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Title
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Sichuan Photography: A Cultural Exchange Exhibition from Suchuan Province to Washington State
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Date
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1983
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extracted text
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Sichuan Photography
A Cultural Exchange Exhibition from
Sichuan Province to Washington State
The O ld and the Young Are Good Companions in
Physical Training
Photographer: Liu Xianxiu
(Yang M ingzhao, the wh ite-bearded gentleman, as a
council member of the Sichuan branch of the Chinese
People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Dean of the Chinese Department at Sichuan
University.)
September 17, 1983
Our Friendship Relations
Dear Friends:
The Washington State Friendship Delegation, led by Governor John Spellman,
visited Sichuan Province from October 8
to 16, 1982 , at the invitation of their Provincial People's Government. The two sides
signed the Friendship Relations Agreement
in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, on
October 11. That occasion marked the
culmination of nearly three years of
preparation by both sides, yet it was only
the beginning.
The People's Republic of China has
emerged as a mqjor economic and political
power in recent years. Because of its
geographic proximity to Washington State,
business, educational, and government
leaders in our state felt the increasing importance of developing close ties, knowing
that this required a deep commitment in
spirit, action, and time. Our objectives are
not only to expand trade and promote
commerce between us, but also to develop
enduring exchanges in the equally important areas of culture, education, science
and technology, and travel and tourism.
Our relations with Sichuan Province are
still in the early stages of development. We
are very encouraged by the accomplishments to date, such as the university
exchanges beginning this fall, import and
export activities, and of course, the
photography and children's art exhibition
exchanges. Through continued and
deepening contacts with Sichuan, we hope
to increase our understanding of each
other, strengthen our friendship, and improve our respective economies.
Welcome to the Sichuan Photography
Exhibition. This is indeed a historic occasion, the beginning of what we hope will
be a long series of cultural exchanges
between Washington State and Sichuan
Province. I would like to express my
thanks to our friends in Sichuan for allowing us this opportunity to see and
appreciate a part of their home province.
Formal relations of friendship between
Washington State and Sichuan Province
were established in October of 1982. Since
that time, we have both taken major steps
in planning and implementing substantive
exchanges in many areas. Because art is an
excellent and immediate means of communication, we have chosen to begin our
exchanges with exhibitions like this one.
While looking at these photographs, you
will undoubtedly be impressed and occasionally surprised by the diversity and
richness of Chinese society. Some of their
experiences are quite similar to ours;
others are of course very different. Each
picture adds to what little we know of
Sichuan and its people, which is precisely
the purpose of this exchange: to allow us
to gain a better understanding of a part of
the world with whom we have such a close
relationship.
The Sichuan Photography Exhibition is
only the beginning. Our friends in
Sichuan will soon have a similar opportunity to glimpse Washington State
through the lenses of our photographers.
Other art and cultural exchanges will continue between us in the years to come. By
this process, we will make significant contributions to U.S.-China relations-and to
world peace.
I hope you all enjoy this fascinating
exhibition. It may just prove to be the
spark which leads you to travel to Sichuan
Province in person!
Sincerely,
~~
Governor
Photography and Culture
Photography provides a visual record of
culture . It is as if the collective cameras of
a people act like a gigantic notary public,
certifying events that concern us: "This is
who we are." In America, as elsewhere in
the world, photography is used by both the
practicing professional and the dedicated
amateur to interpret both everyday and
special events. The faith we place in the
visual medium-particularly photography- crops up in our everyday speech:
"Seeing is believing-a picture is worth a
thousand words."
These photographers from Sichuan Province in the People's Republic of China are
also saying, "This is who we are." In that
way, they are no different from photographers anywhere. But what can we learn
from their photographs? Chinese
Young Women of Miao Nationality
Photographer: Li Qingshan
photographers today seem to be documenting a period of profound change. They are
not only affirming the values of the
present, but also those rooted in the past.
Certain aspects of Chinese culture clearly
remain important and are to be found in
the photographs before you .
Dignity is one of these. The Chinese accord dignity and respect to work, education, family, the elderly, and their national
minorities, for example. For the Chinese,
schools are instruments of learning rather
than places for challenges to authority. The
aged remain part of the family and part of
the family counsel. The Chinese make
great mention of their numerous minority
nationalities, as we can see in this exhibit.
Clearly they seek to show that the minority peoples of China, though distinct in
appearance and customs, are an integral
and respected part of Chinese society.
The dignity of work is another important concept. In scenes of Chinese at work,
whether they be weaving baskets or picking tea, the photographers seem to be setting a stage for the viewer. There is a
silent, posed quality which adds to the
feeling of dignity in and respect for work.
As you view these photographs, you will
notice that there are no images of people
who are unhappy, scorned, or ridiculed.
Why is this? It may seem as though China
has somehow invented a marvelously happy society. But of course this is not true.
For the Chinese, pain and disappointment
are private concerns. They believe that artspeech (photography) ought to concern
itself with what is good. What they present
to the public are ideals . Whether the
medium is photography or traditional ink
painting, the Chinese intention is to convey a sense of propriety and perfection.
