Club Teahouse
Club Teahouse, also known as “Jiangnan’s First Teahouse”, is nestled in the bustling heart of Beidajie (North Street). Established in the late Qing dynasty (1911), its official name was “Club Gongji.” After the liberation, it was renamed “Jiangnan’s First Teahouse”.
It was originally co-founded by three local businessmen—Ye Hongquan, Yu Shiqing, and Xia Ruiliang—who took turns managing the business until the liberation. For over a century, it has been the largest and most famous teahouse in Qingpu District.
The teahouse faces east, with a three-bay façade and a two-story brick-and-wood structure extending four bays deep. Covering an area of 400 square meters, it is spacious and elegant, exuding an antique charm. The arched brick façade, with red bricks and grey walls, adds to its historic character. In earlier days, the ground floor housed a public bath and featured a “Tiger Stove” for boiling water for tea. Inside, the renowned dim sum chef “Mantou Jin Gen” ran a pastry shop offering delicacies like pan-fried buns, sesame crab shell pies, crabmeat shumai, and thread-egg soup dumplings.
The upper floor hosted a renowned Pingtan performance hall, where celebrated artists were invited to perform here, filling the air with rich cultural resonance. This teahouse became a vibrant gathering spot for tea and food lovers, opera fans, and bathhouse guests.
To the west, the teahouse overlooks the city river. From its balconies or upper floors, visitors can enjoy views of Fangsheng Bridge, the three-way water junction, and Yuanjin Zen Temple, all blending into the scenic charm of Zhujiajiao.
A feature article titled “Touring Zhujing Teahouses” was published in the Mingbao on March 6, 1949, describing the lively scenes at Club Teahouse. A contemporary poem praised the venue:
"Three hundred poets ascend the Cloud Pavilion with me;
Tasting tea, composing fine verses, open the window to send off distant boats."
