Shanghai International Settlement period

The Shanghai International Settlement period is evoked through a brief place-name reference rather than a depicted historical episode: during a late-night drive out of Shanghai, the Wusong River is identified as having been known as Suzhou Creek in the Settlement’s days.

Historical Reference

The passing identification connects the river’s present name with an earlier name associated with the Shanghai International Settlement period. The narrative offers no further account of the period; its specific function here is to give the route a trace of historical geography.

Place in the Narrative

The reference occurs as Li Yan drives west on the Shanghai–Nanjing expressway. After the car crosses the Wusong River, it leaves Shanghai’s administrative area and enters Jiangsu Province. The historical name briefly overlays that present-day journey, marking how a place encountered on the road carries an older identity.