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Peculiarities of Development in the City of Changchun at the End of the 19th–the First Third of the 20th Centuries

Pugacheva Ekaterina Alekseevna

Graduate Student, Department of Architecture and Urbanistics, Pacific National University

680035, Russia, Khabarovsk Territory, Khabarovsk, ul. Pacific, 135, of. 506g

km.904@yandex.ru
Kim Anton

ORCID: 0000-0002-3739-5048

PhD in Architecture

Associate Professor, Department of Architecture and Urbanistics, Pacific National University

680035, Russia, Khabarovsk Territory, Khabarovsk, ul. Pacific, 136, room 506g

ant.kim@mail.ru
Other publications by this author
 

 
Samsonovna Evgeniia Mikhailovna

PhD in Sociology

Director, Institute of Architecture and Design, Pacific National University

680035, Russia, Khabarovsk Krai, Khabarovsk, 135 Pacific street, office 413L

003804@pnu.edu.ru

DOI:

10.7256/2310-8673.2023.1.39901

EDN:

EKUZZU

Received:

05-03-2023


Published:

12-03-2023


Abstract: This work is devoted to identifying and defining the features of the formation of the planning structure of the city of Changchun at the end of the 19th– first third of the 20th century, which in a relatively short time transformed from a small settlement into the capital of the pro-Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo. The object of the study is the urban development of the city of Changchun in the period under review. The subject of the study is the peculiarities of the influence of Russian and Japanese architects on the development of the structure of the general plan of the city. In the course of the work, the main stages of the development of the planning structure of the city against the background of socio-cultural, economic and political changes affecting Manchuria are analyzed. The history of the settlement formation and its development within the framework of the traditional Chinese urban planning school based on the modular system and the formation of the "Chinese square" is briefly considered. The stage of Changchun's development as a Russian station of the Kuancheng is considered in more detail, where the city developed in accordance with the standard development of the 4th Class railway stations. The analysis of the Japanese period of development, characterized by a gradual increase in the status of the city, due to its nodal position, uniting the CER and the SMR. The stage of development of the urban planning structure as the capital of Manchukuo Xinjing was studied, when a comprehensive development plan was developed based on the latest developments of Japanese architects.


Keywords:

architecture, urban planning, Changchun, Kuanchengtze, Xinjing, CER, SMR, Manchuria, Manchukuo, China

This article is automatically translated. You can find original text of the article here.

Introduction.Historically, the northeastern territories of China were sparsely populated until the end of the XIX century due to the fact that Manchuria had a sacred significance as the sacred ancestral homeland of the Qing dynasty, which led to the restriction of the settlement of Han Chinese in this territory. The harsh climatic conditions were added to this, which made the settlement to the south more attractive. In this regard, unlike the rest of China, there was no developed urban planning culture, which led to a weak development of the construction industry and transport infrastructure [1], as well as a small population of local cities.One of these settlements was Changchun, founded in 1800 and originally called Kuanchengzi.

The period of its active development began in 1898 with the arrival of Russian engineers on the leased lands, and the subsequent construction of the Chinese-Eastern Railway (CER) connecting Transbaikalia and Primorye, and then the southern branch from Harbin to Port Arthur, on which the city of Changchun was located.  The railway station was located to the north of the existing Chinese city, and a Russian settlement was founded nearby. However, after Russia's defeat in the war with Japan (1904-1905) under the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, Changchun fell into the zone of Japanese control and became one of the main centers of the Japanese presence in Southern Manchuria, which affected further transformations in the general plan of the city.Literature review.

Many researchers, both domestic [2, 3] and foreign [4-10], have been engaged in the issue of the formation of urban planning in the northeast of China. Of particular importance for the development of this territory was the construction of the KVZhD, the influence of which was studied in their works by E. V. Glatolenkova [1, 11], N. E. Ablova [12], M. A. Vivdych [13], T. Y. Troitskaya [14]. As the railway was built, new cities (stations) were built, their unusual architecture combined European and Chinese traditional elements. N. P. Kradin [15], S. S. Levoshko [16], A. P. Ivanova [17], T. A. Smolyaninova [18] were engaged in the analysis and study of the architecture of such settlements. In the works of M. E. Bazilevich [19], the activities of a number of architects who worked, including in Manchuria, are considered. With the arrival of the Japanese invaders, Changchun became an important point on the railway line, which later became the capital of the new state of Manchukuo. The development and formation of the development of this city was considered in detail in the works of foreign authors [7-10, 20-22].Materials and methods.

Various literary and digital sources, as well as cartographic materials, served as materials for analyzing the formation of the Changchun city development. The analysis of changes in the city's master plan, coupled with a historical approach, allowed us to determine the periods of the city's development, as well as to identify the main patterns of the formation of its master plan, in which the following stages were highlighted: Chinese, Russian, Japanese and the Manchukuo period.Chinese traditional city.

