Due to the scarcity of photos in the first part of the XXst Century, photo series are a great testimonial of their time. In this case, Ye Jinglu, an ordinary Chinese man, gave us a glimpse of dressing styles in China from 1907 to 1968 by taking a photo every year. In these “selfies”, he carefully selected his clothes and surroundings, reflecting his times.
These photos were first shared on X by the account China in Pictures, who is also the owner of the photo collection. In his thread, he shares a wealth of information about each photo.
1901: The first photo, taken while still under Qing dynasty’s governance.
1908: a photo themed around sport, as the Olympic games were held in London that year.
1909: a photo taken with Western-style clothes.
1912: a first photo taken under the newly-formed Republic of China.
1913: a photo taken at 33 years old by Ye.
1950: an older Ye, aged 70, takes a photo on New Year’s Day, in a China that is has become the People’s Republic of China.
About the Author
Mirko Humbert
Mirko Humbert is the editor-in-chief and main author of Designer Daily and Typography Daily. He is also a graphic designer and the founder of WP Expert.