Former Site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea

The Former Site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (大韩民国临时政府旧址, Dàhán Mínguó Línshí Zhèngfǔ Jiùzhǐ) is a restored lane house on Madang Road where Korean independence activists ran their government in exile. It is a small site: go for the rooms and documents, not for scale. No official opening hours were found while this entry was written, so check before you travel.

The house is No. 4, Lane 306, Madang Road (马当路306弄4号), in the area that was once the French Concession; its older address was Puqingli No. 4. It is a three-storey shikumen (石库门) house, the Shanghai lane-house type, in a lane Xinhua says was built in 1925. Chinese Wikipedia and Xinhua both give 1926 to 1932 as the years the Provisional Government used the building as its office. Chinese Wikipedia adds that Kim Ku (金九) moved the office here in December 1926 after he was elected head of the government.

The government left Shanghai in 1932. Chinese Wikipedia links the departure to the Hongkou Park bombing of that year.

The building’s second life began after China and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1992. It was restored and opened to the public in 1993. Sources differ on the month: Chinese Wikipedia says April, while an article from a Fudan University institute says the management office was set up in March 1993. The site had already been listed in February 1990 as a cultural relic protection unit of Luwan District (now part of Huangpu), according to Chinese Wikipedia.

Inside, Xinhua describes displays of historical photographs, handwritten documents and maps of the government’s activities. Chinese Wikipedia shows Kim Ku’s office restored.

Show the Chinese address above to a taxi driver or type it into a map app. Chinese reports say the site is run by a management office under Huangpu District, so check district or site notices for opening days.