Abstract: In 1928，during Riichi Yokomitsu’s journey in Shanghai，the tension between monism of international capital and the “pure selfliving” of populist intellectuals was reflected through fractures around the district caused by economic capital.Fang Qiu Lan，symbolized for revolutionary idealism，and Gong Zi，represented for nihilism，coconstruct Can Mu’s externality and internality of his mentality.The figure of Can Mu is a reflection of Riichi Yokomitsu’s radical populism，with an intention to return the community of Japanese traditional ethics through an active nihilism.

Key words: Shanghai, Modernity, Riichi Yokomitsu