27 August 2012

Old Photographs of Qing Dynasty Women


Photo: Library of Congress

Yohani Kamarudin and Michele Collet at Environmental Graffiti have composed a collection of photographs of Chinese women in the 19th century, documenting the impact of foot-binding and Manchu influence.

In the words of Yohani,
"At home or abroad, in holiday robes or in plain clothing, the heart of a Chinese female seems to be at all times ready to overflow with mirth and good humor.” This description comes from a Western observer’s account of life in China, and the character of its people, during the 19th century. Its focus: the painful process of foot binding. 
Such a quote may suggest a positive take on womanhood during the 1800s, and the account positions itself as compassionate towards those it describes. However, the author presumes to see women as the helpless victims of Chinese males and Confucianism in general. He has a clear bias against many of the cultural practices observed by the women he seems to praise. 
Westerners' letters and stories from this era appear to paint a rather negative picture of life for Chinese women. Many of those who wrote them were, after all, missionaries, doubtless hoping to convince others of the necessity of ‘saving’ these women from the perceived barbaric practices of their culture. 
Looking back at Chinese culture with the eyes of people living in a completely different time, it’s hard to know exactly what life would have been like for women during those years. However, perhaps by examining these vintage photographs, we can gain a glimmer of insight.
See the entire gallery here, as well as the one on foot-binding here.

I thought she had iPod headphones on at first.

14 comments:

  1. f some one wants expert view on the topic of running a blog then i
    recommend him/her to visit this web site, Keep up the good work quartz stone.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want to thank for the time you have made in writing this article. I am hoping the same best blogpost from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to begin my own blog now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a fine model of shower mixer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kitchen is an acute allotment of home after which a home cannot be advised appropriately a lot of account is conducted if designing the kitchen room.Taps Australia The absolute accent appropriate from designing to operational of the kitchen is important and annihilation can be larboard out in the process.Kitchen taps The kitchen curtains is the a lot of basic allotment of a kitchen which is of use in every day claim from the time you access the kitchen room.Shower heads The curtains are the basic antecedent for accouterment baptize and after baptize kitchen works cannot be agitated out perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I must say that overall I am very taken with this site. It is apparent that you know you subject matter and you are passionate about it. I wish I had got your ability to write. I have bookmarked your site and look forward to more updates.And it's my website robinetshop.com about water taps,welcome to visit anytime.

    ReplyDelete
  5. http://www.robinetsale.com/ , pas seulement un produit fonctionnel, dans l'eau, dans la salle de douche. Dans de nombreux cas, il fait partie d'une robinetterie cuisine, la salle de bains décorée vraiment quelque chose que beaucoup d'entre nous passons beaucoup de temps à choisir. robinets cascade peuvent Robinetterie Antique cher, aussi longtemps que vous êtes la seule chose est d'obtenir le stock ou le niveau de la Accessoires de salle. Si vous souhaitez passer à un meilleur projet, cependant, vous serez donc payer une Robinetterie Vasque.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Choosing from a large selection of high quality taps at http://www.cheaptap.co.uk/ . Find new design of antique taps, LED taps, waterfall taps and so on.You must can find one suit for your house here. We also offering everyday update special price products. The more products you buy, the more discounts will be

    ReplyDelete
  7. LGBT TRAVEL | Australia's NO#1 fully dedicated LGBTIQ travel store

    DISCOVER WHAT'S HOT DOWN UNDER for Travel - Accommodation - Events - Clubs - Pubs - Eateries and Saunas

    http://www.lgbttravel.com.au

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am definitely enjoying your website. You definitely have some great insight and great stories.
    Robinet

    ReplyDelete
  9. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commentators here!
    Küchenarmaturen

    ReplyDelete
  10. FREE SAMPLE AVAILABLE FOR 100% UNDETECTABLE COUNTERFEIT BANK NOTES MOST CURRENCIES INCLUDED Contact Whatsapp:..(+4915215387133)

    TOP QUALITY COUNTERFEIT MONEY FOR SALE. DOLLAR, POUNDS, EUROS AND OTHER CURRENCIES AVAILABLE WE HAVE PARTNERS IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY SO IF IN CASE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FACE TO FACE BUSINESS THEN JUST CONTACT AND STATE YOUR LOCATION AND YOU SHALL HAVE YOUR BILLS

    With over a billion of our products circulating around the world. We offer only original high-quality counterfeit currency NOTES. We ship worldwide. We also print and sell Grade A banknotes of over 52 currencies in the world. Here is your chance to be a millionaire. Our money is perfectly reproduced,Indistinguishable to the eye and to the touch. We are sending in various sizes, packed and hidden. All our notes carries all the holograms and water marks and passes the light detector test. We will deliver the money directly to your home without the interference of customs . we have a Huge quantity ready in stock.

    We use latest technology to produce our notes so that it looks 100% identical to the real note. This thus implies all security features present in the real notes are present in the note we make. Our team is made up of Quality IT technicians from Morocco, US, Russia, India, Korea and China etc We offer high quality counterfeit NOTES for all currencies.

    Why would you buy from us?

    Our banknotes contain the following security features that make

    it to be genius and we have the best grade counterfeit in the world both Euro and Dollar and any bills of

    your choice you want.

    Security features of our bank notes below :

    Intaglio printing

    Watermarks

    Security thread

    See-through register

    Special foil/special foil elements

    Iridescent stripe / shifting colors.

    Our banknotes are printed on 80% cotton 20% cellulose paper which differs substantially from normal paper.

    -My Minimum order is 5000fake counterfeit for 500- Shipping is free

    -Face to face Cash on Delivery will be schedule. Some people will want me to send my agents to them so that they can buy directly but for me to send out my agents. There must be a minimum order you want to buy. 120,000 fake counterfeit notes for 20,000 when it comes to face to

    face buying.

    !!!!!!!! CONTACT FOR MORE DETAILS!!!!!!!!


    Email-: perfect-documentation@hotmail.com
    Skype Name:Ranko322
    whatsapp +4915215387133


    E-Mail US Your Questions and Comments.

    We are looking forward to receiving your inquiries and early receipt of your first

    orders!

    SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY PLEASE

    ReplyDelete
  11. I blog frequently and I appreciate your information. Your article really impressed me the most. I will bookmark your blog and keep up to date with your latest news
    wordpress
    blogspot
    youtube
    កីឡាបាល់ទាត់

    ReplyDelete