In 1800, the Qing government, under the pretext of caring for the local population, requisitioned land and founded Tin Changchun (an administrative district in an area inhabited by national minorities) on the basis of a settlement of the same name located on the banks of the Itonghe River. This moment is considered the starting point of the birth of the city. In 1825, Changchun was moved north to the territory of the modern Kuanchengzi district (Fig. 1), which was a major trading city in the vicinity of Changchun.In the center of any Chinese city there is a so-called "perfect square" (Fig. 2a), usually with four city gates, in Changchun: north, northwest, west, southwest, south and east.

Over time, chaotic surrounding buildings began to form around the historical square, which began to appear as the administrative regulation of urban development decreased at the end of the XIX century. However, over time, this planning structure has undergone significant changes. To date, it is only possible to trace approximately the location of the walls and gates of the historical square, this structure has not been preserved and has not affected the formation of the road network of the modern city (Fig. 2b).Figure 1. Old map of Changchun city

 

Figure 2. Map of Changchun city, a – 1825, b – 1917

 

       

Russian settlement.

 

As in many cities of northeast China, the architectural planning of Changchun was influenced by the presence of Russia, which in 1898 received for temporary use the territory to the north of the CER under construction, intended to connect the lands of the Russian Far East with the central part of the country, which led to the formation of a zone of influence in Manchuria.

In Changchun, the Russian settlement and Kuanchengzi railway station were located north of the railway (Fig. 3). The construction of these territories was carried out according to the principles of the hippadamian grid, which was often used by Europeans when building cities in China. This station belonged to Class IV (Fig. 4) [11], which determined the area of the settlement, layout, functional zoning, location of railway services (repair shops, depots).There is a small square in front of the station, which is the first square in the modern history of Changchun [20].

The station building is the central element of the master plan, through which the main axis of the settlement passes. The main street is laid parallel to the railway line and is its stand-in for other modes of transport. In addition to the station building, fanzas for the Chinese, station and track barracks, traffic service, residential buildings, vegetable gardens were also erected in the settlement [24]. As S. S. Levoshko notes, agreeing with the opinion of urban planner V. N. Semenov about the applicability of advanced ideas of E. Howard "in colonial cities, Harbin, Dalny, Port Arthur, as well as numerous railway settlements of the KVZHD, in the planning and development of which principles are implemented, which together represent the movement for the idea of an ideal city - "cities -garden"" [25].Figure 3. The Russian settlement of Kuanchengzi

 

Figure 4. Standard plan of a Class IV station.

 

The Russians not only consistently built stations and auxiliary structures, but also laid engineering equipment in the form of pipelines connecting water towers from the east to the Itun River.

 

The construction of the Kuanchengzi settlement brought modern industrial technologies and urban civilization to Changchun, water supply and electric lighting appeared. The buildings of this period are mainly represented by buildings with modern construction materials at the time of construction, such as red brick, cement, steel and concrete [21].

Japanese buildings. After Russia's defeat in the war with Japan under the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, Changchun fell into the zone of Japanese control and became one of the main centers of the Japanese presence in southern Manchuria.Later, Japan acquired the railway line and all branches between Changchun Kuanchengzi and Lushunkou Station, as well as all rights and property related to the railway line, which allowed the Japanese government to establish the South Manchurian Railway (YUMZHD) in November 1906.

This railway was the main artery of the economy, so investments in its construction were one of the largest items of expenditure associated with Japanese imperialism in northeast China.

In addition, the railway played a huge role in maintaining colonial rule in the territory of Manchuria.The historical district of Guozhong zhi guo ("country within a country") (Fig. 5), carefully planned by the Japanese, was located on the site between the old city of Changchun and the annexed Russian site.

During the construction of this area, the territory was chosen for the following reasons:- the location between the old town and the Russian railway station Kuanchengzi helped to isolate the latter;

- low cost of land purchase due to the weak population of the territory at the time of purchase;

- the flat terrain with a small number of ravines favored large-scale construction in the future.

- the location at a distance from the old town helped to minimize conflicts with the local population.

In March 1913, the Manchurian Railway invested 320,000 yuan in the construction of the 4,000 square meter Changchun Station.

However, not only was the station new, the gauge was also changed from Russian (1524 mm) to Japanese (1067 mm) [6], which made Changchun a major transit point.

 

Figure 5. Japanese district "country in the country"At that time, the head of the Manchurian Civil Engineering Department was Kato Enokichi, and the chairman of the South Manchurian Railway was Goto Simpei.

