By Yuling Chen, EDITOR

Chongqing - At the entrance of Tongyuan Gate in Yuzhong District, there is an old lane called “Lingshi” or the Consul Lane. Currently, it is celebrating its completion as a featured community.

Map of old Chongqing

Consulates of the UK, France, the US and other countries once built here

It got the name from the port opening of Chongqing and after the consulate’s establishment of the UK, Germany, the US and other countries.

According to Li Zhengquan, professor of the toponymy and culture of Chongqing, this city has been opened as a treaty port since the Chefoo Convention Amendment signed by China and the UK in 1890. That year witnessed the establishment of the British Consulate in Chongqing. Today, this history is vividly represented on the antique black bricks in this renovated featured community: In March 1896, France set up its consulate in the lane; in December, the US built its consulate near Wufu Taoist Temple; in 1900, the British Consulate was relocated to the lane; in 1904, the Germany Consulate was set up beside Guixiang Pavilion. As time went by, this hidden lane, narrow road with few visitors, was gradually called the Consul Lane. During the War of Resistance, as the then Nationalist Government moved into Chongqing, embassies of relevant countries also moved here and handled businesses in shared offices with their consulates in the Consul Lane at the very beginning.

The city was increasingly crowded with more and more embassies, and affected by the Bombing of Chongqing; many countries started building their embassies in Liziba, the global village, and Nan’an District, marking the decline of this lane.

Residence of Tang Shizun

Old stories in the century-old lane

In April 1938, the British Embassy moved into Chongqing and handled businesses in the joint office. On May 4 that year, suffering the bombing, the British Embassy relocated to Wenfeng Village, Nan’an District, and the British Consulate stayed at the original site. Afterward, the complexes and staff were attacked repeatedly between 1939 to 1941, bombed by the Japanese aircraft; and the France Consulate was destroyed.

It is noticeable that in the complex of the then Yuzhong District Government on Heping Road, separated by a wall with today’s Consul Lane Community, the former site of Germany Consulate has been well preserved.

It proved that this two-story building is one of the leading historical sites of Chongqing and a cultural relic of Yuzhong District, according to Yuzhong District Cultural Relics Administration Office. The nameplate introduces that, built in the 1920s, it is a style construction in Chongqing during its port opening period.

Source: CQNEWS