Rare photos offer snapshot of Qingdao at turn of the century

A rare snapshot of Qingdao's past

Shandong province's coastal city of Qingdao is famous for its blend of eastern and western influences. On Tuesday, a local photo collector made a donation to the city's archive. Included were four rare photos of the city at the turn of the 20th century, which showed just how much its architecture and culture have evolved over the years.

Dated 1898, 1902, the 1920s and the 1930s, these four photos offer a rare snapshot of Qingdao's past. The oldest and most precious one is a panorama of the city's Qianwan Harbor.

"This photo actually has two parts. Because at that time, it's impossible to take such a long photo," archive donor Jin Lisheng said. "So the photographer took two photos and linked them together."

The next photo is the same scene, but taken in 1902, revealing obvious differences.

"Qingdao changed a lot in just four years," Jin said. "There are several western buildings in this photo, which are not seen in the photo taken in 1898."

The photos taken in the 1920s and 1930s depict the Qingdao Bay, though the first offers a bird's eye view.

"Many locals in Qingdao may be familiar with the photo taken in the 1930s," Jin said. "Because most buildings in that photo are still standing in the same place."

69-year-old Jin Lisheng has been collecting old photos and stamps for more than 50 years. He says he's glad to donate these pictures to the Qingdao Archives, that will give people a different perspective on the city and its history.