Film & Photography

In 2023 the Society held an exhibition at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, to mark its bicentenary. The theme of the…

The footage dates from the late 1920s/early 1930s and shows excavations in Iraq at the mound of Kouyunjik, scenes in…

This is a recording of Sir John Gielgud as Thomas Manning, reading from Manning’s Narrative of his travels in Tibet….

Black-and-white view of Zonghuamen, the first gate to the Imperial City, Beijing, 1900-1920.  Labelled: ‘Palace gate, Peking’. 

Black and white view of Building at Temple of Heaven complex, Beijing. Labelled as ‘Temple of Heaven’.

Black and white image of ‘Nine Dragons’ stone carving at the Hall of Preserved Harmony, Forbidden City, Beijing. Labelled as…

Black and white view of four temples taken from a distance; man standing with horse and cart in the foreground….

Black and white image of Er Dow Men (“The Second Gate Seen on Arrival”), Great Wall of China, Gubeikou. Labelled…

Black and white view of palace in Beijing; Forbidden City? Labelled as ‘Peking Palace’.

Black and white view of the The Great Wall of China, Badaling. Labelled as ‘Great Wall’.

Black and white front view of a Qianmen, Beijing with market in the forefront. Labelled as ‘Peking’.

Black and white view of the front entrance to a Temple of Heaven. Possibly Yonghegong (Lama Temple), Beijing. Labelled as…

Black and white view of courtyard and buildings at the Temple of Heaven complex, Beijing.

Black and white view of the Huxinting and the Nine Curve Bridge, Yu Garden or Yu Yuan in Shanghai. Labelled…

Black and white view of the Huxinting and the Nine Curve Bridge, Yu Garden or Yu Yuan in Shanghai. Labelled…

Black and white view of the Yu Garden or Yu Yuan in Shanghai depicting people gathered. Labelled as ‘Shanghai’. 

Black and white view of a group of six Chinese people in the Yu Garden or Yu Yuan in Shanghai….

Black and white street view depicting daily life in the Former French Concession in Shanghai. Labelled as ‘French Town, Shanghai’.

Black and white image depicting a street in Shanghai. Labelled as ‘Cantonr (sic), Shanghai’.

Black and white view of Fuzhou Road, Shanghai, with a focus on the architecture. Labelled as ‘Foochow Rd.’

Black and white view of Fuzhou Road, Shanghai. Labelled as ‘Foochow Rd.’

Black and white image of a god in a temple; possibly a god of war (as labelled) or god of…

Black and white view of The Bubbling Well, Shanghai, behind a colonial-style house; Chinese men and a horse are in…

Black and white street view of the Former French Concession, Shanghai. Labelled as ‘French Town, Shanghai’. The digital image is…

Black and white view of a port in China; rickshaws in the foreground and boats in the background. Labelled as…

Black and white image of Zhenhai Tower (“The Five Storey Pagoda”) and city wall, Guangzhou. Labelled as ‘Lantau Island’.

Black and white image of four Buddhist monks. Labelled as ‘Buddhist Monks’.

Black and white view of Honan Road or what is now known as Henan Road, Shanghai. Labelled as ‘Honan Road’.

Black and white view of Chinese men with their horse and cart on a road with shops in the background.

Black and white view of Honan Road or what is now known as Henan Road, Shanghai. Labelled as ‘Honan Road’.

Black and white view of a Ming Tomb in Nanjing. Labelled as ‘Ming Tombs, Nanking’. 

Black and white view of stone elephants, Ming Xiaoling, Nanjing. Labelled as ‘Ming Tombs’.

Black and white view of Nanjing Road, Shanghai. Labelled as ‘Nanking Road’.

Black and white image of old fort or blockhouse, Mudu, near Suzhou. Also lake and boats in the foreground and…

Black and white view of Precious Belt Bridge or Baodai qiao in Suzhou, China. Labelled as ‘Long Ridge, Souchow’.

Black and white view of lake with bridge and pagoda in the background. Labelled as ‘Near Souchow’.

Black and white view of back garden with Chinese people in the photograph. Labelled as ‘Garden Hangchow’.

Black and white view of garden in Hangzhou. Labelled as ‘S.E. HWO Hangchow, West Lane Garden’.

Black and white view of the twin pagodas at Luohanyuan Temple, Suzhou, taken from a distance. Labelled as ‘Pagodas, Hangchow’.

Black and white view of a garden in Hangzhou, China. Labelled as ‘A Garden’.

Black and white view of Circular Mound Altar, Temple of Heaven complex, Beijing . Labelled as ‘Yuen Ming (?)’.

Black and white front view of Southern Putuo Monastery, Xiamen. Labelled as ‘Poo Tod (?)’.

Black and white view of gates leading to the Summer Palace, Beijing. Labelled as ‘Yuen Ming Yue’.

Black and white view of Nanjing Road, Shanghai. Labelled as ‘Nanking Road’. 

Black and white view of a bridge with three arches; houses built on top and sampans in the water below….

Black and white view of YiFeng Gate in Nanjing. Labelled as ‘Nanking’.

Black and white view of busy street market. Labelled as ‘Nanking Road Market’.

