Amoy (Xiamen), Fukien province, China: a shop. Photograph by John Thomson, ca. 1870.

The interior of a shop with two men, one clean-shaven and seated, the other bearded and standing, the former apparently buying rice (?) from the latter

John Thomson was fascinated by China’s shops. From Hong Kong to Beijing, he took many photographs of various types. This one shows two old men inside a grain shop. Since the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842, the trade in Amoy (Xiamen) had grown considerably. The chief commodities in the area included tea, sugar and grain. Tea and sugar were grown mainly for export, while large amounts of rice were imported from Formosa (Taiwan) and from Thailand

1870

1 photograph : glass photonegative, wet collodion : stereograph

Chinese shop, Amoy Bears Thomson's negative number: "741"

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. 105 (reproduced)

Wellcome Collection 19740i