"The past is leisurely and gentle, and the Yangtze River outside the sill is empty and self-flowing." For the past, we can't help but ask, learn from the past! This set of old photos shows some scenes of life in the late Qing Dynasty in front of our eyes, how do you feel after watching it?
Poppy fields somewhere in the northeast.
Beginning in 1858, the imperial court taxed opium, acquiescing in the cultivation and sale of the poison. Since the income from growing opium poppies is several times higher than growing grain, farmers are happy to take out their fertile land to grow poppies. By around 1880, none of the country's 18 provinces did not grow poppies, and the amount of indigenous opium exceeded imports, which shrouded the late Qing society in a miasma of smoke and accelerated its own demise.
Wuhan Guishan Yu Gongji.
Yu Gongji is on the north bank of the Yangtze River, at the eastern foot of Guishan Mountain, and it is said that when Da Yu ruled the water, the river was dredged to guide the Han, so that the Yangtze River and the Han River met here, taming the flood, hence the name. The tallest pavilion behind the man in the photo is the Harukawa Pavilion, which was originally opposite the Yellow Crane Tower, but unfortunately, in the year of the photo, the Yellow Crane Tower was destroyed by fire.
Little Emperor Puyi.
Puyi was the only emperor of the Qing Dynasty who left a photo, and the number was relatively rich. Legend has it that someone took pictures of the Guangxu Emperor, but no conclusive photos of him have been found so far.
Chaoyang Gate of Beijing.
Chaoyangmen is located in the middle of the eastern section of the city wall of Beijing's inner city, which is the gate where grain comes in and out, and the rations of the officials and people in the city are derived from this. The moat in front of the gate is abundant, and from the photos, you can see someone using a fishing fish.
Couples who eat.
A couple with a wealthy family eating in front of the camera, no table, only a bowl of rice and a bowl of tea, which is obviously a posing scene. They were all afraid to face the camera, the husband twisted his face to the side, and the wife almost slipped into the rice bowl and rolled her eyes to peek. For them, the camera can be a frightening monster.
Perform knife skills in the streets.
The man stood on one leg, with his knife outstretched, his eyes shining, do you know which set of kung fu he was performing? There were many people in the old society who studied martial arts, one was to strengthen the body, the other was to defend the homeland, at that time, there were often bandits and mountain thieves who broke into the village and plundered, and learning some kung fu could fight uninvited guests.
Guangdong Gongyuan.
Guangdong Gongyuan is the place where Xiucai of Guangdong Province participates in the township examination, the examination is held every three years, held in the eighth month of the lunar calendar, a total of 9 days and 6 nights, the examination is to lift people, get the qualification to enter Beijing to participate in the examination. This tribute house was built in the Kangxi period, when there were 5,000 trumpet houses, and since then it has been expanded many times, and by the Tongzhi period, the number house has increased to 11708 rooms, and together with the Shuntian, Jiangnan and Henan Gongyuan, it is called the "Four Great Tribute Courtyards".
Princess Rongshou received foreign guests.
Princess Rongshou (second from the left of the sitting man) was the eldest daughter of Prince Gong Yixuan, who later succeeded Empress Dowager Cixi as a daughter, so she was given the title of princess. Xu Zhiyan's "Ten Leaf Wild Stories" records: "In her later years, the empress dowager devoted herself to diplomacy, and those who engaged in friendship with the ministers and wives, such as the princess, were the medium for the princess, and there was no risk of estrangement." After that, whenever there was a banquet, a dance, and a conversation, the princess participated, and the empress dowager was not a princess. There is a certain minister's wife, especially in line with the princess, who is said to be the first-class figure among Manchurian women, de Rong is full of words and deeds, but he has not traveled to foreign countries, and he rarely knows the general trend of the world. Otherwise, calmly taking time, Ze yi learned, and the women who participated in politics in the world were in the same position, and their talents were not tolerated. ”
A student at a school in Beijing.
The size of the school is not large, there are not many students, there is a clear difference in age between them, and it is likely to be mixed class teaching. At that time, the children who had the opportunity to receive education were less than one in ten, and it was not easy to get into a school.
Funeral of Li Hongzhang.
On November 7, 1901, Li Hongzhang, a famous minister, fell ill and died in Beijing. In March 1902, his coffin was transported back to his hometown of Hefei, Anhui Province, for burial. Along the way, officials of all sizes greeted and escorted them with lofty etiquette, and the common people were crowded with onlookers along the way.