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[[image: decorative line drawing, printed in yellow]]

Foreword

Photography was first introduced into China about ninety years ago. There are still in existence some Daguerreotype pictures preserved in one of the photo studios of Ichang which go to prove that the art found its way to the interior even in the early days. However, it was practiced almost entirely by professionals, there were very few amateurs and their number did not appreciably increase until recent years.

The Peking Amateur Photographic Society ([[2 Chinese characters]]) is the first one of its kind established in China. Then came the Hwa Sheh ([[2 Chinese characters]]) which was organized by a few enthusiasts, including myself, and the first photographic exhibition was held in Spring of the 17th. Year of the Chinese Republic (A.D. 1928) at the premises of the "Eastern Times" newspaper. At about the same time another photographic society named Ching Sheh ([[2 Chinese characters]]) came into existence in Kwangtung. Then followed the photographic clubs of various schools, formed one after the other, which made further strides towards advancement and popularity.

I was fascinated by photography even in my childhood days, when I evolved a theory that if a lasting image of things and events could be secured it would be more authentic as a record than writing or painting. I have in my possession a photograph of my parents' wedding taken seventy years ago - an accurate memento of those days, clearly visible even now. The harvest in the Province of Szechuen is exceptionally good this year as a result of proper attention to a system of irrigation in existence for several thousand years; portrayal of such a system has been of great use for study in conjunction with modern systems in other countries. These and many similar instances show the great benefit that photography contributes to society and science. 

In recent years much progress has been made all over the World in the artistic aspects of photography. The evolution from the mechanical stage of mere reproduction to the artistic stage of real picture-making is remarkable. Many of the methods employed are similar to those of the old Chinese artists. Take for instance a "Composite Picture" which is a print made from selected parts of several negatives, and which is no different from the Chinese principle of utilizing certain portions and discarding

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[[image: decorative line drawing, printed in yellow]]