Located in the southwest region of China, Kunming, Yunnan Province, is known as the "Spring City" because of its four seasons and the constant blooming of flowers. Kunming is an ancient city with a history of over 2,200 years, and is among the first group of famous historical and cultural cities in China because of its long history and profound cultural heritage.
The pictures were taken in the late Qing Dynasty. Through these vivid images, we can understand more clearly the customs and people of Kunming and the living conditions of the people at that time more than 100 years ago.
The ancient Kunming City was once a rammed earth city wall, but in 1382, Ming General Mu Ying abandoned the earth city and built a brick and stone city wall. Standing in the distance, looking at the ancient city of Kunming, the city gate tower stands tall and spectacular.
A view in front of the Great Eastern Gate in Kunming. The city gate is tall and very spectacular. There is an ancient plaque hanging on the gate, with the words "Xianhe Gate" written on it. In front of the gate, there are weapons stands, where people are supposedly dancing with guns and sticks, and a group of local people are watching.
The streets inside Kunming's Little West Gate are paved with gravel and filled with people shopping on both sides of the street. Little West Gate is also called Weiyuan Gate, and the building on the gate is called Kangfu Building, which is very well preserved from the photos.
Two children and a woman are gathered around through the lens to see the scenery in the chassis, this entertainment equipment can see the picture more foreign scenery and named "Western mirror", in some areas in the north also called "La foreign film".
When Kunming did not have running water, we mainly relied on well water or river water for food. At that time, there was a well under the Xiaodongmen Biguang building, there is live water springing up under the well, the water is clear, sweet and delicious, people call it "Pearl Spring", many people come here to draw water to drink.
On the streets of Kunming, a group of men sit on the steps in front of a large gate to rest. The two bearers who were guarding the sedan chair waiting for guests used the time to do personal hygiene, and one bearer reflected the strong sunlight to catch lice on the head of his companion.
A family portrait of a local official, a husband and wife sitting in the middle, surrounded by their children standing, counted as many as six, and half of each sex, can be described as a thriving family.
A group of prisoners were paraded in the streets, including those wearing wooden shackles, for relatively minor crimes, while the more serious ones were imprisoned in standing cages. This cage is relatively low, although the prisoner's neck is stuck outside, the feet can still hit the ground, will not die of physical exhaustion.
Yentong Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in Kunming, which was built in the period of Isomouxun, the king of Nanzhao in the Tang Dynasty, with a history of more than 1200 years. In the old days, there were many ancient cypresses in Kunming, and two rows of ancient cypress trees were planted on both sides of the road in front of Yuantong Temple, which are as tall as the sky and full of ancient meaning.
The three monks in Yuan Tong Temple, standing in the middle of the adult because of iodine deficiency got big neck disease, the two sides of the young monks are barefoot, ragged clothes live like two callers. They may be just to be able to eat a mouthful of food to become a monk, but still can not get rid of poverty.
The life of the Taoist priests inside the Sun Palace seems to be much happier, not only well-dressed, but also having the leisure to sit in the sun and play games. The chairs, stools and eight immortal tables are quite exquisite.
Two men, wearing costumes embroidered with the words "Dafa Neng Consul" and holding a large sword and a large sword in their hands, stood in the courtyard of the Palace of Peace in a majestic manner.
Two men are wielding a large sword and a sword, the large sword is the weapon Wu Sangui used back then, weighing more than 20 pounds. And the big treasure sword is the Sun Palace bronze casting true martial arts hall in the seven-star sword of demon suppression. Can dance these two things to the tiger, is very need a strength.
A view outside the northern city gate of Kunming. During the dry season, the moat is nearly dry, with a large portion of the river exposed. A shepherd walks with his flock in the river, and in the distance is the regular northern city wall.
On the mountain road outside the city in the early morning, a group of people were eating breakfast around a roadside food stall, including footmen in a hurry, people entering the city, and soldiers carrying lances. The sun poured down on them from the ridge and a new day began.
Several horsemen drove a large group of packaged mules and horses with goods marching forward. Horsemen were the main mode of transport in the old days in the southwest, when there were no cars and trains, and almost all the goods transport relied on people carrying horses.
A number of donkeys, mules and horses were parked in the courtyard of a horse farm in Kunming, indicating that a horse gang was resting here. At that time, there were countless horse gangs in Kunming, who traveled through mountains and water, day and night, through hardships unbearable to normal people, to deliver goods to various places. (For more old photos of Kunming, please see the "Collection of Old Kunming Photos" below!)
