Wanshou Bridge, Fuzhou (Foochow), Fukien province, China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1870/1871.

A bridge with a crowd looking at the camera. A child holding up face-masks on a frame

Wanshou Bridge, formerly called the bridge of 'Ten Thousand Ages', was thought to have first been built in the 9th century. Its present-day (2009) name, 'Bridge of Liberation' (Jiefang), hardly conveys its historical significance. About one quarter of a mile long, and thirteen or fourteen feet wide, it was built in stone. At the time of John Thomson s visit it was used solely by pedestrians and for transporting goods. Here we see a large crowd standing on the bridge, probably made up of curious locals watching Thomson taking his photograph. But Thomson perhaps was trying to show the ingenuity of ancient China, whose people were able to build such a colossal structure, one that brought great convenience to local life

1870

1 photograph : glass photonegative, wet collodion : stereograph

Bears Thomson's negative number: "334"

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. 95 (reproduced)

Wellcome Collection 18924i

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