British soldiers in China, c. 1911
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British soldiers in China, c. 1911
A Chinese man in traditional clothes and with a queue pigtail hairstyle talks to a pipe-smoking westerner, with other men in the background. The moustachioed western men wearing turbans are most probably British soldiers from the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers posted to China (Tientsin) around 1911 - 1913, . Date: C.1911
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Media ID 14118688
© Mary Evans Picture Library
Fraternising Fusiliers Hairstyle Inniskilling Locals Pigtail Queue Tientsin Turbans Westerner Westerners
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures a moment of interaction between British soldiers from the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and a Chinese man during their deployment in Tientsin, China around 1911. The Chinese man, dressed in traditional clothing and wearing a queue pigtail hairstyle, engages in conversation with a pipe-smoking westerner. The westerners in the background are most likely members of the same regiment, identifiable by their moustaches and turbans. The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, an infantry regiment of the British Army, were among the many military units dispatched to China during this period to protect British interests following the outbreak of the Chinese Revolution in 1911. The queue, a traditional Chinese hairstyle that involved shaving the head and leaving a long pigtail, had been forbidden by the Chinese Emperor in 1903 as part of a modernization campaign. However, it remained a symbol of Chinese identity and was still worn by many older men. Despite the political tensions and cultural differences, this image suggests a moment of connection between the soldiers and the local population. The soldiers' relaxed posture and the Chinese man's friendly expression indicate a degree of mutual respect and understanding. This photograph offers a glimpse into the complex and often fraught history of interactions between Westerners and Chinese during the early 20th century. The photograph is estimated to have been taken around 1911, and is a poignant reminder of the global reach of the British Empire and the diverse encounters that shaped its history.
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