Lu Xun and Gongfei Café: Shanghai’s Literary Coffee Spot

When you think of a historic coffeehouse, you imagine a place where ideas flowed as freely as espresso—where writers debated, plotted, and drank their way into history. In 1930s Shanghai, one such place wasn’t known for its brews, but for the literary giants who gathered there. This is the story of Gongfei Café, a modest spot that became central to China’s modern literary movement—not because of its menu, but because of who walked through its doors.

Gongfei Café became famous not for its coffee, but because Lu Xun visited it regularly in the 1930s. Though he never drank coffee there, always ordering green tea instead, his frequent presence helped make it the unofficial meeting place for the Chinese Left-Wing Writers’ League. The café, located near the tram terminus on North Sichuan Road and opposite the Uchiyama Bookstore, gained renown as “the most famous café of its era.”

What Was Gongfei Café?

Gongfei Café was a foreign-owned coffeehouse situated close to the tram stop on Shanghai’s North Sichuan Road, directly across from the well-known Uchiyama Bookstore. It wasn’t the first coffee shop in the city, nor was it considered the best by local standards. Yet, its location and clientele gave it an outsized role in 1930s literary history. The café’s relatively discreet presence—overlooked by local police due to its foreign ownership—made it a safe gathering spot.

Why Did Lu Xun Go There?

Though Lu Xun famously avoided coffee—he drank only green tea—his commitment to the Chinese Left-Wing Writers’ League brought him to Gongfei Café. He attended meetings there to help organise the league, making the trip from his nearby home. On each visit, he consistently ordered just a cup of green tea. Writer Wei Mengke recalled that while others sipped coffee, Lu Xun remained steadfast with his tea, sometimes joined by Xia Yan. Other accounts, like those from Yang Qianshu and Zhou Yang’s wife, describe how intellectuals would meet at the Uchiyama Bookstore first, then move to Gongfei Café for deeper discussions—often in a private upstairs room. For aspiring writers of the time, the path to Lu Xun typically led through Uchiyama and then Gongfei.

How Did It Become a Literary Hub?

Gongfei Café’s significance came from its role as a neutral, relatively safe meeting point. As Yang Qianshu noted, left-wing figures like Yang Hansheng often gathered there because the foreign-run establishment attracted less attention from local authorities. The café hosted informal planning sessions for the Chinese Left-Wing Writers’ League and served as a regular rendezvous for prominent figures such as Xiao Hong and Xiao Jun, who visited after showing their manuscripts to Lu Xun at the Uchiyama Bookstore. The combination of accessibility, relative privacy, and a steady flow of intellectuals cemented its place in history—not for the drinks served, but for the conversations that happened over them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Lu Xun actually drink coffee at Gongfei Café?

No, Lu Xun never drank coffee at Gongfei Café. Despite visiting frequently in the 1930s, he always ordered green tea. His avoidance of coffee was consistent with his preference for traditional Chinese beverages, and he once described idealised Western coffeehouse scenes with irony in his essay 'Revolutionary Coffeehouse' without ever frequenting such places himself.

Why was Gongfei Café important in 1930s Shanghai?

Gongfei Café was important because it served as a key meeting spot for the Chinese Left-Wing Writers’ League. Its relatively discreet, foreign-owned status made it safer from police surveillance, allowing writers like Lu Xun, Xiao Hong, Xiao Jun, and Zhou Yang to gather and discuss literature and politics away from public scrutiny.

Where was Gongfei Café located?

Gongfei Café was located on Shanghai’s North Sichuan Road, near the tram terminus and directly opposite the Uchiyama Bookstore. This prime location made it a convenient and central spot for intellectuals and writers to meet in the 1930s.

What did Lu Xun order when he visited Gongfei Café?

Every time Lu Xun visited Gongfei Café, he ordered only a cup of green tea. He did not drink coffee and maintained this habit even as other attendees, including writers like Xia Yan, chose coffee. His consistent tea order became a small but notable part of his routine during his visits.

Who else frequented Gongfei Café besides Lu Xun?

Besides Lu Xun, Gongfei Café was visited by prominent literary figures such as Xiao Hong, Xiao Jun, Zhou Yang, Yang Hansheng, and Xia Yan. These writers used the café as a space for meetings, manuscript discussions, and political organising related to the Chinese Left-Wing Writers’ League.

How did Gongfei Café avoid police attention?

Gongfei Café, being a foreign-owned business, attracted less scrutiny from the local police compared to entirely Chinese establishments. Writer Yang Qianshu specifically mentioned that the café was a safer spot for left-wing gatherings because it was overlooked by the French Concession’s detective services, making it ideal for discreet meetings.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Literary Cafés

Pair your literary coffee moment with FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui—known for its jasmine and bergamot notes, reminiscent of refined 1930s Shanghai tastings. For a deeper experience, try Yirgacheffe, offering lemon, blueberry, and soft acidity, ideal for long discussions. Alternatively, the Brazil Queen Manor brings chocolate and nuts, a steady favourite for focused writing. All three beans highlight the craft behind specialty coffee, just as Gongfei Café highlighted literary craft. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.