【Haichuan Chemical Site】China’s first chemical plant – Shanghai Jiangsu Liquid Medicine Factory
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China’s first chemical plant was the Shanghai Jiangsu Liquid Chemicals Factory. Shanghai was the region where China’s economic development first took off, which in turn spurred rapid growth in the chemical industry; it was in this region that China’s first chemical enterprise was established, namely the Shanghai Jiangsu Liquid Chemicals Factory. The Shanghai Jiangsu Chemical Plant was established in 1880; it was one of the first chemical enterprises built in China. Specializing in the production of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrochloric acid, it was founded by two British businessmen from the Meicha brothers’ partnership. The initial capital invested was 120,000 taels of official currency, with the UK holding 92% of the shares, while the remaining 8% were held by investors from the United States, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, China, and other countries. The Shanghai Jiangsu Liquid Chemical Factory is located north of Xinzhaqiao in Shanghai, opposite Dawangmiao. It uses the lead-bismuth process for production, with an annual output of 600 tons; this product is mainly used in the silver smelting industry for the extraction of gold and silver. Before the liberation, the Shanghai Jiangsu Liquid Chemical Plant was used for the refining of gold and silver. After the liberation, due to space constraints in Shanghai and a shortage of equipment, it was not possible to expand or upgrade the plant; as a result, it ceased operations in 1962. All its employees were transferred to the Wuhua Hydrocarbon Plant, while the former plant site was converted into residential areas. The Shanghai Jiangsu Pharmacy Factory was a pioneer in the development of China’s chemical industry and laid the foundation for its growth. Although it no longer exists today, it left behind a wealth of valuable archival materials for China, including information on Shanghai’s place names, evidence of imperialist aggression against China, and details regarding the production models of the chemical industry – all of which are of great significance.
Today, at the former site of the Jiangsu Pharmacy, only one two-story brick-and-wood building that was originally used as an office remains. This Western-style building is facing south with its back to the north, located along the river. It has a width of 5 bays, a spacious porch, Doric columns for decoration, a sloping roof covered with blue tiles, and red plain-brick exterior walls; hence it is known as the Little Red Building. The roof once had several chimneys, which are no longer there; the porch has also been altered. One building on the east side was demolished due to the construction of Zhenping Road Bridge, but the building generally retains its original historical appearance.
The potion relates to historical place names in Shanghai. Together with Tanzi Bay, Zhujia Bay, and Panjia Bay, it is known as the \"Three Bays and One Alley\" and is a famous slum area. In Shanghainese, “yao shui” can refer to medicinal liquids, such as topical red solution, blue solution, as well as oral cough syrups and eye drops used for infusion; in earlier times, it mostly referred to chemical solutions like sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and nitric acid (commonly known as “nitric acid solution”). In the past, when workers were welding metal, they had to use hydrochloric acid to remove rust or impurities from the metal surface. People would say, \"Drop a few drops of the solution\"” ； For example, the battery used in cars is called a \"battery pack\"; it contains dilute hydrochloric acid. After being used for some time, this acid evaporates, and it is necessary to add more hydrochloric acid. People then say, \"Add some battery acid.\" A factory that produces potions is called a “potion factory”.
Since the 1980s, Shanghai has begun to renovate the Yaoshui Alley area; the former site of the pharmaceutical factory was transformed into Xikang Road Primary School and Putuo Middle School, which is now the Second Affiliated Middle School of Tongji University. Inside Tongji No.2 Affiliated Middle School, on the west side of the southern end of Zhenping Road and Bridge, there is an old Western-style house. It was once the residential and office building for the senior managers of the Jiangsu Pharmaceutical Factory, and it has now been designated as a cultural heritage site in Putuo District. After the shanties on the west side of the potion factory were demolished, the “Great Shanghai City Garden” residential complex was built there ； The shanties on the east side of Zhenping Road Bridgehead were demolished to make way for the Decheng Building. “Yaoshui Nong was once a well-known neighborhood name in Shanghai; today, its name is gradually being forgotten by people.