LIVING CONDITIONS, TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS, SHANGHAI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001600200002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 14, 2005
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 6, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2005/06/30 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA001600200002-0
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
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DATE OF INFO.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
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6 July 1953
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1.
There is no housing shortage in Shanghai for people of means. Apartments
may be obtained through private agencies. Key money must be paid for an
apartment., though this is not legal. An apartment of three rooms in the
suburbs of Shanghai will cost about $500 in local currency. It is also
possible to rent apartments in luxury buildings in the center of Shanghai,,
but these are very expensive.
2. It is easy to find accommodation in any of the hotels and pensions of
Shanghai. The Cathay Mansions Hotel at the corner of Cardinal Mercier
and Bourgeat Streets, for instance, is usually empty, and it would be
possible to live there for a prolonged period.
3. There are large numbers of restaurants in Shanghai, and none appear$
reserved for any special section of the population. In the cheapest
Chinese.restaurant a plate of noodles and meat soup costs JMP 1,000 to
JMP 19200. At medium grade restaurants a meal composed of two courses
of rice., meat and vegetables, and soup costs JMP 3,600 to JMP 5,000.
There are still about a dozen Chinese restaurants serving European
food in Shanghai, including the Manciuria Restaurant at the corner of
Joffre and Cardinal Mercier Streets. Formerly only Europeans were seen
in these restaurants, but now the majority of the visitors are Chinese.
A meal costs about JMP 8,000 and consists of a large selection of soups
and second courses with white or black bread. Dessert is paid for
separately. Tipping, which has been abolished, is included in the price.
4. Most of the expensive restaurants have closed for lack of c}stomers. It
is forbidden to spend more than JMP 30,000 at a restaurant. A glass of
whiskey costs $4. People who can affort these prices often do not go
for fear of attracting attention. There are no night-clubs. Most of
the restaurants close at 11 p.m.; some close at 9 p.m. In the suburbs
of the town there are street-bars at which food is served all night.
25X1 SECRET
STATE ARMY
~,R C RECORD
(Note: Washington Distribution Indicated By 11X-; Field Distribution By PLEA 1'?tN TO
Approved For Release 2005/06/30 CIA-RDP80-0081OA0016 R 0 -Q,F ) g;.,DG. A-18
qq,
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense. of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 19, Sections 793 and 764, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorised person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
Living Conditions, Travel Restrictions, DATE DISTR.
Shanghai
I NAVY X ]AIR X7] FBI
I AEC
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SECRET)
There are no cafes in the European style. Cafes are usually attached
to restaurants and are visited by Chinese as well as Europeans without
class distinction. Prices are high in cafes and visitors few. A cup
of coffee costs JMP 5,000 to JMP 6,000. There are many cake shops in
which cold drinks are served.
5. There is no food rationing. Government employees and factory workers
receive allocations of cheap rice. An average government employee,
with a family of four, earns JMP 600,000 per month. Food will cost
him about JMP 380,000, transport about JMP 40,000, and rent, electricity,
water and taxes about JMP 80,000.
6. There are a large number of motion picture houses in Shanghai, each with
four shows daily, each lasting two hours. Shows start at 2 p.m. on week
days and at 12 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. The films are either of
Chinese production, Soviet (talking Chinese), or from other Eastern
bloc countries. Seats cost from JMP 1,000 to JAS 8,000. There are
movies with two to four price ranges. Seats can be bought at the
box office before the show starts. In smart movies it is possible to
reserve seats by telephone.
There has been a complete change in the Chinese way of dressing. Chinese
now practically never wear European clothes even though they may still
have suits from former years. Not more than 30 to 40 percent of the
population still wear the traditional Chinese costume. Most people now
wear trousers and jacket of dark blue material buttoned to the throat,
with a standing collar, and a hat of the same dark material. A similar
suit of lighter stuff is worn during the summer, in either light blue
or white. On very hot summer days it is customary to wear shorts, with
a short sleeved shirt or an undervest. There has been no change in the
Europeans' way of dressing.
S. There are certain parts of the town, surrounded by barbed wire,, which it
is forbidden to enter, including a group of buildings in the Hungjao
quarter housing some thousands of Soviet experts.
9. Although both domestic and foreign letters are posted in mail boxes,
mail boxes near the central post office or a large post office are
usually chosen, because those in side streets are rarely if ever
emptied. Letters may be addressed to "poste-restante" but this is not
customary in China. The recipient must pay an extra sum for the
collecting of his mail.
10. The dispatch of money inside China through the post office or banks is
unrestricted.3 About a year ago the sending of money in letters was
forbidden. This regulation apparently is used as an excuse for opening
all mail. This is not done skillfully. There are very noticeable signs
on letters when they have been opened.
