Chang Shou Lu

Recorded August 21, 2009 at 10:28 a.m.

Changshou Lu is an amazing road. Amidst tall high–rises, a busy and wide road cuts through. Its hard to imagine that about 20 years ago a steel factory was where the Carrefour was, Suzhou Creek was black, and the 3 or 4 story houses of the Nong Tangs were the only high–rises you would ever see. Soup recalls an ocean of bicycles and great times. His youth spent at late night study sessions, schoolyard brawls, family dinners at the local noodle shop, and the occasional fire–crackers–in–the–coal–furnace gag. His adventures are almost unbelievable as there are very few places left that could even prove his stories true. Blow the dust off your imagination for this one.

Photos by Weina Li.

Here is an excerpt from the transcript:

10 Shanghai soundwalks

4459- Sha An Xi Nan Lu Intersection look towards Chang Shou Park.

[32:16] Chang Shou Lu is very close to Suzhou Creek. When I was young, our classmates liked to come around Suzhou Creek and we would pass through all the Nong Tangs until we reached the Creek, then use the alleyways near Suzhou Creek to go to other places. Then, the Nong Tangs were very small and extended in all directions. If a stranger came into the Nong Tang they would definitely lose their way but if you were familiar with the area you would find that going through the Nong Tangs was a shortcut. It wouldn’t take you long to get to the other side. I remember a bunch of us would ride bicycles on Chang Shou Lu and when we passed by the entrance of this Nong Tang, this bike ran into us. Of course it was that other person’s fault. We were just riding bicycles and he just ran into us. After the hit, our classmate’s bike was fine but the other guy’s bike was tilted, the tire was bent, and he was really mad. He was an older guy and had a very bad temper. He wanted to beat us up so we all started running. We all just got on our bicycles and ran away through the Nong Tangs. He came after us but we had an edge. In such small alleyways we were riding our bicycles like the wind, it was amazing. That guy tried to chase us for a while but the Nong Tangs are like a maze, it wasn’t long before he lost us. In the end, we all came out from different places and were relieved. Then we talked about how he was at fault and that we were pretty sure we had the right–of–way–blah, blah, blah. That guy had a bad ‘Chī Xiàng’ [吃相] (1) and since all he wanted to do was beat us up, of course we ran away. When you can run, you run. [Photo 4459]