Written on the 30th Anniversary of Pudong's Development and Opening-Up: Tomson, a Pudong Legend

Preface
　　In the late 1960s, a young man carried stacks of fabric samples as he wandered through Taiwan’s bustling streets and alleys. Soaked by the scorching midday sun, his slightly frayed polyester shirt clung damply to his body. That year, not many people paid attention to the slender young man—but in the vibrant shop windows lining the lively streets, a TV was quietly broadcasting an advertisement: "Tomson Curtains—new imported designs now available, sweeping Taipei’s curtain scene..."

　　That was Tang Junnian, in his twenties, hustling hard to grow his business—Tangchen Curtain Fabric Company. Boldly leveraging the newly emerging popularity of television, he launched a major advertising campaign. Within just a few years of relentless effort, Tangchen Curtains quickly amassed over 3,000 distributors and reached an annual production capacity of 500 million yuan, laying the foundation for the Tang family’s first significant wealth.

　　The founder of the Tomson Group, who spent his life traversing across Taiwan, mainland China, and Hong Kong, is a figure whose later story everyone now knows. As the political climate thawed following the 1992 Consensus, Tom Junnian, accompanied by his wife and children, returned to his hometown via Hong Kong—and from 1992 onward, he began investing in Pudong. Over the past 28 years, Tomson has stood alongside Pudong’s remarkable journey. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Pudong New Area’s development and opening-up, we pay tribute to Mr. Tom Junnian and the Tomson Group for their dedicated efforts in shaping Pudong’s growth. At the same time, we also honor this land—a place that continues to write one inspiring chapter after another.

Returning, yet never having left.
　　Tang Junnian, born in 1948 in Nanhui, Shanghai (now part of Pudong New Area), spent his early years not in Shanghai but in Hong Kong, where he moved with his father, Tang Yanghao, at the age of four. Upon arriving in Hong Kong, the family faced modest financial circumstances, yet young Tang quickly stepped in to help his father manage their business by the age of 18. In 1967, Hong Kong was gripped by social unrest and widespread anxiety. However, rather than succumbing to the panic, Tang Junnian confidently predicted that the turmoil would soon subside. While others rushed to sell off their properties and flee Hong Kong, he urged his father to seize the opportunity—advocating for a strategic purchase of numerous shop units at bargain prices. From that moment on, Tang Junnian’s keen eye for value and his fearless willingness to take calculated risks began to set him apart from the crowd.
　　Soon after, recognizing Taiwan's economic boom, Tang Junnian independently made the move to Taiwan to pursue his career—first with a curtain company, then expanding into real estate. Today, Taiwan's Sanzhi City is home to the "Tangcheng" industrial and office park, meticulously developed by Tang Junnian. At its peak, the project achieved an unprecedented milestone, selling NT$30 billion (about RMB 7.4 billion) worth of properties in just two weeks.

　　It was during this time in Taiwan that Tang Junnian met the most important partner of his life—Xu Feng, the legendary "Heroine" who was at the peak of her fame in Hong Kong and Taiwan's film industry. Soon after, they tied the knot and went on to welcome two sons: Tang Zijia and Tang Jiaceng.

　　However, despite enjoying a comfortable life in Taiwan, Tang Junnian once again made a decision that seemed to go against the grain.

　　One day in 1986, Tang Junnian said to his wife, Xu Feng: "Pack up the two boys—our whole family is moving to Hong Kong." At that time, there was no direct contact between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and with growing speculation about the "1997 handover," their Hong Kong-based friends were already weighing whether or not to emigrate abroad. Yet Tang Junnian firmly believed that their move to Hong Kong had a clear purpose: to keep one foot firmly planted in Hong Kong while keeping their eyes fixed on the mainland. He explained, "China will never backtrack—it’s simply the most convenient and closest gateway for staying connected to the mainland. Before long, the mainland’s economy will rebound, and by relocating here, we’re positioning ourselves to eventually return and invest back on the Chinese mainland."

　　Sure enough, as Chiang Ching-kuo allowed veteran soldiers to return to the mainland for family visits, the "Measures for Taiwan Residents Visiting Relatives on the Mainland" were officially implemented on December 1, 1987. With this breakthrough, cross-strait relations began to blossom, once again validating Tang Junnian's insightful judgment.

