Fuzhou Road and the surrounding side streets and alleys emerged as the main centre of street prostitution in Shanghai during the 1890s; and by the 1920s was notorious as the city's largest 'red light' area (although traditionally Chinese indicated such areas not with red lights; but with green lanterns.

Much of the prostitution was controlled by criminal organisations such as the infamous 'Green Gang' run by Du Yuesheng and his henchmen.