▁today ▁the ▁central ▁and ▁northern ▁part ▁of ▁Yang pu ▁District , ▁the ▁western ▁part ▁of ▁Ch ang ning ▁District ▁and ▁the ▁rivers ide ▁part ▁of ▁P ud ong ▁District , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁western ▁sub ur bs ▁which ▁are ▁today ▁part ▁of ▁Min hang ▁District . ▁These ▁areas ▁were ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" Ch inese ▁area " ▁of ▁Shang hai . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁Northern ▁Ex ped ition ▁forces ▁took ▁over ▁Shang hai . ▁The ▁National ist ▁government ▁established ▁Shang hai ▁Special ▁Municip ality ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁assert ▁over arch ing ▁Chinese ▁control ▁in ▁Shang hai . ▁The ▁Special ▁Municip ality ' s ▁seat ▁was ▁soon ▁moved ▁from ▁the ▁Old ▁City ▁to ▁the ▁X uj ia hui ▁area . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁Shang hai ▁Special ▁Municip ality ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁the ▁same ▁level ▁as ▁Shang hai ▁County , ▁both ▁under ▁Ji ang su ▁Province , ▁and ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁Shang hai ▁County ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁Min hang ▁town ship . ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁S ino - J apan ese ▁War , ▁Shang hai ▁County ▁was ▁abol ished ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁but ▁re - est ab lished ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic , ▁various ▁count ies ▁of ▁Ji ang su ▁Province , ▁including ▁Shang hai ▁County , ▁were ▁handed ▁to ▁the ▁province - level ▁Shang hai ▁Municip ality ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8