　　However, it wasn’t Tang Junnian who first entered the mainland—instead, it was his film producer wife, Xu Feng. Starting in 1988, Xu Feng dedicated herself to fostering collaboration among filmmakers from both sides of the Taiwan Strait and across Hong Kong and Macau, producing a series of films together. Among these projects was the legendary masterpiece *Farewell My Concubine*, which would later go on to achieve international acclaim.

　　In 1992, while visiting the cast of "Farewell My Concubine" in Beijing, Tang Junnian was received by the then-Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. The director suggested he might want to take a look around Shanghai. Promptly responding to his homeland's call, Tang Junnian enthusiastically returned to Shanghai—his hometown.

　　In Shanghai, the then-Mayor of Shanghai received this Taiwanese businessman—whose ancestral roots trace back to Nanhui—and provided him with a detailed overview of Shanghai's recent developments and future plans for Pudong. Over the course of more than 20 days, Tang Junnian explored Pudong with both his keen business acumen and poetic passion. On the day he inspected the proposed golf course site, Tang pushed aside reeds towering over head and remarked to Xu Feng, who was by his side: "This is exactly where our golf course will be." Later, Xu Feng recalled: "It was hard to imagine that a place requiring four hours to reach from Puxi—a region dominated by endless stretches of withered grass, winding canals, muddy swamps, and earthen mounds—with no proper roads anywhere nearby—could one day transform into what we see today, thanks to Tang Junnian's boundless imagination, even surpassing that of someone like me, a filmmaker."

　　Following this, the Tomson Group entered Pudong as the largest Taiwanese-invested enterprise at the time. Its first notable move was investing a substantial $30.4 million to secure Plot 2-2-1 in the Lujiazui Financial & Trade Zone of Pudong on May 20, 1992—today’s iconic Tomson Financial Building at the intersection of Dongfang Road and Zhangyang Road. Just one month later, on July 9 of the same year, the company outbid the runner-up by nearly double, paying $30.9 million for what is now a 1.4-square-kilometer site that includes both the Tomson Golf Course and residential land. Notably, these two plots marked the very first and second pieces of land in Pudong’s history to be awarded through international bidding. Prior to this, most of Pudong’s development had relied on negotiated transfers, with many parcels handed over during the period when central authorities mobilized neighboring provinces and cities to support Pudong’s rapid growth. Tomson’s official entry into the market in 1992 thus signaled the formal transition of Pudong’s real estate sector into a fully market-driven development phase. During the groundbreaking ceremony for the golf course, Tom Junnian met with Shanghai officials overseeing Pudong’s development and agreed to allocate an additional $35 million to acquire adjacent land next to the golf course—land that would later become the prestigious Tomson Haoyuan residential community.

　　After that, in 1995, Tomson constructed the "Tomson International Trade Building" and the "Tomson Waigaoqiao Industrial Park" in the Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone. Also in 1995, Pudong’s first 5A-grade office building, the "Tomson Financial Tower," was established in the Lujiazui Finance & Trade Zone. At the request of Pudong’s local government leadership, Tomson partnered with Jinjiang International Group to introduce cutting-edge hotel management practices, leading to the opening of Pudong’s first five-star hotel, the "Xinya Tomson Grand Hotel," in 1996. That same year, Pudong’s first upscale, international-standard business center, the "Tomson Business Center," also began operations. In 1997, the world-class 18-hole, par-72 "Tomson Golf Course" was completed, giving rise to Pudong’s first golf club, the "Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club."

　　Tomson moved quickly to establish his presence, yet he often had to contend with skepticism from those around him. Back in 1996, when the New Asia Tomson Grand Hotel first opened, the streets of Zhangyang Road outside its windows were eerily quiet—so much so that not a single person could be seen, let alone vehicles; even at night, there was barely a trace of car headlights. Undeterred, Tomson Junnian turned to his wife, Xu Feng, and confidently declared, "Just you wait—within two decades, this road will undoubtedly become the liveliest spot in Lujiazui."

　　After this, Century Villas, Tomsen Haoyuan, Tomsen Yiyuan, Tomsen Haoting, Tomsen Hutting Garden, the Zhangjiang Microelectronics Port Industrial Park—a collaboration with Zhangjiang—and Zhangjiang Legend Plaza—Tomson’s real estate investments have almost entirely focused on Pudong, an area spanning just 522 square kilometers. It’s rare for a company to maintain such a concentrated focus on developing and building within a single region over such an extended period. All of this stems from Tomson Jun’s unwavering confidence in Pudong’s future potential.