 

When the road infrastructure plan was being developed, their views were opposite. In 1908, Goto criticized Kato's plan: "Blind imitation of the old plan of Europe and the United States, not suitable for local realities, must be changed." "Kato's urban planning for Changchun and Mukden is unsatisfactory. Firstly, the roads are too narrow; secondly, it is impractical to partially restrict the passage of Chinese carts. Once such a plan is implemented, it will not be possible to develop the urban environment further. Manchurian cities should have streets full of Manchurian features. It is better to widen the road so that seven or eight carriages can pass at the same time." Later, Goto increased the width of the planned Kato Road from 27 meters to 36 meters, and this road system laid the foundation for the later development of Changchun [21].

In Japan, Goto is known as the "father of modern urban planning in Japan." He attached great importance to the construction of urban infrastructure. The development of the South Manchurian Railway could be gradually implemented according to his plan, where Goto was a key figure.When planning the continuation of the Manchurian railway station to Changchun Station, it was decided to lay matrix-type road networks and use four diagonal roads, which were to be connected to each other by ring intersections (Fig. 6), as in Dalian and Paris, and not by intersections, which the planning theory in modern cities tended to.

To avoid the disadvantages of the matrix road network, an area was created at the intersection of four diagonal roads, around which public facilities were located. The blocks were divided into rectangular blocks, such as residential, commercial areas, grocery stores, factory areas, public entertainment and administrative and office areas, in which the Japanese population had privileges.

 

Figure 6. Diagonal roads and ring intersections in the area of Japanese developmentThe Manchukuo period.

 

In 1932, there was a debate about the choice of the "capital" by Japanese colonists. Mukden has always been the center of activity of the Manchurian Japanese, the headquarters of the Kwantung Army was also located here, and before "Xinjing" became the "capital", almost all the symbols that the "capital" should have had were concentrated in Mukden. On the contrary, Changchun at that time was very small in terms of population, area and socio-economic development, but still this city was chosen as the new capital of Manchukuo for a number of reasons.

Firstly, in the northeast of China, Mukden and Harbin were originally the political centers of the Fentian clique and the Russian administration, respectively, and the influence of these historically formed forces could not be ignored. At the same time, Changchun was becoming the new "capital", which favored political propaganda.

Secondly, Changchun is a provincial city with cheap land prices, which favored the acquisition of land plots for large-scale urban development.

Thirdly, geographically Mukden is located in the south, and Harbin is in the north of the new State. Located in the center of Jilin, it was away from the South Manchurian and Sino-Eastern Railways, which made transport accessibility inconvenient. In this regard, the location of Changchun in the center of Northeast China, with an average distance from all parts of the region and a convenient developed transport system made it an ideal candidate for obtaining the status of the capital and fully corresponded to the traditional Chinese location of capitals in the center of the state.Figure 7. The plan of the Japanese capital of Xinjing

 

It can be noted that Changchun began to actively develop and build up precisely from the moment it became the political center of the puppet Manchukuo called Xinjing (Fig. 7). During this period, the following buildings were erected: the Imperial Palace, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Department, the railway Assembly, a branch of the YUMZHD office, the Central Bank of Manchuria et al .

 

It should be noted the construction of the buildings of the "eight great ministries", which were mainly located next to the current Xinmin Street, forming an urban planning ensemble. The buildings of each of them were made according to an individual project, which was based on the style of the Western architectural school, which combines both grandiose multi-storey buildings and the stucco decoration of the entrance arches separating the courtyard. However, these buildings are located about 5 km from the "imperial palace", thereby isolating the "emperor" from everyday government affairs and showing the puppet nature of the regime [22].

As in other urban planning plans of Manchukuo, in the planning of Xinjing, great importance is attached to the improvement of park areas. Urban landscaping met fairly high standards and had detailed planning, which is generally characteristic of the urban planning school of East Asia of this period [3]. As in other cities of puppet Manchukuo, parks and green spaces were created in Xinjing within the boundaries of urban development and beyond. Small rivers and low-lying wetlands within the boundaries of the development were planned as park green spaces, and embankments were built for protection. To this day, Changchun continues to be famous for its landscaping.

Conclusion. In each development area, the following components can be distinguished: roads, squares, blocks, intersections, residential, administrative, commercial and economic zones. With all the uniformity of these elements, their different combination gives uniqueness to each district. Chinatowns are characterized by a chaotic nature, in Russian and Japanese they are based on a regular layout. The existing transport and road network is based on the Hippodamus layout, in which additional diagonal connections are introduced to achieve greater expressiveness.The functional content of each district is similar and consists of administrative, commercial, residential and economic zones, but if in a Chinese city all this is concentrated in the center of a traditional square and only residential areas of late periods are taken out of the perimeter, then in Russian and Japanese cities all these zones are located side by side, thereby interacting with each other and forming independent urban centers.

