Digital Collections | AMNH - Central Asiatic Expeditions: Peking

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Asset ID film150

Title Central Asiatic Expeditions: Peking

Description Filmed during the AMNH Third Asiatic Expedition to China and Mongolia, 1921-1930. Film brought from the U.S. was intended for recording the expedition, but some precious film was used to photograph Peking (now Beijing), the site of the expedition's headquarters. Because of the need to conserve film, this film is choppy, but provides a record of the city in the 1920s. The varied modes of transport are shown: trolleys, ox carts, sedan chairs, rickshaws, camels, wheelbarrows, horsedrawn carriages, and cars. The film was probably made in summer when dust from unpaved streets and sand blown from the Gobi Desert choked the city, for several methods used to dampen the streets to keep the dust down are shown. Two processions, one a wedding, the other a funeral, move through the busy streets. An overall view of the main sites of the city is shown, including the Front and Bell gates leading to the Forbidden City, the Desheng Gate to the Ming Tombs, Tianamen Square (then a park), the Bank of China building, and parks and gardens. The expedition headquarters, a typical wealthy merchant's house with a central courtyard, is seen with a young girl playing in the front lawn. This building has since been razed to make way for a high-rise.

Date 1922-1928

Agent (Role) Shackelford, James B. (Photographer)

City Town Beijing

Country China

Collection/Work Relation AMNH Special Collections, Film Collection no. 150: Central Asiatic Expeditions: Peking, U-matic

Publication History Andrews, Roy Chapman. The New Conquest of Central Asia. New York, AMNH, 1932. (Natural History of Central Asia, v.1)

Repository American Museum of Natural History

Rights statement Information on rights available at repository.

External Resource AMNH Library authority record: Central Asiatic Expeditions (1921-1930)