Believe, therefore see
　　Standing today hundreds of meters high above the Huangpu River, overlooking Shanghai stretching from south to north, the vibrant energy of this once-renowned "Ten-Mile Foreign Field" seems vividly alive before our eyes. If the Bund represents the most iconic historical tableau of modern China, then Lujiazui on the opposite bank stands as one of the most significant economic symbols of the past four decades of reform and opening-up.

　　However, three decades ago, this place was nothing more than reeds as tall as a person—and endless stretches of muddy swamps. It was right here that Tang Junnian arrived and made a move that would prove profoundly significant, securing several of the most pivotal plots of land—including the future site of Tangcheng Yipin. Today, this project isn’t just set to become a defining highlight in Pudong’s luxury housing market; it’s also destined to unfold as a bittersweet chapter in Lujiazui’s legendary story. To today’s observers, it might seem like little more than a shrewd investment by Tangcheng back then. But for Tang Junnian, it was a bold, all-in gamble—literally staking his entire fortune on a single, visionary venture.

　　Because in Tomson's eyes, Shanghai is the leader of China's economic development, boasting top-tier talent, a high degree of internationalization, and limitless business opportunities. Even more valuable is the Shanghai municipal government's efficient and standardized approach to governance. Tom Junnian often says he returned to Pudong driven by his deep-rooted connection to his hometown—and fueled by unwavering confidence in Pudong's development policies.

　　Over the 30 years of development and openness, Pudong has never disappointed those who believed in its potential. Data shows that Pudong’s GDP soared from less than 6 billion yuan in 1990 to surpassing 1 trillion yuan by 2019—accounting for nearly one-third of Shanghai’s total GDP. Perhaps all of this has already unfolded exactly as Mr. Tang Junnian had envisioned.

　　The rise of a nation and the prosperity of a vibrant land are by no means achieved overnight through mere slogans or isolated initiatives. Pudong’s development and opening-up journey has weathered countless challenges—complex, unpredictable, and often marked by moments of skepticism. In 1997, during the "Southeast Asian Financial Crisis," public opinion turned sharply against Shanghai, with many losing confidence and even considering pulling back. As banks across Southeast Asia scrambled to collect their umbrellas from developers caught in the "rain," Hong Kong and Taiwan’s property markets plunged into deep recession. Meanwhile, companies that had invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Pudong found themselves unable to quickly recover their capital. This financial strain pushed Tomson, deeply rooted in Hong Kong and Taiwan, to the brink of severe financial pressure—and for a time, foreign media even joked that Tomson had become "the biggest victim trapped in the downturn."

　　At the most challenging moment, Tang Junnian paid a visit to Zhao Qizheng, the vice mayor then overseeing Pudong. At the time, Zhao himself was grappling with immense pressure from the global financial situation. Yet, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government demonstrated understanding toward Tangchen’s predicament, encouraging the company to carefully weigh the development prospects across Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Chinese mainland—and even arranged for leaders at both municipal and district levels to help create room for Tangchen to navigate its financial difficulties in Shanghai. This supportive gesture once again boosted Tang Junnian’s resolve. To weather the crisis, Tangchen sold off its top-tier real estate assets and its most prestigious publicly listed company based in Hong Kong, despite sparking discontent among some local stakeholders there. Though this move plunged the company into years of legal battles, Tangchen remained steadfast in sustaining its operations in Shanghai. A lifelong expert at “reading the winds,” Tang Junnian believed that only time would reveal who truly held the upper hand. As he reflected on the situation, he confidently declared: “Rest assured—this place will undoubtedly become the epicenter of the global economy in the years to come.”

　　Tomson's dedication and unwavering commitment have earned the steadfast partnership of Pudong. In November 1996, Tom Junnian was awarded Shanghai’s prestigious "Magnolia Honor Award," named an "Honorary Citizen of Pudong New Area," and received the inaugural "Outstanding Talent in Pudong Development and Construction" award. In 1998, Tomson Group was recognized as one of Shanghai’s "Top Six Taiwan-Invested Enterprises." In April 2009, Tom Junnian was honored by Pudong New Area as a "Foreigner Who Has Made Significant Contributions to Pudong’s Development." By 2005, Tomson Group had already been honored with the "Top 10 Best Foreign-Invested Real Estate Companies" award and the "Decade-Long Consecutive Recognition for Being an Advanced Collective." Meanwhile, its flagship projects have consistently garnered prestigious accolades over the years.

