Site of the Shanghai General Labour Union in the early stage of the May Thirtieth Movement

Site of the Shanghai General Labour Union in the early stage of the May Thirtieth Movement

The site of the Shanghai General Labour Union in the early stage of the May Thirtieth Movement is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai.

No. 2, Lane 403, Baoshan Road (formerly No. 2, Baoshan Li), was the site of the Shanghai General Labour Union in the early stages of the May Thirtieth Movement in June 1925. The original building was destroyed by Japanese invaders during the January 28 Incident in 1932. In August 1980, the site was designated as a municipal-level memorial site by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government. It now serves as public service facilities.

On the night of the May Thirtieth Massacre in 1925, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held an emergency meeting and decided to further expand the anti-imperialist movement by launching a strike, a market shutdown, and a school boycott. On the evening of May 31, the preparatory committee of the Shanghai General Labour Union held a joint meeting of various trade unions at the auditorium of the Guangdong Guild Hall at No. 46, Qiujiang Road, Zhabei, deciding to formally establish the Shanghai General Labour Union and to set up its headquarters at No. 2, Baoshan Li, Baoshan Road, Zhabei. On the morning of June 1, the Shanghai General Labour Union began public operations at No. 2, Baoshan Li.

The Shanghai General Labour Union “aimed externally to resist imperialism and internally to uphold national sovereignty,” serving as the “central hub for 200,000 striking workers” in Shanghai. Deng Zhongxia wrote in A Brief History of the Chinese Labour Movement: “And so, the shining star—the Shanghai General Labour Union—emerged that very night.” The first chairman of the Shanghai General Labour Union was Li Lisan, with the heads and deputy heads of its various departments as follows: Head of the General Affairs Department Liu Shaoqi, Deputy Heads Xie Wenjin and Sun Lianghui; Head of the Liaison Department Chen Xinglin, Deputy Heads Zhao Zijing and Guo Chenxia; Head of the Propaganda Department Liu Guanzhi, Deputy Heads Yan Dunzhe and Zhang Zuochen; Head of the Accounting Department Fu Guanxiong, Deputy Heads Tao Jingxuan and Yang Jianhua; Head of the Organization Department Wu Min, Deputy Heads Zheng Funing and Gu Fengming.

The Shanghai General Labour Union was born in the storm of the May Thirtieth Movement. The working masses deeply realized through their anti-imperialist struggle that “to fundamentally seek freedom and liberation, it is essential to organize trade unions, and to concentrate strength, it is necessary to unite all trade unions into a general labour union.” From its inception, it became a shining banner of the Shanghai working class, a true representative of their interests, and was hailed by workers as “seeking benefits for the nation and welfare for the workers.”

Mencius (circa 372–289 BCE), a thinker, statesman, and educator of the Warring States period, was a representative figure of the Confucian Mencian school; his given name was Ke, courtesy name Ziyu, and he was from Zou in the State of Lu (present-day southeastern Zoucheng, Shandong). He is regarded as the successor to Confucius’ teachings and is honored as the “Second Sage.”

Legend has it that Mencius was a descendant of the Mengsun clan, a noble family of the State of Lu. Orphaned at a young age and raised in poverty, he studied under a disciple of Zisi. After completing his studies, he traveled among the feudal lords as a scholar, attempting to promote his political ideals. He visited the states of Liang (Wei), Qi, Song, and Teng, and although he was once... More details about Mencius ++