24 Hours Hotline: +86 137-3541-1378

Email:

Your Location: Home > Shanghai Attractions > Custom House

Custom House

Custom_House_1.jpg

Introdution
The Custom House is an eight storey building on the Bund, Shanghai. Built in 1927, the building remains a customs house today. Together with the neighbouring HSBC Building, the Custom House is seen as one of the symbols of the Bund and Shanghai.

History
The Shanghai Custom House was first set up in the late 17th century, when the Qing dynasty Kangxi Emperor lifted the ban against sea trade after conquering Taiwan. To facilitate trading along the east coast of China, the Qing government set up customs houses in the four coastal provinces of Jiangnan (now split into Jiangsu and Anhui), Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong. The name "Jiangnan Custom House" was abbreviated to "Jiang Custom House", or Jiang Haiguan (???) in Chinese. The principal customs house, originally located at Lianyungang was later set up just outside the east gate of the walled city of Shanghai (then part of Jiangnan Province), by the Huangpu River.

With the development of overseas trade in Shanghai, the location of the customs house became increasingly inconvenient, with foreign merchants preferring to berth their ships further out to sea, near today's Bund. The governor of Shanghai then set up a check point at the south end of the Bund. Upon further insistence by the British consul to move the customs house inside the British concession, a new customs house was built at the present site. This new house is known as the New Custom House, North Customs House, or "Foreign Custom House", whereas the old customs house was known as the "Grand Custom House". In 1853, the rebelling Small Swords Society burnt down the Grand Custom House. In 1860, the Taiping Revolution Army burnt down the rebuilt Grand Custom House. It was decided not to rebuild the Grand Custom House, with the current building becoming the new headquarters.

During these rebellions, British authorities in the city declared the concession to be neutral. They then expelled the Qing officials from the North Custom House by force, on the grounds that they could not collect customs in neutral territory. After the rebellion, Qing authorities in Shanghai were forced to set up their own customs authority, first on two gunboats parked across the river in Pudong, then on the north bank of Suzhou River. However, foreign merchant vessels ignored these ineffective customs posts.

In 1854, the British obtained the power of customs in the concession. Britain, France, and the United States each nominated one person to form a "Foreigners Tax Committee", which operated from the Custom House. Subsequently, the Qing government agreed to appoint a Briton as an inspector general of the newly formed Chinese Maritime Customs Service. In 1857, the Shanghai government spent 6800 taels of silver to rebuild the North Custom House. In 1863, Sir Robert Hart was appointed to the position of inspector general, a position that he held until 1911.

As rebuilt in 1857, the New Custom House was in the traditional Chinese Yamen style. It was fronted with a monumental arch or pailou (??) and two flag poles. By 1859, the building had become outdated. The governor of Shanghai then applied for funding to rebuild it. Robert Hart chose a Gothic design, with a five-storey rectangular clock tower in the centre, and two three-storey wings beside it, surrounding a quadrangle.

This building was again demolished in 1925 to make way for the current structure designed by architects Palmer and Turner. The new building was completed on 19 December 1927, and cost 4.3 million taels of silver, twice the budget. The building remains a customs house today.

Function & Layout
The present Custom House occupies an area of 5,722 square metres (61,590 sq ft), with 32,680 square metres (351,800 sq ft) of floor space. The building is in two section: the eastern section is eight storeys tall and faces the Huangpu River. It is topped by a clock tower, which is eleven storeys or 90 metres (300 ft) tall. The western section is five stories tall, and faces onto Sichuan Road. A reinforced concrete core was used while the exterior follows a Greek-revival Neo-Classicist design. The eastern section is entirely surfaced in granite, as are the first two storeys of the western section, with the upper three storeys faced with brown bricks. The main entrance has four Doric columns. Eaves are found above the first and second storeys, with a larger one above the sixth floor. Large stone columns penetrate from the third to the sixth storey.

Inside the main entrance is the main hall. Marble columns are decorated with gold leaf. At the centre is an octagonal dome, with mosaics on the eight sides.

The most noted feature of the Custom House is the clock tower and clock. The clock tower offers views over the entire Bund and Shanghai city centre. It has four faces, each made up of more than 100 pieces of glass, between 0.3 and 1 metre (1 ft 0 in and 3 ft 3 in) in size. The diameter of each face is 5.3 metres (17 ft), with 72 automatic lamps. The clock and bell mechanisms are built according to the design of Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster. The bells were cast by John Taylor Bellfounders and the clock mechanism was built by JB Joyce & Co in England before they were shipped to Shanghai in 1927. It remains to be the largest clock in Asia. During the Cultural Revolution, the clock music was changed to The East is Red. The traditional tune (the Westminster Quarters) was restored in October 1986, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Shanghai. In 1997, however, on the eve of Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong, the municipal Communist Party branch ordered the music to be stopped. In 2003, the tune was changed once aga\

in to The East is Red. The clock's mechanisms are not in fact able to play this tune: the music played is in fact a recording played over loudspeakers, and not played by the bells.

Custom_House_3.jpgCustom_House_2.jpg

Questions & Answers or Review
* Full Name
* E-mail
* Title of your review
* Your review
 

The following Best Shanghai Tours & Packages may also interest you!

Duration:6 - 8 hours

Attractions(Cities):Yuyuan Garden & Bazaar, Nanjing Lu (Nanjing Road), Jade Buddha Temple, Old French Concession

Tour Style:Incredible Shanghai Highlights Day Tour is a fully guided tour for those who have just one day to see the best of Shanghai. Make the most of your time with your knowledgeable Shanghai Private Tour guide, see all top Shanghai attractions. With complete flexibility, follow this itinerary or create your own for a unique Shanghai experience. You'll get an insight into the city's culture, history, local lifestyle and future.

View Details
From $50 p/p

Duration:6 - 8 Hours

Attractions(Cities):Yuyuan Garden & Bazaar, Jade Buddha Temple, Former French Concession, Boat cruise on the Huangpu River, Pudong New Area(Shanghai Oriental TV Tower, OPTIONAL)

Tour Style:If you only have one day in Shanghai, we highly recommend this one day tour in shanghai. This fully customizable tour particularly designed for first-time travelers to Shanghai touring traditional gardens, bustling shopping streets, historic buildings, and even to the top of a skyscraper with your knowledgeable guide. It will let you get an insight into its people, culture, history and the dynamic urban life.

View Details
From $70 p/p

Duration:8 hours

Attractions(Cities):Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town, The Bund, Yuyuan Garden & Bazaar

Tour Style:Discover Shangha's most incredible city highlights and beautiful Zhujiajiao Water Town regarded as "oriental Venice" during this wonderful Shanghai day tour. Accompanied by a professional guide, stroll around the old lanes with antiquated architecture, wander along the canal with old bridges and take the boat (Optional) on tranquil canals in Zhujiajiao for a half day. Followed by another half day tour to see the most incredible city highlights.

View Details
From $80 p/p

Duration:6-8 hours

Attractions(Cities):Local Park, Marriage Market, Wet & Food Market, Shanghai Bird and Insect Market, Old French Concession, Tianzifang Area

Tour Style:Embark on a local's journey through the heart of the city, delving into its vibrant culture and hidden gems. With "Local Explorer," experience the city's depth, discover unique neighborhoods, savor authentic cuisine, and immerse yourself in the local way of life. Travel like a local, uncovering the essence of the city through personalized insights and memorable encounters.

View Details
From $60 p/p

Duration:4 - 5 hours

Attractions(Cities):Pick two or three attractions as you are interested

Tour Style:Want to see the top sights in Shanghai with a professional private tour guide? Then go on this half day Shanghai city tour that puts the power in your hands to decide what attractions you visit. Avoid lengthy itineraries of places that don't interest you. You can customized the tour entirely on your preferences and discuss with your guide for advice. Flexible on the start and finish time.

View Details
From $45 p/p

Live Chat

Share to

Certificate of Excellence
2012~2024

tripadvisor

China Private Tours-Day Tour

Your Idea of Your Trip
Adults:
(> 11 years old)
Children:
(2 - 11 years old)
Babies:
(< 2 years old)
Date of trip
Hotel Class
Any specific requests/interests?
Contact Information

(Your Privacy is Protected)

Full Name: *
E-mail: *
Your Age: *
Nationality: *
Online Chat ID: *
Leave your online Chat ID here. We will get in touch with you within 10 minutes.
Submit

Tailor-Made

1 to 1 tailor-made service from our professional travel advisors for the most sophisticated

Authentic

Constantly excellent reviews for attraction, hotel and service Competitive price

Value Guarantee

Local experts provide quality tours Best selected knowledgeable local guides Authentic local restaurants

Stress-free Guaranteed

7*24 hours available to create you a worry-free tour. No Hidden Fees and absolutely no pressure to buy. Secured

Who choose us

Copyright © 2017 Tripstoshanghai.com All rights reserved.   Sitemap   浙ICP备18056007号-3

WhatsApp
Wechat
Skype
To Top