Family mansion turned children's palace records city's rich history

The China Welfare Institute Children's Palace in downtown Jing'an District stands as a testament to the city's rich history and commitment to nurturing its youth.

The iconic institution, originally known as the Marble Hall, has evolved from a lavish private residence into a vibrant center for children's education and cultural enrichment. It embodies the legacy of the esteemed Kadoorie family and the vision of Madam Soong Ching Ling.

Elly Kadoorie, a British-Jewish tycoon and the patriarch of the Kadoorie family, arrived in Hong Kong in 1880 and soon made his way to Shanghai, where his entrepreneurial spirit flourished.

Born in Baghdad and later becoming a British national, Kadoorie began his career with the David Sassoon & Sons' Company. He was later sent to China by the company, managing its business in Shanghai, Weihai, Tianjin, Wuhu, and Ningbo.

After a disagreement with his superiors, he was dismissed. Returning to Hong Kong, Elly's older brother Ellis gave him HK$500. With intelligence and diligence, the younger Kadoorie began his entrepreneurial journey with this modest sum.

By 1905, he had established his own company in Shanghai and was instrumental in founding an early form of stock exchange in the city.

His ventures spanned various sectors, including real estate, utilities, and finance, making him one of Shanghai's most influential businessmen.

Tragedy struck in 1919 when a fire engulfed the Kadoorie residence in Shanghai, resulting in the death of his wife, Laura Mocatta, who perished while attempting to save a trapped governess.

Devastated, Kadoorie temporarily relocated to London with his sons, Lawrence and Horace, but his connection to Shanghai remained unbroken.

Before their return to Shanghai in the early 1920s, Kadoorie commissioned the construction of a new mansion on today's Yan'an Road W.

Entrusted to his friend Alexander Graham-Brown, who delegated the project to Moorhead & Halse architect firm, the resulting edifice was a palatial structure entirely clad in marble, earning it the moniker "Marble Hall."

Completed in 1924, the mansion boasted a 20-meter-high ballroom, a 68-meter-long hallway, and numerous grand rooms, with construction costs reaching a staggering 1 million taels of silver, equivalent to purchasing 25 million kilograms of rice at the time and enough for 140,000 people to eat for a year.

The Kadoorie family resided intermittently in the opulent mansion for 17 years.

However, the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941 upended their lives, leading to their internment in a concentration camp and the eventual death of Elly Kadoorie in 1944.

"No city, and there will never be another city like Shanghai between the two world wars," recalled Lawrence Kadoorie in 1979. "It was a city of stark contrasts, blending Eastern and Western features, a paradise for adventurers."

Post-war, the Marble Hall served various purposes, including as a venue for allied forces from the United States, Australia and United Kingdom, and numerous charity events organized by the China Welfare Fund, led by Soong.

Established in Hong Kong in 1938 as the China Defense League, the organization aimed to garner global support for China during the Japanese invasion. After the war, it was renamed the China Welfare Fund and relocated to Shanghai, focusing on child and maternal welfare.

In 1953, with the Kadoorie family's approval, Soong founded the China Welfare Institute Children's Palace in the Marble Hall to commemorate International Children's Day.

The establishment marked China's first children's palace, dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for the city's youth.

It pioneered many firsts in China, including the first children's art theater, the first children's art troupe, the first children's publication, the first boarding nursery, and the first maternal and child health hospital.

Since its inception, the Children's Palace has received significant support from national leaders.

In 1954, Chairman Mao Zedong inscribed its name, and in 1984, then-national leader Deng Xiaoping highlighted the importance of early computer education after observing a demonstration by the palace's students. He made the famous remark that "the popularization of computers should start with children."

Over the past decades, the Children's Palace has adhered to its mission of providing experimental and exemplary educational programs, emphasizing scientific research, international cooperation, and the holistic development of children.

It pioneered numerous child-centered activities and festivals, including the Cuckoo Singing Festival, Little Peacock Dance Festival, Drama Festival, and Children's Game Festival, which have become integral to Shanghai's cultural landscape.

By 2018, the Children's Palace had engaged over 27 million children in a variety of educational and cultural activities, and provided training and social practice platforms for over 400,000 Shanghai students.

It has hosted more than 200,000 international visitors, including more than 60 heads of state, prime ministers, ministers, generals and party leaders.

The Little Companion Art Troupe, part of the Children's Palace, has performed in scores of countries and regions, earning accolades as "Shanghai's City Card" and "China's Little Ambassadors."