Old Photos (Issue 14)

Author: Shandong Huabao Publishing House
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-06-01
Features: In this issue of "Old Photos," many photographs from that time need to be interpreted in conjunction with the text. For example, the industrial and commercial workers celebrating the public-private partnership, or the Wei Junyi family reunited during the Cultural Revolution. Behind their smiling appearances lie profound and unfathomable inner worlds. The door to this world is before us, but it has just opened a tiny crack. Photos can retain more of the truth of history, thanks to their irreplaceable and unalterable independent discourse. Unfortunately, when narrating history, the independent discourse of photos is often not given the respect it deserves. Even in books that heavily use photos, they are merely supplementary evidence for historical conclusions or illustrations for certain historical concepts. "Old Photos" attempts to change this by placing photos at the center of observation, allowing the photos to speak for themselves. Sometimes, the discourse and meaning contained in photos go far beyond what a few simple historical conclusions can encompass. Only by acknowledging and listening to the discourse of photos can history become vivid and lively.