Beijing, Pechili province, China: glazed tile pagoda at the Grand Zongjing Monastery, Fragrant Hill. Photograph by John Thomson, 1871.

A tall pagoda to the left, standing on a dilapidated brick base, with rubble all around. A tall solitary tree to the right. Beyond lie some other buildings

This octagonal pagoda of seven storeys is 40 metres (130 feet) tall, and stands on an octagonal stone base. It was first completed in the mid-18th century, as a part of the Fragrant Hill project – one of the great construction projects the Qianlong emperor had embarked on. The Grand Zongjing Monastery was built to accommodate the sixth Panchen Lama during his stay in Beijing between 1778 and 1780. Although the monastery was burned down by French and British troops in 1860, the pagoda miraculously survived

1871

1 photograph : glass photonegative, wet collodion

Pagoda, Yuan-ming-Yuan, China Bears Thomson's negative number: "489"

This is one of a collection of original glass negatives made by John Thomson. The negatives, made between 1868 and 1872, were purchased from Thomson by Sir Henry Wellcome in 1921

China through the lens of John Thomson, 1868-1872, Beijing: Beijing World Art Museum, 2009, p. 69 (reproduced)

Wellcome Collection 19234i