The photographs of Beijing below were taken in 1901 and 1902 shortly after the end of the Boxer Uprising 義和團運動. They come from an album in the possession of Svetlana Paichadze, assistant professor at Hokkaido University. Although we cannot identify the photographer, it is very likely that the photographs were taken by representatives of the Russian legation in Beijing or someone from the military sent to China in 1900 to suppress the Uprising.
Svetlana Paichadze grew up in Khabarovsk, a city in the Russian Far East, 30 kilometres away from the Chinese border. Her father, S. A. Paichadze studied the history of Russian books in China, Korea and Japan. Svetlana developed a strong interest in Japanese culture at a young age. At twelve years old she met historian Yu. V. Maretin when he came to Khabarovsk for a conference about the Amur Region and its famous Russian explorer, V. K. Arseniev. Maretin specialised in the history of Indonesia and China and was also the head of the Asian and African literature department of the Saltykov-Shchedrin State Public Library and one of the most important bibliophiles in Leningrad (St Petersburg). Impressed with Svetlana’s strong interest in East Asia, Maretin presented her with the photo album of Beijing in 1902 with the words “from the present to the future researcher of East Asia.” Svetlana has always treated the album as a talisman which has accompanied her throughout her academic journeys as well as her move from Russia to Japan. Hidden for decades, the album received new attention when Shuge Wei, a historian of modern China at ANU, saw the great value in it during her visit to the Hokkaido University in 2016 and encouraged Svetlana to share the photographs with a wider community.
Coal Hill (local name for Jing Shan 景山)The Forbidden CityQian Qing PalaceThe Summer PalaceA monument under construction in a Manchurian town in Beijing where a German diplomat (Clemens August Freiherr von Ketteler) was killed during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900Civil Service examination booths in Beijing, 1902The remains of the statues of Gods smashed in 1900Russian legation in Beijing, 1902The Summer Palace, 1902Entrance of the Forbidden City in 1902The Forbidden CityInside the Forbidden City in 1902A rickshaw stationStreet vendors of persimmons and peanutsSpraying water on the streetA cobblerA bridge taken by Russians during the Boxer RebellionA bridge taken by Russians during the Boxer RebellionA bridge taken by Russians during the Boxer RebellionA bridge taken by Russians during the Boxer RebellionA beggarA cobblerA metal shopA lottery and sweets standTibetan monksA gate to the Manchurian cityInside the Yonghe LamaseryIncense burner inside the Yonghe LamaseryHair-cutting in the open airHoof repairThe remains inside the old Summer PalaceGetting water from a wellA convictA vendorA gate taken by Russians during the Boxer RebellionA coachLevelling the roadA food vendorMan on donkeyA kid with a muleFarming tools used by the Emperor during the annual worship of HeavenStorage for musical instrumentsThe circular altar (Yuanqiu) in the Temple of HeavenThe garden inside the Russian legationEastern part of Beijing where there used to be a Russian churchA Russian church inside the Russian legationRussian cemetery in BeijingThe Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (Qiniandian) in the Temple of HeavenAvenue in the Temple of HeavenWhite Dagoba (百塔) from a distanceShan Yin Dian next to the White DagobaTransportHair-cutting in the open airTransportTransportA corner tower of Beijing cityWater carrierThe Marble Boat at the Summer PalaceThe Summer PalaceA memorial archChinese cavalry officers, 1902A bird vendorA restaurant outside a shoe shopA funeralBanksThousand-Hand BodhisattvaThousand-hand BodhisattvaOther statues in the same templeImperial canal in BeijingThe venue of annual Imperial worship: after briefly tilling the field, the Emperor would return to the terrace to change clothes, and then step onto the platform to watch mandarins plough the fieldThe terrace where the Emperor prays and performs sacrifice after tilling the fieldStreet gamblingA railway stationOutside a tea shopPlaying cardsOutside of Zhengyang Gate, overlooking the Chinese cityThe Zhengyang Gate in ruins after the Boxer RebellionThe Marble Bridge across the Lotus Lake in winterA gate in BeijingA pavilion on Coal Hill (local name for Jing Shan 景山) in winterA pavilion on Coal Hill in SummerThe Chinese part of BeijingBeggarsA beggar
