Hengshan Road Leisure Street in Shanghai

Hengshan Road Leisure Street

Hengshan Road (Chinese: 衡山路; pinyin: Héngshān Lù), formerly Avenue Pétain, is a street in the former French Concession of Shanghai, China. A major thoroughfare that connected the heart of the French Concession with the Catholic district of Zikawei (Xujiahui), the boulevard was for much of the 20th century the centre of Shanghai's premier residential district. Since the 1990s, many of the mansions along the road have been converted into bars, night clubs, and restaurants. From 2016 onwards, many of the bars on Hengshan Road have been closed down or moved away to other new and more popular entertainment districts in the city.

Why is Hengshan Road Leisure Street So Special

Hengshan Road is a verdant, clean and quiet street. It links Urumqi Road, Gao'an Road, Wuxing Road, Wanping Road, Yuqing Road and Tianping Road from east to west. It belongs to the land of the old French Concession. This area preserves a large number of beautiful blocks and charming old houses, which witnesses the centuries of history of Shanghai. The Chinese sycamore planted on the sidewalk of Hengshan Road has a long history and is one of the most dense and beautiful roads in Shanghai. Flourishing branches and leaves converge above the road, shading in summer and sheltering from rain, benefiting pedestrians; falling leaves in autumn are flying in full swing and colorful in the sunset. Therefore, if you want to see the most beautiful Wutong Avenue in Shanghai, please go to Hengshan Road and walk, you will not be disappointed.

Main Attraction in Hengshan Road Leisure Street

• The Community Church (at the corner of Wulumuqi (Ürümqi) Road) is open to foreigners and has services on Sundays.
• In the 1990s, many of the former mansions were converted into bars, night clubs and restaurants, making the street an important centre of night entertainment in Shanghai. Many of the restaurants and bars are located in side streets off Hengshan Road, particularly, Dongping Road and Taojiang Road.
• West Lake Apartment: Formerly known as Washington Apartment, it was built in 1928. It is one of the earliest civil apartments with an elevator in Shanghai. It is still a residence.
• Georgia Apartment: A dome apartment, it was built in 1942 and is similar to today's serviced apartments.

Introduction of Hengshan Road Leisure Street

History

Avenue Pétain in the 1920s
Named after Philippe Pétain, Marshal of France, the boulevarde was constructed in 1922 to link the heart of the French Concession with Zikawei, now Xujiahui, the centre of Catholicism in Shanghai. It stretched from Rue Pottier and Rue Henri Riviere in the east, to the intersection of Avenue Haig and Rue de Zikawei in the west.

The newly developed boulevard soon attracted an American presence, as American expatriates who worked in the Shanghai International Settlement built more spacious residences in the newly developed area. This American presence can still be seen in the form of the former American College (No. 10), and the Community Church (No. 53). A large number of mansions were built along the road in the 1920s, with some high-end apartment blocks built in the 1930s as land value soared in the area. The Chinese headquarters of Pathé Records was also located on Avenue Petain.

How to Get to Hengshan Road

• Take Shanghai metro line 1 and get off at Hengshan Road Station.
• Take bus line 49, 96 and get off at Urumqi South Road Hengshan Road Station.
• Take bus line 15, 167, 198, 315, 824, 830, 93 or 320 night snack line and get off at Hengshan Road Gaoan Road Station.