Library

The whole book consists of three parts: "Scenic Sites of Yanjing", "Beautiful China" and appendices. "Yanjing Scenic Spots" was first published in 1927, with a preface by Hu Shi and co-authored by Princess De Ling, a female official of the Empress Dowager Cixi. A total of 70 photos of Beijing's architectural landscapes are included, including 12 hand-colored photos, showing for the first time the gorgeous colors of Chinese palaces and temples. In the Huachen Image Auction in 2009, this book was sold for a high price of 100,000 yuan. It can be called one of the most exquisite photography collections of the 1920s. "Beautiful China" was first published in 1930 and contains a total of 42 of the most artistic photos from all over China. One of the photos of bamboo leaves against the sky shows that the photographer's skill is as good as any European master. The appendix contains two photo albums: "Temple of Heaven" and "Common Chinese Appearances". "Temple of Heaven" contains a total of 27 photos of the Temple of Heaven, among which several photos of Yuan Shikai worshiping heaven are very precious. The author, John Jambrun, is the official photographer of Yuan Shikai's Heaven-Sacrifice Ceremony. "Common Chinese Appearances" was first published in the 1920s. It contains 24 portraits of Chinese people taken by photographer Carter, recording the various aspects of life of the people at the bottom at that time.