Rooting the future in this city
　　In 2000, as Tomson emerged from its "predicament," Tom Junnian gradually handed over the responsibility of running the family business to his sons, Tom Zijia and Tom Jiaceng, while dedicating his lifelong passion to building Tomson One.

　　From the moment they acquired the land where Tomson OnePace stands today, the team at Tomson has been relentlessly exploring how to create a project that truly embodies Shanghai’s future development. After a meticulous 11-year gestation period, the design evolved through countless rounds of innovation—and equally numerous revisions. Even the roof’s distinctive shape underwent no fewer than 36 iterations before finally settling on a design inspired by the official hat worn by high-ranking officials during China’s prosperous Han and Tang dynasties. To top it off, the building was meticulously crafted to reach the then-unprecedented height of 153 meters—pushing the boundaries of luxury residential architecture in Shanghai at the time. As for the smallest apartment available, it measures just over 430 square meters, a choice that pays homage to the floor plan of Tomson Junnian’s mother’s residence in Hong Kong. This deliberate decision underscores the exclusivity of Tomson OnePace: entering this elite community means confronting not only the allure of unparalleled luxury but also the daunting challenge of affording its sky-high price tags. In fact, this very combination of premium pricing and expansive living spaces is precisely why many subsequent luxury developments in Shanghai have struggled to replicate Tomson OnePace’s success. After all, selling such high-priced, large-format homes at a steady pace is no easy feat—especially for mainland Chinese developers today, who typically prioritize rapid turnover and efficiency above all else.

　　Unfortunately, despite his boundless ambition and passionate dedication, Tang Junnian couldn’t withstand the relentless pressure of managing his business. Devoted entirely to his work, he never lived to see the completion of the prestigious Tangcheng Yipin project. In 2004, exhausted both physically and emotionally, Tang Junnian passed away due to complications from diabetes.

　　It feels like a metaphor—Tomson One, the ultimate goal that Tang Junnian spent his life striving to achieve. Now standing proudly atop Lujiazui, where once stretched the reedy shores of yesteryear, it soars gracefully above the twin banks of the Huangpu River, part of an ambitious vision taking flight. Yet to those at the base of the mountain, gazing upward in awe, the grandeur and majesty remain elusive—unfathomable and perhaps even impossible to fully grasp. Only those who persistently climb its slopes can truly understand: this towering fortress of achievement wasn’t built overnight.

　　Standing proudly atop Lujiazui, Tomson One has long transcended its status as the flagship project of the Tomson Group—it has become Pudong’s global symbol, evolving alongside the district’s remarkable journey of growth and development. Now, as the second generation of Tomson leaders steps forward at this pivotal moment marking 30 years of Pudong’s pioneering spirit and openness, they carry an even greater sense of responsibility on their shoulders.

　　Tomson's roots are firmly planted in Shanghai—and even more specifically, in Pudong. In fact, they’re deeply anchored in the city’s very future. Today, the new generation of Tomson leaders shares the same unwavering confidence as their predecessors: a deep belief in this nation’s economic prospects, and in the bright future of the city itself.

　　Tang Zijia said that Tomson has benefited from Shanghai's prosperity and has grown alongside the city. "The booming property market is both a reflection of the nation's development—and a direct result of Shanghai's urban growth. We’re not fixated on today’s prices; instead, we’re focused on the city’s longer-term development trajectory. In the end, we’ll reap more stable returns: the dividends of the city’s rising intrinsic value."

　　How many years have passed—yet that youthful figure, once bustling through the streets and alleys, remains alive today, transformed instead into countless Chinese individuals who have settled in Shanghai’s Pudong district and taken deep root across the mainland, tirelessly working for the nation’s development and progress. As Pudong marks 30 years of pioneering development and opening-up, a new era has truly arrived.
 

Resource reference:
　　"Taiwanese Entrepreneur Xu Feng: Tomson, Shanghai Over the Years"
　　"The Pudong Epic"
　　"Tomson in 2017: A Pioneer of Pudong, a Witness to Its Growth"
　　"Tomson: The Pioneer Who Invested 500 Million Yuan in Pudong Development Within One Year"
　　"An Exclusive Interview with Tang Zijia by *Xinmin Weekly*"