1924, the new house that took five years to build was completed, and Kadoorie returned to Shanghai. When he returned to Shanghai, he found that what he saw was "a palace-style building with a drunken Brown lying in the hospital". In addition, the daily maintenance of the whole mansion requires nearly thirty or forty servants. What surprised him even more was the high design and construction cost of the whole mansion, which was as high as 1 20,000 silver. According to the price at that time, 6,543.8+2,000 taels of silver can buy 50 million Jin of rice for 6,543.8+4,000 people to eat for one year. Despite the high cost, Kadoorie is quite satisfied with the beautiful and exquisite design of the mansion. With the racism of Nazi Germany, a large number of Jewish refugees began to flee Europe. At that time, because all countries in the world were afraid of Nazi Germany, Shanghai was a visa-free free port. Therefore, a large number of Jewish refugees came to Shanghai. 1938, a large number of immigrants appeared. As Jews, the Kadoorie family also devoted themselves to refugee relief activities. Horace Kadoorie, the son of Sir Kadoorie, was the first to come forward and call a rescue meeting. Later, all the Jewish communities and social relief organizations in Shanghai held a meeting here and decided to set up the "Shanghai European Refugee Committee" to take concerted action to help Jewish refugees. Sir Kadoorie himself donated a lot of money and founded the affiliated school of Shanghai Jewish Young Men's Association to accept Jewish children in Europe.
194165438+On February 8th, the Pacific War broke out. At this time, the Kadoorie family is on holiday in Hong Kong, and Horace Kadoorie is in charge of the Shanghai residence. On that day, the Japanese invaded the Shanghai public concession and Hong Kong, and all members of the Kadoorie family were put into concentration camps. The mansion was confiscated by the Japanese army. Later, due to Elly Kadoorie's advanced age, he was chartered by the Japanese army to return to the marble palace, but he could only live in the original servant's room and was placed under house arrest, but Horace was allowed to take care of his daily life. 1944, Elly Kadoorie died in a mansion. 1945, after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, an American advance team led by Major Xiao landed in Shanghai and contacted the Kadoorie brothers through the Swiss Consulate General in Shanghai, hoping to work in Kadoorie Mansion temporarily. On the day of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Kadoorie brothers turned on all the lights in the mansion to celebrate the end of the war.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Kadoorie Mansion became the activity place for military personnel of the United States, Australia, Britain and other countries, and also the venue for many charitable activities in Shanghai. China Welfare Foundation (the predecessor of china welfare institute), led by Mrs. Sun Yat-sen Soong Ching Ling, has held garden parties, charity balls, charity bazaars and other charitable activities here many times. The Kadoorie family 1940s moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong at the end of the year. 1953, with the consent of the Kadoorie family, Soong Ching Ling founded the earliest children's palace in China, the Children's Palace of China Welfare Institute, on June 1 that year. And invited Mao Zedong to write a name for the Children's Palace.
1979, when Lawrence Kadoorie and his wife visited Shanghai, they said with emotion that the mansion has become a paradise for children: "My father likes to entertain friends, and marble buildings are very famous among friends from all over the world. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), it was changed into Children's Palace, where students selected from various schools received art training. As time goes by, I am glad to know that this building that my father particularly likes is now used by thousands of children who benefit from the courses offered there. " From 65438 to 0989, Kadoorie Building became an excellent historical building in Shanghai.