11. The following prices apply to letters inside China:
a, Between two towns
b. Between two addresses'in the same town
c. Same town (open envelope)
d. Registered letter from one town to another
e. Registered letter (same town)
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12. The following prices apply to letters sent abroad.-
a. Airmail letters of 10 grams to a Western country JMP 13,600
b. Airmail letters of 10 grams to an Asiatic country 7,800
c. Airmail letters of 10 grams to a Soviet bloc country 5,000
d. Regular mail letters to all countries 2,500
13. All foreign residents, including Soviets, must have a special permit
to travel beyond a radius of 3.0 kms. of Shanghai. To obtain this permit,
residents apply first to the Foreign Department of Local Government,
located at Broadway near Garden Bridge in Shanghai, for a recommendation,
which is then taken to the Foreign Police Section, Carter Road, Shanghai,
which issues the permit. Permits are granted only when the authorities have
an interest in the journey being made. Details of the permit are not known.
14. Foreign residents cannot buy travel tickets without a travel permit. Tickets
can be bought either at the station booking office or at one of the state
travel agencies, the China Travel Service., one of which is located at
North Szechuan Road near Nanking Road in Shanghai. It is simpler to buy
the ticket at an agency, and this is usually done. A Chinese may buy
a ticket to Peking, Nanking., and Tientsin without difficulty and without
producing any documents., and may travel freely except to a zone in the
Canton area.
15. There are no classes on trains., Foreigners have priority in the purchase
of sleeping-car tickets on the express trains which now run twice a week
from Shanghai.., through Nanking and Peking., to Canton.
16. Periodically vaccination certificates must be produced by applicants for
travel permits before entering a station and on entering government
offices.
17. A foreigner accompanying a traveller may enter a station without being
checked. In order to buy a platform ticket., the applicant's identity
card must be handed in at a special office at the station, where the
person is asked whom he is accompanying and the name is verified from a
list held by the clerk. A receipt is given for the identity card,
which is retained at the office. Without this receipt, the platform
cannot be entered. Holders of platform tickets must pass a special
search by persons of an, unknown service., all services now wearing the
same uniforms., whose duty apparently is to prevent the export of
foreign currency and valuables.
18. It is not customary to travel beyond the suburbs of a town by truck., bus.,
or bicycle in China. Persons who can afford it and do not fear to
attract the attention of the authorities continue to use private
automobiles. The number of cars in Shanghai is not large., consisting
mostly of pre-1949 American and English models. Bicycles are popular.
Only a license number is required.
19. License plates for army., police, government institutions., and civilian
residents are made in different colors. Most of the cars in Shanghai
have white numbers on black backgrounds., and this is believed to. be
the color scheme used by army vehicles.
20. The normal means of transport in Shanghai is by bus., streetcar., or
trolleybus. Tickets are bought on the vehicle, and prices are according
to distance. buses being more expensive than streetcars and trolleybuses.
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A ticket for the shortest ride, three stops, costs JMP 400, and the
maximum price is JMP 1,200. Monthly season tickets may be bought
at the city transport office. Certain passengers receive tickets
in exchange chits given to the ticket seller. It is believed that
these persons are police and special government employees. No
document checks are carried out on buses, trolleybuses, and streetcars.
Police sometimes search vehicles for a particular individual, but
even then there is no general check of documents. Large government
institutions or factories have their own means of transport. These
are usually either buses or trucks with benches.
21. There are no parking stations for taxis and these may not be hailed on
the street. The only way to obtain a taxi is to telephone a garage.
Travel by taxi is very expensive, costing JMP 20,000 for the first
20 minutes and JMP 1,000 for every additional minute. Night prices
are double. 'Drivers are not seen recording their trips, but it is
generally believed that taxi drivers cooperate with the secret police.
The number of rickshas in use is dropping off, and no new permits are
issued. It is preferable to agree on the price before the ride so as
to avoid an argument later, and the possible intervention of the
police. A ride of about a kilometer costs about JMP 500. No document
checks are carried out in restaurants or motion picture houses.
22. A foreign resident leaving China must go to the district police station
two days before the date of departure and have his exit visa stamped
and turn in his identity card. This stamp is checked with the exit
visa either on the ship or at the frontier station.
Comments
1. Avenue Joffre is now called Huai Hai, Chung (3232/3189/0022); and
Route Cardinal Mercier is called Mou Ming, Nan (5399/0682/0589)
I mnew names recently given to
Shanghai streets by the Chinese Communists.
2, in Harbin in early
1953, a two percent fee was charged on all bills that were over
JMP 30000. This condition probably holds in Shanghai 0
a
bill could not exceed JMP 30,000 because of the management's
reluctance to put through a government tax payment on bills
over that amount.
3.
a k of restrictions on sending money through
the mails in China.
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