Abstract: In the perspective of urban administrative management, the author analyzed the differences of local autonomy between Shanghai and Tianjin, in their causes, steps, models, jurisdiction, the relationships between the organizations of autonomy and government and the contents of local autonomy. The author argued that both Shanghai and Tianjin were the earliest autonomous cities in China. But they were different in the original intentions, methods and effects. In Tianjin model, the government saved the gradually declined politics situation and got control of social order. That was appreciated by the central government and was set as a model and was popularized across the country. In Shanghai model, social elite with strengthened power had a desire for urban administration management and social control. In the process, they had absorbed the ideas and practices of western urban administration, which accorded with the real situation of the treaty port cities in China and had a great potential and space for development. Therefore, when the government ordered to cease autonomy and dissolve the parliament, the Shanghai model continued to operate while the Tianjin model ceased its operation.

Keywords: urban administrative management; autonomy; Shanghai;