A brief History of Shanghai & Shidaiqu
Shanghai Popular Song or Shidaiqu–What is it?
Shidaiqu, a genre of Chinese popular music often played on the radio and in films, originated from the international and cosmopolitan nightlife in Shanghai. In the 1930s, composer Li Jinhui, the “Father of Chinese Popular Music,” began writing this hybrid music that combined Chinese operatic music, American jazz and Tin Pan Alley song, and other Western music styles. It became immensely popular throughout the 1940s until the establishment of the People’s Republic of China led to the banning of shidaiqu, also called “yellow music.” Many performers and others involved in the entertainment industry fled to Hong Kong in the 1950s. Shidaiqu later influenced other popular music genres in Asia such as Cantopop, Mandopop, and Hokkien pop. Contemporary popular culture usages of shidaiqu include the opening scene of Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and the soundtrack of Crazy Rich Asians (2018).
Timeline
The First Opium War (1839–1842) with the United Kingdom and the subsequent Treaty of Nanjing opened Shanghai up to Western powers (Britain, France, USA, Germany)
1830
The First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) led to regional dominance by Japan and further failure of the Qing Dynasty in preventing foreign influence from controlling China.
The 1911 Xinhai Revolution, led by revolutionaries near Shanghai, overthrew the Qing dynasty and led to the establishment of the Republic of China.
In the 1920s and 30s, Shanghai became a cosmopolitan hub for the production of Chinese cinema, animation, and popular music as well as a home for hedonistic activities including opium, prostitution, and gambling. It was also home to leftism and the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921.
By 1936, Shanghai had grown exponentially to a population of 3 million, a collection of native Chinese people, Russian and Jewish refugees, American or European expatriates, and visitors. These influences helped develop Shanghai into a technologically and economically Westernized city.
The Second Sino-Japanese War/World War II (1937–1945) led to the Japanese occupation of Shanghai.
In 1949, the Chinese Commmunist Party took over Shanghai, cracking down on the cultural activities of the city and transforming it into an industrial center.
