ThisbookfeaturesacollectionofphotostakenbyAlfonsvonMumm,thenGermanambassadortoChina,betweenJuly1900andJuly1902,whenhetouredShanghai,Tianjin,Beijing,Guangzhou,Macau,Shantou,andXiamen,witnessingurbanlifethroughoutthecountry.ThephotosarehistoricallyvaluablebecausetheydepictmanymajoreventsofcontemporaryChinesehistory.
ChengWei,aChinesewriterresidinginGermanywhoacquiredoriginalphotographs,introducedAlfonsvonMummas“acorefigurewhohelpedsolvethedisturbancesof1900andsigntheInternationalProtocolof1901throughdiplomaticmeans.”In1902,Mummreturnedhomeandpublishedaphotobookfeaturingmorethan600picturesfromChina,athisownexpense.Inthepreface,heexplainedhisaimtoofferachanceforhisfriends,relatives,andcoworkerstogaindeeperunderstandingofthefar-offnationofChina.
ChengpointedoutthatMummwasalevel-headeddiplomat,whowascommittedtoservingtheKaiserandhiscountry.Nevertheless,hedevelopedhisownstrongopinionsaboutChina.AftertheInternationalProtocolof1901wassigned,hemadehisthoughtsonthematterclear:“Wesoughtthewrongthing,whichhasbeenaccomplished(ManhatdasFalscheverlangtunderhalten).”
MinJiefromtheResearchInstituteofModernHistoryundertheChineseAcademyofSocialSciencesselected360photosoutofthe600-pluspicturesfromMumm’sphotoalbumandaddedagreatdealofdetailabouteachofthem.Heevaluatesthesephotosinthepostscript,“In1900,theEight-PowerAlliedForcesinvadedChina,bringingalongstreamsofforeigners.ThephotostakenbyWesternersthatyearmayfaroutnumberthetotaltakenacrossthe60yearssincetheOpiumWarin1840.However,themajoritywereshotinBeijingandTianjin.MummstayedinChinafortwoyearsonofficialbusiness,andhisdiplomaticpositionaffordedhimgreatprivilegetotraveltomanyplacesforeignerswereprohibitedtovisit.”
Minadds,“Don’tforgetMummwasapolitician.Hechosetopublishthepicturesthatsupportedhispointsofview.Forexample,hechoseaphotoofatrainbreachingthecitywallatZhengyangGatetoopenthechapteraboutBeijing.ThiscitygateservedasthefirstgateintraditionalnationaletiquetteduringtheQingDynasty(1644-1911),orthegatewayofChinainBeijing.SuchadesignsymbolizesthattheQingcourt’sstubbornrejectionofglobalcivilizationwasovercomebygreatforce–apointofgreatprideoftheWesternersaftertheirvictory.Thephotosaren’tasaliveifwefailtoproperlyreadbetweenlines.”
AlfonsvonMumm(1859-1924),aGermandiplomatandstatesman,wasappointedMinisterCounselortoChinainJuly1900.TranslatorChengWeiworkedasawriterandaTVproducerbeforemovingtoGermanyin1993.Manyofhisworkshavebeenpublishedandadaptedforthesmallscreen.MinJieservesasaresearchfellowattheResearchInstituteofModernHistoryundertheChineseAcademyofSocialSciences.HehasbeencollectingphotographsfromtheQingDynastyaspartofanefforttoillustratehistorywithphotos.HismostnotedcompilationsincludeIllustratedHandbookof700CelebritiesintheLateQingDynastyandTheRevolutionof1911ThroughtheLens.
BadalingsectionoftheGreatWall.Enjoyinguniquetopographyofamountainpass,Badalinghadbeenapointofmilitaryimportancethroughouthistory.WallswerefirstbuiltaroundthisareaasearlyastheWarringStatesperiod(475-221B.C.),andcompleteconstructionstartedduringtheMingDynasty(1368-1644).ABeijingstreetpuppetshow.
ABeijingstandforfruits.
TheTianjinDrumTower.BuiltduringthereignofEmperorHongzhioftheMingDynasty,thecitygateopenedandclosedtothedrumbeats.Macao:St.Peter'sChurch.
Nanjing'scitygate.Nanjingtakesprideinthemostmagnificentcitywallinthecountry.ThePearlRiverDeltafeaturescrisscrossingrivers,deepwater,andwideharbors,makingitidealforshippingsinceancienttimes.Shanghai:TheBund.Duringthelate19thCentury,rickshaws,barrows,andWesternstylecarriageswerethemainmeansoftransportationinthecity.