As for interaction with the environment, the Chinese city is based on orientation to the cardinal directions, Russian and Japanese do not adhere to this rule, their urban orientation depends on the railway, relative to which the main axes are built.

Summing up, it should be noted that the main differences in development are related to economic and political peculiarities.

So, up to the middle of the XIX century, China developed in a mode of self-isolation from the rest of the world, which led to an evolutionary development within the framework of existing traditions. The arrival of Russia and Japan to the territory of northeast China led to the development of cities and infrastructure built within the framework of various architectural and urban planning schools, which gave an exotic appearance to the historical cities of this region.At the same time, Russia and Japan built new cities on this territory, in which modern urban planning techniques were practiced at that time, largely based on the concepts of an ideal city and designed to be both convenient and practical and, no less importantly, expressive, since settlements were designed as outposts of the metropolis, and in the case of Changchun as the capital of the new world.

In this regard, the trends of fashion for Baroque ideal cities and the concept of a garden city can be traced in the development.

 

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In the journal "Urbanistics" the author presented his article "Features of the formation of the Changchun city development in the late XIX – first third of the XX century.", which examines the characteristic features of urban planning, as well as factors that influenced the formation of urban planning culture. The author proceeds from the study of this issue from the fact that the northeastern territories of China were poorly populated until the end of the XIX century due to the harsh climatic conditions and the sacred significance of Manchuria as the sacred ancestral homeland of the Qing Dynasty. In this regard, unlike the rest of China, there was no developed urban planning culture, which led to a small population, weak development of the construction industry and transport infrastructure. The author presents a historical analysis of the formation of the city of Changchun, as a result of which he comes to the conclusion that since its active development in 1898 with the arrival of Russian engineers on leased land, and the subsequent construction of the Chinese-Eastern Railway, all historical events were reflected in further transformations in the general plan of the city. Unfortunately, the author does not provide information about the relevance and scientific novelty of the study. The theoretical basis of the study was the works of such researchers as N.E. Ablova, M.A. Vivdych, M.E. Bazilevich, Yu.V. Ordynskaya, T.Y. Troitskaya, etc. The empirical base was made up of cartographic materials from various periods. The methodological basis of the study was an integrated approach containing historical, socio-cultural, comparative analysis, as well as content analysis of various literary and digital sources and cartographic materials. The purpose of this study is to determine the periods of development of Changchun city and identify the main patterns of formation of its master plan. Analyzing the degree of scientific elaboration of the problem, the author pays great attention to the coverage in the scientific literature of the issue of the formation of urban planning in the northeast of China by both domestic and foreign researchers. According to the author, the construction of the KVZhD played a special role in the development of this territory, since new cities (stations) were built as the railway was built, their unusual architecture combined European and Chinese traditional elements. The author has identified the following stages of the city's development: Chinese, Russian, Japanese and the Manchukuo period from 1800 to the 1930s. Analyzing the building plans and maps of the city, the author presents a detailed description of the formation of urban culture, noting the characteristic features of each period, the influence of each people who were present in Changchun during a certain historical period. In each building area, the author identifies the following components: roads, squares, blocks, intersections, residential, administrative, commercial and economic zones. For all the uniformity of these elements, their different combination gives uniqueness to each district. Chinatowns are characterized by a chaotic nature, while Russian and Japanese ones are based on regular planning. The established transport and road network is based on the Hippodamus layout, in which additional diagonal connections are introduced to achieve greater expressiveness. The functional content of each district, as the author notes, is similar and consists of administrative, commercial, residential and economic zones, but if in a Chinese city all this is concentrated in the center of a traditional square and only residential areas of late periods are taken out of the perimeter, then in Russian and Japanese cities all these zones are located side by side, thereby interacting between by themselves and forming independent urban centers. In conclusion, the author presents the conclusions of the study, including all the key provisions of the presented material. It seems that the author in his material touched upon relevant and interesting issues for modern socio-humanitarian knowledge, choosing a topic for analysis, consideration of which in scientific research discourse will entail certain changes in the established approaches and directions of analysis of the problem addressed in the presented article. The results obtained allow us to assert that the study of the influence of intercultural interactions, political and economic factors on the formation of the urban environment is of undoubted theoretical and practical cultural interest and can serve as a source of further research. The material presented in the work has a clear, logically structured structure that contributes to a more complete assimilation of the material. An adequate choice of methodological base also contributes to this. The bibliographic list consists of 25 sources, including foreign ones, which seems sufficient for generalization and analysis of scientific discourse on the studied problem. It can be said that the author fulfilled his goal, obtained certain scientific results, and showed knowledge of the studied issues. It should be noted that the article may be of interest to readers and deserves to be published in a reputable scientific publication.
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