Iconic old homes of Shanghai's famous residents

In Huangpu district, along the tranquil Shaoxing Road that is canopied by tall trees on either sides, there is a villa built in 1936 which is the former residents of Du Yuesheng, who ruled the gangs on the Bund in Shanghai in the 1930s and '40s. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A mafia kingpin

In Huangpu district, along the tranquil Shaoxing Road that is canopied by tall trees on either sides, there is a villa built in 1936 that now functions as a restaurant.

Du Yuesheng, the man who ruled the gangs on the Bund in Shanghai in the 1930s and '40s, had bought this three-story house for his fourth concubine Yao Yulan, a Peking Opera actress from Beijing. Du had met Yao when she performed at a Peking Opera show in 1928. The couple were married soon after.

Born in 1888, Du was just an apprentice in a fruit market at age 14 before he befriended gangsters and entered the triad scene. He quickly climbed the ladder thanks to his wits and was later appointed the manager of the largest casino in Shanghai. Du, who made his fortune by dealing drugs, owned a bank and even had close ties to government officials as well as powerful associates from the underworld.

His daughter, Du Meiru, who had lived in the house during her childhood, once said in a TV show in 2013 that the couple employed 17 servants.

Today, the villa is a popular venue for wedding receptions because of its beautiful garden which can be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby.

"Newlyweds like to have a wedding ceremony on the lawn in the afternoon before the reception," said the manager of the restaurant.

Address: 27 Shaoxing Road