Former Site of the Nanjing Branch of the Bank of Communications

Former Site of the Nanjing Branch of the Bank of Communications

The Former Site of the Nanjing Branch of the Bank of Communications is a cultural heritage protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

In Xinjiekou, known as the “No. 1 Commercial District in East China,” there stands on the northeast corner of the square a nearly square-shaped five-story gray-white Western-style ancient Roman building. Compared to the bustling surroundings, it appears solid and dignified, exuding a strong sense of history and artistry. This is the former Nanjing Branch of the Bank of Communications during the Republic of China period, which was jointly rated as an outstanding modern building by the Ministry of Construction and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage in 1990.

The Nanjing Branch of the Bank of Communications, commonly referred to as the “Jing Branch,” is located at No. 1 Zhongshan East Road on the northeast corner of Xinjiekou Square and now houses the Nanjing Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The Bank of Communications was established in 1908, with its head office in Beijing (moved to Shanghai in 1928), and had branches both domestically and abroad. The bank specialized in assisting the development of national industries and operated loans for industrial, mining, transportation, and public utility projects. In 1910, it began setting up a trial branch in Majia Street, Nanjing, referred to as the Ling Branch. Since then, its location changed several times. In 1935, it moved to a new site in Xinjiekou and became known as the Jing Branch.

The Xinjiekou building was designed in 1933 by the Shanghai-based Miao Kay Pah Consulting Co. (MiaoKayPahConsultingCo.), constructed by the Xinhen Construction Company, and completed in July 1935, with a construction cost of approximately 200,000 yuan. The structure is made of reinforced concrete, with a roughly rectangular floor plan, four floors above ground, and one basement level. It covers a land area of 1,858 square meters and has a total floor area of 4,187 square meters. During the Japanese occupation of Nanjing from 1937 to 1945, the building served as the site of the Wang puppet Central Reserve Bank. At that time, a two-story structure was added to the central part of the top platform, increasing the overall height of the building to seven stories. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, it was briefly occupied by the Nanjing Branch of the Central Bank. Soon after, the Nanjing Branch of the Bank of Communications resumed operations at the original site.

The building faces south with a north orientation and features a reinforced concrete structure, with four floors above ground and one basement level. Probably designed by a Shanghai-style architect, the entire building resembles a recreation of Western classicism, standing comparison even with the classic works in the “Museum of International Architecture” on Shanghai’s Bund. At the main entrance, there are four towering 9-meter-high Ionic columns extending up to the second floor. The Ionic column is one of the commonly used column types in ancient Greek temple colonnades and was popular in the region inhabited by the Ionians, who were famed for creating the Homeric Epics.

Mafu Street Community: Mafu Street Community is bordered by Changbai Street to the east, Baixia Road to the south, Taiping South Road to the west, and Changfu Street to the north. It covers an area of 0.32 square kilometers. It currently has a total of 2,953 resident households, with 2,735 permanent households, a total population of 10,307, and a permanent population of 7,586. The office space spans 280 square meters, with a total of 10 social workers, 346 social assistance recipients (including 118 low-income households, 19 preferential treatment recipients, and 209 relief recipients), and 10 resident grids. The community currently has 313 party members, with 10 grid-based Party branches and 40 Party groups, as well as two new Party... Detailed information on Mafu Street Community++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Heritage Protection Units of Jiangsu Province