Manchu style photographer

1874- 1875, Russia sent a trade and scientific investigation delegation to the Qing dynasty, including officers, scientists, geologists and translators. , and rarely equipped with photographers. The photographer's name is Adolf Elazmovich Boya Riski, and he took many photos along the way. This paper selects his works shot in Beijing in 1874.

Qing soldiers bow and shoot arrows.

The Russian delegation, named Trade and Scientific Research, actually went to Beijing and Tianjin, the Yangtze River basin and the northwest region to collect information and prepare for expanding its aggressive interests. The imperial court and local government under the leadership of Empress Dowager Cixi lacked vigilance and did not impose any restrictions on it. At that time, the whole Qing Dynasty was busy with the death of the Tongzhi emperor and the accession of the new emperor.

The facade of a pastry shop.

Since Empress Dowager Cixi came to power, the imperial court has carried out the Westernization Movement, seeking wealth and strength, but the country has not achieved prosperity, the occupation of foreign powers has increased, and the lives of ordinary people have not improved.

Poor beggar, his clothes are in rags.

In the late Qing dynasty, people's lives were polarized, the poor became poorer and the rich became richer. The beggars and wives of wealthy families in this group of photos are vivid portrayal.

One of Mr Yan's wives and concubines.

The original source said that the lady was "one of the wives of a famous man, Mr. Yan" and the photo was taken in the garden at home. We guess that her husband is an influential figure in Beijing.

Mr Yan's second wife.

This photo was taken in the same place as the last one. Mr. Yan has many wives and concubines, and they are all young and beautiful. We usually say that there was "polygamy" in the old society, or "monogamy, polygamy" to be exact. The laws of the Qing dynasty clearly stipulated that a man could only have one wife and could not marry a concubine.

Han women and her servants.

The lady is wearing a trowel, a horse-faced skirt and a "three-inch golden lotus", revealing a strong "ladylike style". It turned out that the girl behind her was a maid, but the girl was exquisitely dressed and her clothes were edged, so she shouldn't be a maid. The relationship between the two is more likely to be mother and daughter.

The son of Prince Alashan.

The full name of Prince Alashan is Prince Zasak of Alashan Banner. According to records, it was Gunsan Zulmot who was in office at that time, and was called "King Gong". At the beginning of his reign, he lived in Beijing and had frequent government activities, which was appreciated by Daoguang and Xianfeng Emperor. He has four sons, and this one in the photo is probably the fourth son "Grandpa Noyan" who loves western things.

The scenery outside the walls of Beijing.

Inside the tall city wall are busy streets, outside the city wall are fields, cemeteries and villages, and a wall separates the two worlds.

Street food stalls.

This kind of mobile vendor does a small business and sells along the street to earn a few copper coins to supplement the family.

Descendants of Cossacks.

During the Kangxi period, the imperial court sent troops to attack Yakesha city occupied by Russian troops many times, and finally occupied the city. During this period, many Cossacks who lived in the local area defected and were sent to the capital, and were compiled as the fourth assistant leader of Manchu-Dutong in Huangqi. From then on, they became part of the standard-bearer. The child in the photo is a Cossack with mixed Mongolian and Chinese.