Black and white front view of temple in Guangzhou. Labelled as ‘Canton, Yah Ying Say’.

Black and white view of street scene next to Yang Jin Bang creek in Shanghai. Labelled as ‘YanKing Pang Creek…

Black and white view of gates leading to the Summer Palace, Beijing. Labelled as ‘Yuen Ming Yuen’.

Black and white view of a garden in China. Labelled as ‘Yuen’.

Black and white view of a stone bridge leading to an entrance of a building in China. Labelled as ‘Poo…

Black and white view of a Chinese countryside with houses and people. Labelled as ‘Chinmiang’.

Black and white view of Ming Xiaoling, Nanjing. Labelled as ‘Ming Tombs’.

Black and white view of houses in the countryside, China.  Possibly near Shanghai; the label reads ‘Ziccaway’ which is in…

Black and white view of the Fukien Temple (aka Temple of the Goddess Ma tsu-Pu), Ningbo. Labelled as ‘City Temple,…

Black and white view of the front of a Chinese courthouse, China. Labelled as ‘Mixed Court’. This ‘Mixed Court’ building…

Black and white view of a Chinese family, China. Labelled as ‘Chinese Family’.

Black and white view of the front of a shop, Shanghai. Labelled as ‘Honan Road, Silver Shop’.

Black and white image of a fishing boat with three fishermen, China. Labelled as ‘Tuna & Raft Boat’.

Black and white image of a seated Chinese Mandarin. Labelled as ‘Mandarin’. 

Black and white image of a Chinese junk, China. Labelled as ‘Junk’.

Black and white view of the front of a mourning altar with three mourners, China. Labelled as ‘Mourning’. 

Black and white image of two men and a water buffalo ploughing a field, China. Labelled as ‘Ploughing’.

Black and white image of group of Chinese performers, China. Labelled as ‘Joss Procession’.

Black and white image of fishermen fishing, China. Corresponding photograph found on University of Bristol ‘Historical Photographs of China ref….

Black and white image of a rickshaw puller and his passenger, China. Labelled as ‘Ricksha’. 

Black and white image of two sampans on water in the foreground with houses and more sampans in the background,…

Black and white image of a Chinese man (standing) and woman (seated), China. Labelled as ‘Beggars’.

Black and white image of a wedding procession, China. Labelled as ‘Wedding Procession’. Photograph by William Saunders.

Black and white view of a rural road in China. Labelled as ‘Chinaihng (?)’.

Black and white view of the interior of a Chinese home. Labelled as ‘(?)’.

Black and white bird’s eye view of rivers and rooftops, Guangzhou. Labelled as ‘Canton’.

Black and white view of houses in the countryside, China.  Possibly near Shanghai; the label reads ‘Ziccaway’ which is in…

Black and white view of gateways, China. Labelled as ‘Chingrians, Windows’. 

Black and white image of a Chinese family. Labelled as ‘Mandarin’s Family’.

Black and white image of a Chinese family. Labelled as ‘Gentleman’s Family’.

Black and white image of photographic studio re-enactment of an opening ceremony for a Sze Yuen Ming (Yao Hua Studio)…

Black and white view of front of building labelled as the Zongli Yamen in Beijing. This identification is probably incorrect….

Black and white view of Temple Gates, Beijing. Labelled as ‘Confucian Temple, Pekin’. 

Black and white distant view of gateway and temples, Beijing. Labelled as ‘Pekin, Temple of Heaven’.

Black and white view of the Summer Palace, Beijing. Labelled as ‘Yuen Ming Yuen’. 

Black and white view of a gateway. Labelled as ‘Yuen Ming Yuen’.

Black and white image of the Marble Boat in the Summer Palace, or Yihe Yuan, Beijing. Labelled as ‘Yuen Ming…

Black and white view of large gateway, Beijing. Labelled as ‘Balum, Pekin’.

Black and white image of stone camels at the Ming tombs. Labelled as ‘Ming Tombs’.

Black and white image of the Five Pagoda Temple in Beijing. Labelled as ‘Yuen Ming Yuen, Peking’.

Black and white image of four Chinese musicians. Labelled as ‘Musicians’.

Black and white image of ten Chinese musicians. Labelled as ‘Musicians’.

Black and white image of the Pagoda of Cishou Temple in Beijing. Labelled as ‘Pekin’. 

Black and white image of nine Chinese actors. Labelled as ‘Actors’. 

Black and white image of a seated Chinese woman. Labelled as ‘Lady’.

Black and white image of a Chinese merchant and his family. Labelled as ‘Merchant & Family’.

Black and white image of an amah carrying a baby in a sling wrap on her back. Labelled as ‘Amah’. 

Black and white image of a Manchu woman. Labelled as ‘Manchu’.

Black and white image of two sedan chairs and bearers. Labelled as ‘Chairs’.

Black and white image of Chinese people, three eating supper. Labelled as ‘Supper’.

Black and white image of four Chinese men eating dinner. Labelled as ‘Dinner Time’.

Black and white image of water taken from The Bund, Shanghai. Labelled as ‘Bund’.

Black and white image of the Temple of Heaven, Beijing. Corresponding image on University of Bristol ‘Historical Photographs of China’…