Union Church

Union Church

Union Church is an old church that has been abandoned for many years in Shanghai, China. It was built by British Expatriates in Shanghai in the 19th century. During the concession period, the church was the religious and social life center of expatriates in Shanghai as well as the place of many important events in modern Chinese history. After entering the 21st century, its reconstruction plan and a fire in early 2007 once again caused great controversy People's attention.

geographical environment

The new Tian'an hall is located at 107 south Suzhou Road, Huangpu District, central Shanghai, facing the Suzhou River in the north, adjacent to 33 Bund in the East, the former British Consulate General in Shanghai, and the north entrance of Yuanmingyuan Road and Zhapu Road Bridge on the Suzhou River in the West. The new Tian'an hall is located on the South Bank of the estuary of Suzhou River into Huangpu River, which is the starting point of Shanghai concession and even the modern urban development of Shanghai. After 2002, this area is known as the Bund source. The Shanghai Municipal People's government plans to carry out an ambitious urban reconstruction project in this area.

history

The new Tian'an church was built in 1886. At that time, it was a famous church for overseas Chinese in Shanghai. It was a United Church (so called Union Church) for non Anglican believers (believers of other sects except Anglican Church) among British Overseas Chinese in Shanghai. Anglican believers owned the Trinity Church on Jiangxi Road.

After 1949, the British emigrants withdrew from Shanghai, and the chapel was lent to the minren chapel in Shanghai. Minren Church in Shanghai is a Christian Church which uses Fuzhou dialect. It has not built its own chapel. Since its establishment in 1905, it has been using the church for worship. He joined the Chinese Christian Church in 1954 and became the 12th Church of Shanghai District church. Both Chen Wenyuan and Wu Gaozi were priests of the church. In 1958, the Christian churches in Shanghai carried out joint worship, which concentrated Christians in a few churches. At this time, minrentang was incorporated into the United worship of Huangpu District. The new Tianan hall was confiscated by the people's government, the minaret above the bell tower and the chapel on the west side were demolished, and the bell tower was changed into the office building of Shanghai lighting factory. The lighting factory divides the interior of the church into three layers.

Architecture

The designer of the new Tian'an hall was the British architect W.M. Dowdall, who was one of the few regular architects in Shanghai with the membership of the Royal Institute of Architects (RIBA). The architectural style he determined for the church is Gothic Revival style. In the middle part of the church, he designed a 33 meter high bell tower (once the commanding height of the South Bank of Suzhou River), and there are two chapels on the East and west sides. Therefore, the overall plan of the church is a double cross structure. The exterior walls of the church are made of green and red bricks.

The design of the new Tian'an hall was exquisite from the whole to the parts, which gained a high reputation at that time. Unfortunately, it was destroyed later, and it has long been beyond recognition: the clock tower only has its incomplete bottom, the chapel on the west side has been demolished, and the chapel on the east side was burned in the fire in 2007, leaving only four walls and blackened roof truss.

present situation

In 2005, the lighting company moved out, and the new Tian'an hall was vacated. According to the planning of the Bund source reconstruction project, the new Tian'an hall will restore its spire and plan to restore its original use.

At 3 a.m. on January 24, 2007, a fire destroyed the remaining East Chapel of the new Tian'an hall, leaving only black stumps on the roof.

In February 2009, the new Tian'an hall site was razed to the ground. After dismantling all the components, it was overhauled.

During the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the reconstruction was completed. According to the original drawings, the eastern chapel and minaret were rebuilt, which is expected to be the place for the Civil Affairs Bureau to issue marriage certificates.

Memorabilia

In 1890, the second Missionary Conference in China was held in Shanghai, and the new Tian'an hall was the venue of the conference.

On September 28, 1900, Ding Weiliang delivered a speech at the new Tian'an hall in Shanghai.

In 1907, the third Missionary Conference in China was held in Shanghai, and the new Tian'an hall was one of the conference venues.

In 1920, Russell, a famous British philosopher, gave a speech at the new Tian'an hall in Shanghai.

Old and new Tian'an Hall

The new Tian'an church is an overseas Chinese Church for believers of various sects. Tianan church, located next to Renji Hospital on Shandong Road, is a church for Chinese. It was founded by the Church of London. Later, it joined the Chinese Christian church with other London churches in China in the 20th century and ended in 1958.

Address: 107 south Suzhou Road

Longitude: 121.48857669387

Latitude: 31.24319815974

Chinese PinYin : Xin Tian An Tang