Shanghai.