[1930s TOUR OF SHANGHAI & NORTH CHINA]

Year Published: 1930s

Description: This silent film shows a tour of China and was likely shot in the early 1930s as a promotional film for a tourism company. Some title cards are marked "Wonders of the World" which might suggest it was also simply a commercial release of a travel record. Most of what you see in this film no longer exists. At :59 a "one wheel taxi" -- a wheelbarrow carried by a very strong Chinese man -- is shown. At 1:28 the houses of farmers are seen and at 1:38 a man poses with a child. At 1:47 a street scene in a rural area is shown. At 1:55 men pull rickshaws through the streets of Shanghai and at 2:00 men tow a cart loaded with lumber. At 2:20 metal poles are moved by a gang of men, their hands behind their backs. At 3:10 men tow a roller as a road is constructed. At 3:20 keelboats ply the river loaded with sacks of rice. At 4:00 a Chinese junk is seen on the water. At 4:20 a trip by rail to North China is shown. At 4:37 the train rides past what appears to be small boats. At 4:45 formal dining aboard the train is shown. At 4:51 the Tientsin East train station is shown. At 5:00 a large pagoda is shown near Tientsin. At 5:17 a card says "The Great Wall of China" and the film shows views of tourists being carried on sedan chairs to see the edifice. At 6:59 the tour by train continues to Peiping / Peking / Beijing, where camels are seen in the streets (7:10). At 8:48 children and women with bound feet are shown. At 9:11 the film progresses through the Chien Men Gate into the Tartar City, or inner city of the Beijing wall defenses. At 9:35 the South Gate is shown and glimpses of the Imperial City and Temple of Heaven (10:40) and Altar of Heaven. At 11:27 a Chinese man is shown eating noodles and at 11:30 a barber is shown working on a man's ponytail. At 12:30 a young child is seen. At 12:40 an "elaborate funeral in China" is shown. The film ends with more shots from the train including of a pagoda and at 15:40 of sailing vessels moving up a narrow canal or river. At 15:46 a marina of sorts is shown as the film comes to an end.

Complete Record: This silent film shows a tour of China and was likely shot in the early 1930s as a promotional film for a tourism company. Some title cards are marked "Wonders of the World" which might suggest it was also simply a commercial release of a travel record. Most of what you see in this film no longer exists. At :59 a "one wheel taxi" -- a wheelbarrow carried by a very strong Chinese man -- is shown. At 1:28 the houses of farmers are seen and at 1:38 a man poses with a child. At 1:47 a street scene in a rural area is shown. At 1:55 men pull rickshaws through the streets of Shanghai and at 2:00 men tow a cart loaded with lumber. At 2:20 metal poles are moved by a gang of men, their hands behind their backs. At 3:10 men tow a roller as a road is constructed. At 3:20 keelboats ply the river loaded with sacks of rice. At 4:00 a Chinese junk is seen on the water. At 4:20 a trip by rail to North China is shown. At 4:37 the train rides past what appears to be small boats. At 4:45 formal dining aboard the train is shown. At 4:51 the Tientsin East train station is shown. At 5:00 a large pagoda is shown near Tientsin. At 5:17 a card says "The Great Wall of China" and the film shows views of tourists being carried on sedan chairs to see the edifice. At 6:59 the tour by train continues to Peiping / Peking / Beijing, where camels are seen in the streets (7:10). At 8:48 children and women with bound feet are shown. At 9:11 the film progresses through the Chien Men Gate into the Tartar City, or inner city of the Beijing wall defenses. At 9:35 the South Gate is shown and glimpses of the Imperial City and Temple of Heaven (10:40) and Altar of Heaven. At 11:27 a Chinese man is shown eating noodles and at 11:30 a barber is shown working on a man's ponytail. At 12:30 a young child is seen. At 12:40 an "elaborate funeral in China" is shown. The film ends with more shots from the train including of a pagoda and at 15:40 of sailing vessels moving up a narrow canal or river. At 15:46 a marina of sorts is shown as the film comes to an end.