Campus architecture

Taofen Building at East China University of Political Science and Law Photo: Huang Lanlan/GT

The historical buildings of Shanghai's university campuses

Shanghai has many historical buildings with various characteristics, charting the changing fortunes of the city over the past century. These include examples of Chinese architecture, such as 120-year-old siheyuan courtyard houses, and influences from overseas, such as German-style buildings from the 1930s.

While a lot of these buildings are well-known fixtures on the tourist trail, many can be found in more out-of-the-way places. University campuses are a prime example. The Global Times has picked several interesting old buildings at Shanghai universities that can be visited by the general public.

Taofen Building

Formerly known as Schereschewsky Hall, or S.Y. Hall, Taofen Building was built in 1895 to serve as a complex building for St. John's University, which was renamed East China University of Political Science and Law (ECUPL) in the 1950s.

Built in the siheyuan style, the quadrangle building has grey and red brick walls and brownish red porch railings of wood, making it look quaint and elegant.

"Originally, the designers planned to build a tower on the top, but opted instead for a clock face," Gong Yi, a staffer with the publicity department of ECUPL, told the Global Times. She added that the big black-and-white clock, which was made by an American company, brought convenience not only to students of the school but also to residents living nearby.

The name of the building was changed to Taofen Building in 1951 in honor of Zou Taofen, an alumnus of the school. Born in 1895, Zou was one of the most famous journalists in China in the 1920s and 1930s. Today, a sculpture of Zou stands in the middle of the building's courtyard, surrounded by banana trees.

"It is the most representative building of my school," said student Chen Wenting. Dressed in a graduation gown, Chen was taking graduation photos with her classmates in the courtyard when she spoke to the Global Times. "It is a very beautiful place, and I had all my classes here," she added.

Add: 1575 Wanhangdu Road

万航渡路1575号