What does 而在此前 mean?

Question

In the following sentence:

据上海迪士尼乐园度假区方面消息，从2017年11月15日起，上海迪士尼乐园对游客须知进行调整，禁止游客携带食品和酒精饮料入园，非酒精饮料容量不得超过600毫升。而在此前，迪士尼乐园允许未拆封的食品入园。

I understand the meaning of 此前, which means "before this" or "until this".

However, what is the meaning of 而在此前, specifically 而在? I feel that 而在 were to be omitted, the sentence would make sense.

So is the 而在 needed here? And if so, what is the meaning and how does it function grammartically in the sentence?

Answer 1

而在此前 means "Before this".

In this context, that means before this date (2017年11月15日) or before this rule became effective.

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而 = 然而 (conjunction 連詞)
在 = at / on / in (preposition 前置介詞)
此 = this (this date / this rule became effective)
前 = before

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This phrase can be expanded to:

然而，在此之前

Answer 2

而: 然而

在: 在

此: 这

前: 之前

而在此前 = 然而在这件事发生之前

而在 can be omitted, then it will be 这件事之前.

Answer 3

而在此前 is used to highlight contrast, meaning: "whereas in the past"