WHEN talking about the main hub of public transport and communication in Shanghai, most local residents, even newcomers, will probably think of People's Square.

Renowned as the site of the Shanghai Municipal Government and the magnificent Shanghai Museum as well as the Shanghai Grand Theatre, the People's Square is not only a must-see tourist destination, but also a transfer station where two metro lines and numerous bus lines heading in different destinations intersect. But this nexus of functions once belonged to the Laoximen Area in what is now the New Huangpu District.

Laoximen in Chinese means the "Old West Gate", but actually the gate was originally called the "Yi Feng Gate" when the old city wall was first erected in 1553 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). As the "Yi Feng Gate" was on the west side of the city, local citizens preferred to call it the "West Gate" for convenience.

But in 1909, due to the new city development plan, another three gates were opened to alleviate heavy traffic congestion, with one of these being called the "Shang Wen Gate", also located on the west side of the old city.

In order to distinguish the two west gates, wise residents put a prefix on each door, with the first-built gate called "lao", which means old or senior in Chinese; while the new one was called "xiao" meaning young or junior.

But as Shanghai had grown up alongside the Huangpu River, its prosperity had long been based in the Old Town, a situation persisting into the early 20th century. The French Government's expansion of its "concession" area into the western part of the Town further encouraged this commercial flourishing.

In 1908, the French-funded Tram Company set up a station at Laoximen for its newly launched No. 6 tram car, running from Shiliupu Wharf to Xie Qiao. Later on, the Chinese-funded Tram Company set up three terminal stations in the Laoximen Area for its No. 2, 3 and 4 tram cars. With travelling traders arriving in an endless stream, the Laoximen Area became a new hub of communications in Shanghai.

In 1911 when the local economy began developing to a new stage, the old city wall, once required as a defence against pirates, was found increasingly to be an obstacle rather than a catalyst to urban development, so the new regime in Shanghai decided to demolish it.

Although the old city wall, together with the old city gates, has not existed since this time, the name "Laoximen" still resounds among old-timers as the symbol of a famous commercial area as well as a public transportation hub in Shanghai.

But travellers wanting to rediscover the good old days and to enjoy the once thriving scenes of today's Laoximen Area will surely be disappointed. Most of the bus terminals have gone, as well as the 100-year-old local food stores.

Looking into the distance from the overpass, in the bleak autumn wind, all one can see are the double-decked 911 buses making their lonely journeys along the spacious streets. Vivian Wang