Jiefang South Road quarter

The Jiefang South Road historic quarter (解放南路历史文化街区) is a multi-purpose district whose chief feature is German-style architecture, enclosing the former German concession and including the Dongguang Building, the German Club and the former home of the warlord Wu Yulin. The concession was created by an agreement signed on 30 October 1895 by Sheng Xuanhuai, Li Minchen and the German consul, which allowed Germany a permanent concession in Tianjin covering 1,034 mu. Germany enlarged it after the invasion of 1900, forced a further contract in 1901, and by 1902 the concession covered 2,304 mu. On 14 August 1917 the Chinese government announced that it was taking the concession over, and it became the first special district of Tianjin.