Early Photo of a Large Inscription on Riguang Rock Celebrating a Defeat of Japanese Forces in Xiamen, China (1871)

Photo of an inscription on Riguang Rock celebrating a defeat of Japanese forces (probably actually pirates) in Xiamen, China, c. 1871. Taken by Scottish photographer John Thomson. The inscription on the rock seems to have either been destroyed or covered up by construction in the decades after this photo was taken as the few other photos of it known to exist look like they were taken during the 1870s or 1880s.

Source: Wellcome Collection.

Second photo of the rock taken by American photographer Charles William Wason, c. 1880.

A third photo of the rock exists in the Phelps Collection of the National Geographic Society Archives.

Photo of a Man Posing With What is Said to be a Bronze Dome From the Porcelain Pagoda Tower in Nanjing, China (1871)

 

Photo of a man posing with what is said to be a bronze dome from the Porcelain Pagoda tower in Nanjing, China, 1871. The tower had been destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion in 1856. Note the graffiti written on the dome and also the building rubble presumably from the tower scattered around it. Taken by Scottish photographer John Thomson. From a scan of the original glass negative.

Source: Wellcome Collection.

Portrait of a Group of European and Chinese Men Posing in Front of a Bank in Shanghai, China (1871)

Portrait of a group of European and Chinese men posing in front of a bank in Shanghai, China, 1871. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

 Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of a Chinese Woman Comparing One of Her Bound Feet With Another Chinese Woman Who Has Unbound Feet in Xiamen, China (1869)

Portrait of a Chinese woman comparing one of her bound feet with another Chinese woman who has unbound feet in Xiamen, China, 1869. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of a Muslim Butcher Posing With a Mule in Beijing, China (1869)

Portrait of a Muslim butcher posing with a mule in Beijing, China, 1869. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of a Mandarin Official And His Son in Guangzhou, China (1869)

Portrait of a Mandarin official and his son in Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1869. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of Two Buddhist Monks in Guangzhou, China (1869)

Portrait of two Buddhist monks in Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1869. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of a Nightwatchman Posing at an Entrance of a Building in Beijing, China (1869)

Portrait of a nightwatchman posing at an entrance of a building in Peking (Beijing), China, 1869. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of a Man and Boy Posing at a Counter in the Interior of a Store in Hong Kong, China (1868)

Portrait of a man and boy posing at a counter in the interior of a store in Hong Kong, China, c. 1868. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of a Mongolian Woman Somewhere in China (1871)

Portrait of a Mongolian woman somewhere in China, 1871. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of a Manchu Woman Posing in the Garden of a House Owned by Mr. Yang in Beijing, China (1860's/1870's)

Portrait of a Manchu woman posing in the garden of a house owned by Mr. Yang in Beijing, China, c. 1868-1872. By Scottish photographer John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of a Boat Girl in Canton (Guangzhou), China, by Scottish Photographer John Thomson (1869)

Portrait of a boat girl in Canton (Guangzhou), China, by Scottish photographer John Thomson, 1869.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Scene of a Group of Buddhist Monks Watching Two of Their Own Playing a Game of Go Said to Be Taken in Guangzhou, China (1869)

Scene of a group of Buddhist monks watching two of their own playing a game of Go said to be taken in Guangzhou, China, 1869. By John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Portrait of Three Chinese Merchants in Canton (Guangzhou), China (1869)

Portrait of three Chinese merchants in Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1869. By John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Animated Stereoscopic Portrait of a Chinese Boatwoman in Canton (Guangzhou), China (1869)

Animated stereoscopic portrait of a Chinese boatwoman in Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1869. By John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Images.

Chinese Soldiers Posing With a Cannon in Nanking, China (1871)

Chinese soldiers posing with a cannon in Nanking (Nanjing), China, 1871. By John Thomson.

Source.

Animated Stereoscopic Portrait of Scottish Photographer John Thomson Posing With Two Other Men in the Cabin of a Boat on the Yangtze River in China (1871)

Animated stereoscopic portrait of Scottish photographer John Thomson (center) posing with two other men, possibly Americans, in the cabin of a boat on the Yangtze River in China, 1871. Attributed to John Thomson.

Source: Wellcome Collection.

Portrait of an Unidentified Prominent Man Being Carried in a Sedan Chair by Three Bearers and Accompanied by an Assistant Somewhere in China (1869)

Portrait of an unidentified prominent man being carried in a sedan chair by three bearers and accompanied by an assistant somewhere in China, 1869. By John Thomson.

Source.

Animated Stereoscopic Portrait of a Manchu Official in Peking, China (1869)

Animated stereoscopic portrait of a Manchu official in Peking (Beijing), China, 1869. By John Thomson.

Source.

Portrait of a Group of Street Gamblers in Canton, China (1869)

Portrait of a group of street gamblers in Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1869. By John Thomson.

Source.