從跑馬廳到人民廣場：上海跑馬廳收回運動，1946-1951

本文主要分析抗戰勝利到中共建國初期，鼎革前後的上海兩屆市政府收回跑馬廳的過程，及在此過程中，華洋雙方的拉鋸與角力。過去一般研究外人在華歷史的學者均認為，1949年中共建國是導致洋人勢力全面撤出中國的轉捩點，但本文主張，洋行的被迫撤出，其實是以抗戰期間工部局的裁撤，及戰後英帝國勢力的全面衰退為重要分水嶺；本文以跑馬廳為案例，說明幕後全由洋行大班負責經營的跑馬廳，在喪失工部局的保護，及英政府「炮艦外交」的奧援後，如何首當其衝，成為市府強制收回的主要對象。為顯示抗戰勝利至中共建國初期，跑馬廳窘境的延續性，本文將就兩方面進行分析：一是上海兩屆市府對收回跑馬廳政策的持續性；二是所謂「華人版」跑馬廳史的建構。前者顯示，市府許多關於收回的動作與想法，其實早在抗戰結束後便已展開，只是待中共建國後，因對帝國主義全面改採敵對態度，才克竟其功；後者顯示，抗戰勝利後，民間與政府為奠定強制收回跑馬廳政策的理論依據，許多關於當年外人非法取得跑馬廳產權的各式資料與掌故，如何被紛紛拼湊、挖掘，終致形成一套自圓其說的版本，並演變成日後有關上海該段歷史資料傳抄的來源依據。

關鍵字

跑馬廳；人民廣場；上海市政府；在華外人

並列摘要

This paper examines the Nationalist and Communist regimes' efforts to acquire the Shanghai Racecourse after World War Ⅱ. The Racecourse, comprising a 71-acre Recreation Ground and the surrounding 16-acre race track, was purchased and managed by heads of British firms as a sporting facility for the foreign community. It had long been regarded as one of the symbols of imperialism in Shanghai, and horse racing a ruse to seduce the Chinese into gambling. Under the auspices of the foreign-controlled Shanghai Municipal Council of the International Settlement, the Racecourse managed to remain outside the purview of the Chinese administration for more than three quarters of a century. However, the Settlement was handed over to the Chinese in 1943. After the war, the Shanghai Municipal Council was gone and so were Britain’s gunboat policies. The Nationalist municipality, led by Mayor Wu Guozhen (K. C. Wu), thus started a campaign to acquire the Racecourse, a campaign continued by the Communist-run municipality after 1949. In 1951 the acquisition was finally completed and the area was transformed into what we know today as People's Square and People's Park. It is generally considered that 1949, the year of the founding of the People's Republic of China, was a turning point for foreign businesses in China, as the new ”revolutionary” Communist government soon adopted measures forcing them to leave. By focusing on the acquisition of the Shanghai Racecourse, this paper argues that the real watershed for foreign institutions in Shanghai in particular and in China in general should be seen in broader terms: the recovery of the International Settlement by the Chinese in 1943 and the erosion of British power and influence throughout Asia after World War Ⅱ. The situation steadily worsened for foreigners and finally reached the final stage in the 1950s. Continuity across 1949 itself, however, was particularly obvious in two ways. First, was the consistency of the Nationalist and Communist regimes' strategy in the acquisition campaign. Both regimes used similar populist language and moralistic discussions of imperialists and their rotten ”gambling” institution, thus revealing many of the same assumptions about the prerogatives of imperialism and sovereignty. And second, was the assembling of materials to create a myth of imperialist thievery, which also straddled 1949. Beginning in 1946 both the media and government officials made great efforts in digging out anecdotes, hearsay, and records about how the foreigners had obtained the land illegally. These bits and pieces of information were put together to finally become a plausible story in the 1950s. It was then quoted repeatedly by wenshi ziliao (cultural and historical materials) and formed a myth about the Racecourse that still flourishes today.