The Former Site of Jiujiang Concession: One of the Seven British Concessions in Modern China!

The Former Site of Jiujiang Concession is located in Xunyang District, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province. It is one of the seven British concessions in modern China. After the Second Opium War, the Qing government signed the Treaty of Tianjin with Britain and other countries, and the Jiujiang trading port was pried open by Western powers, and Jiujiang was opened as a commercial port. In March 1861, Zhang Jixin, the Jiangxi Governor, and British Counselor Harry Smith Parkes signed the Jiujiang Lease Agreement, which designated the riverside area west of Zhangguan Port and east of Longkai River as the British concession, with a total area of 150 mu. Subsequently, Western countries such as the United States, France, Japan, and Russia successively established concessions in the west of Jiujiang City, expanded wharfs, opened factories, and established churches, hospitals, schools, etc., gradually forming independent blocks. Today, a batch of colonial buildings are still preserved on Yuliang South Road. In January 1927, people from all walks of life in Jiujiang began to gather and march to fight in support of Wuhan's recovery of the British concession. Finally, Jiujiang took the lead in the country to recover the British concession, and Jiujiang ended its 66-year concession rule. The scale of the current site of the Jiujiang Concession is not large, and the area of the concession site has been greatly reduced. Many historical buildings such as the Mei Foo Yangxing and the Russian Tea Factory no longer exist. The existing four old sites have been renovated in recent years and still retain historical traces. The old western-style buildings along the street are the former site of the Japanese Consulate, and the two-story building used as a museum is the former site of the British Asia Apartments. The Old Site Museum is divided into three floors, with the "Concession History" exhibition hall, the "Commercial History" exhibition hall, and the "Sino-Western Integration" exhibition hall. It tells the historical facts of Jiujiang's 66 years as a concession in the form of pictures, texts, and objects. The "Concession History" exhibition hall mainly presents the process of the Jiujiang Concession from its beginning to its recovery. The "Commercial History" exhibition hall displays the development and changes of Jiujiang as a trading port in terms of commerce. The "Sino-Western Integration" exhibition hall mainly tells about the collision and integration of Western culture and local culture in Jiujiang. Jiujiang has a long history and a gathering of talents. As an important city along the Yangtze River, it has always been known as the "mouth of three rivers and thoroughfare to seven provinces." During the prosperous period of inland shipping, Jiujiang naturally became the focus of Western powers. If you are interested in history or want to experience exotic customs, the Jiujiang Concession Site Museum is definitely a place not to be missed. Here, you will not only find rich historical materials, but also four well-preserved buildings, each of which is worth savoring.