Guest
This is splendedly enhanced and colorized footage from two fragments of Benjamin Brodsky’s ten-reel film documentary, showing Peking in the 1910s. It is highly interesting material as it shows what China really was like over a century ago in 1917. It should be noted that the film was shot only about 16 years after the ending of the boxer uprising from 1899 to 1901 and 6 years after the Chinese Revolution of October 1911 during which a group of revolutionaries in southern China led a successful revolt against the Qing Dynasty. This lead to the establishment of the Republic of China which ended the imperial system. Many scenes in the film show that at the time China hardly had changed for over a thousand years. Life follows its course almost full time on the streets. We see every day life with many people executing their skills and trades, children playing, artists and acrobats performing their tricks, processions, a funeral, great glimpses of the Forbidden Palace and much more! A viewer has identified the ship at 29:12 as the USS Helena (PG-9), commissioned in 1897 (PG-9) Very rare footage! Text cards explain what is happening in each scene. Now please watch this film without further commentary. This footage has been meticulously and painstakingly restored and enhanced with the latest Artificial Intelligence video software. PS: This video is here for *historic purposes* and *not to discuss present day China-related politics* So please think of this before making your comment! Music: Sight of Wonders and Christian Andersen. Source:
