The "brave little ship" on 293 Hankow Road
This beautiful apartment house, at 293 Hankow Road 汉口路293号, was built in 1925 or earlier. In spite of its narrow frontage, it goes deep into the block. The building used to have apartments in the back part and the headquarters of the 利源轮船行 steamship company in the front part, which would explain the decorative sea waves and ships embossed on the facade. On August 22, 1937, when the Japanese warfare consumed the city's north, an explosive shell hit the roof, damaged a top floor flat and injured four residents. The building was evacuated, and soon the Shanghai Emergency Relief Committee turned it into a temporary shelter for 250 (!) Chinese refugees from the urban warfare. Now the brave little house is condemned to be demolished.
Recorded for posterity by Shanghai Architecture Wandering 走跳上海建築.