Pailou at Dagao Hall, Beijing, Pechili province, China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1871.
- Thomson, J. (John), 1837-1921.
- Date:
- 1871
- Reference:
- 19352i
- Pictures
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Description
Arch near Peking. An old man on the right. In imperial China, any man might obtain permission from the emperor to erect a Pailou or honorary portal in honour of himself, his children or his deceased parents. This example was originally situated outside of Daoist Dagao Temple in the north of the Forbidden City. It was built by the Jiajing Emperor in 1542, who came here seeking immortality. In the years that followed, various emperors from Ming to Qing visited Dagao Hall in order to pray for rain. After 1949 this particular pailou was relocated to the northwest of Beijing, by Lake Lue-Yan
Publication/Creation
1871
Physical description
1 photograph : glass photonegative, wet collodion
Contributors
Lettering
Bears Thomson's negative number: "551a"
References note
John Thomson, Illustrations of China and its people, London, 1873-4, vol. IV, pl. XIV, fig. 38. "Pekingese Pai-Lau"
China through the lens of John Thomson, 1868-1872, Beijing: Beijing World Art Museum, 2009, p. 65 (reproduced)
Notes
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
Reference
Wellcome Collection 19352i
Type/Technique
Languages
Subjects
Where to find it
Location Status Access Closed storesBy appointment Manual request Note