Certain subjects or themes occur with
great frequency in Chinese photography.
They are all represented in the exhibit.
There is always that awesome landscape.
Particular scenes are photographed again ·
and again in an effort to make the most
ideal rendition. We rarely see images of
just any landscape, but only those which
are already well-known. Another favorite
subject with photographers as well as
painters is the lone boatman on a river or
lake, usually completely overpowered by
his natural surroundings as though to suggest his relative insignificance.
Chengdu Seamless Steel Pipe Plant
Photographer: Xie Shaogang
Photographs of industry and work are
more prevalent in Chinese photographic
exhibits than in those of the West. The
Chinese are quick to point out that China
had made a very "great leap forward" indeed! They add that the People's Republic
of China began its existence under semifeudal conditions and was forced to make
two hundred years of progress almost at
once. When we understand that, it is easy
to see why Chinese photographers choose
to photograph grand industrial scenes to
exhibit alongside their awesome landscapes.
It is this national miracle of progress that
photographers have recorded with pride in
such factory scenes as steel fabrication and
turbine construction. While the subject
matters are different, the visual conception
of nature and of modern technology is the
same-that is, both are often portrayed
with a feeling of monumentality and spectacle. The Chinese photographers seem to
be suggesting that modern technology, like
nature, easily dominates the human in
scale and force. While we are a part of our
natural environment and modern progress,
we are but small and insignificant in
comparison.
Family and celebration are also favorite
subjects. We often notice Chinese
photographs of entertainers, particularly
dancers, and wonder about why they get
so much attention. Perhaps it is because of
their connection with celebration and joy.
Traditional holidays, such as Chinese New
Year and the Dragon Boat Race, are frequently photographed, as we can see in
this exhibit. These pictures, in contrast to
the work scenes, are full of' action and
vitality, fully conveying the Chinese love of
celebration.
The theme of the old and the new is
repeated throughout the exhibit. For example, a scene showing a group of young
boys frolicking in the river with a small
herd of water buffaloes contrasts vividly
with one showing a team of young boys
playing baseball. The first reflects traditional China, the other modern China, but
both show commonplace activities. Both
the old and the new co-exist harmoniously
and are well integrated into China's overall
modernization efforts. Continuity and
tradition are important values to the
Chinese. Upon looking at the various
photographs, the American viewer should
pause to think that modern China with its
Folk Handicraftsman in the Streets of Chengdu
Photographer: Cheng Dong
different political system is perhaps not
quite so uniform and regimented as many
believe. In fact, the texture of Chinese life
is extremely rich and exciting both in its
present developments and its respect for
the past.
Chinese photographers today appear to
underline the importance of social tran quility and everyday life. This is in marked
contrast to photographic trends a decade
ago. Today, we often see photographs of
ordinary people and ordinary events. Instead of presenting us with their famous
political leaders in a moment of history,
they now show us a group of young
children jogging alongside a warm and
kind-looking elderly gentleman. These are
not grand figures, but rather some very
real people engaged in a perfectly ordinary
activity.
This is precisely the value of exchanges
such as this one: ordinary people speaking
directly to other ordinary people. We can
only begin to understand the vast country
of China through the small details of
everyday life that touch all of us. We can
only appreciate a different perspective
through seeing it. If this exhibit has succeeded in making its audience feel a little
closer to the Sichuan people half a world
away, made you curious to learn more
about China and Sichuan Province, then it
has succeeded indeed.
Introduction to Sichuan Province
Sichuan Province is situated in the
southwest part of China, on the upper
reaches of the Yangtze River. Its size is
more than five times the size of
Washington State, and its population is
slightly under 100 million , making it the
most populous province in China. In addition to the ethnic Han Chinese, there are
fourteen minority nationalities in the province. Blessed with a temperate climate and
rich resources, Sichuan Province is traditionally known as the "Land of Abundance." We of course are most familiar
with the province for its famous hot and
spicy cuisine. The beloved giant panda,
now under world wildlife preservation efforts, is native to this area.
The province's topography is dominated
by two features-the eastern and central
Sichuan basin, and the western Sichuan
The Three Gorges on the Changjiang (Yangtze) River
Photographer: Qiao Debing
plateau. Within the basin, the Chengdu
plain is the largest in southwest China and
is a major producer of grain and oilbearing crops. Chengdu is also the capital
of Sichuan Province. The other important
city is Chongqing, Seattle's "friendship
city." Chongqing was recently given administrative status as a municipality encompassing twelve smaller cities and counties
with a combined population of around 14
million people, making it the largest
metropolis in China and the third largest
in the world. More importantly, Chongqing now has economic powers equivalent
to that of provinces and municipalities,
with the authority to conduct its own
foreign trade and economic relations.
Historically, Sichuan is one of the
earliest developed provinces in China.
During the Spring and Autumn Period
(722 B.C.-481 B.C.), it was known as the
Kingdoms of Ba and Shu. Even early on,
the area was an important center of trade,
especially in silk and brocade. Today, the
ancient tradition of silk embroidery in the
province is still called shu embroidery.
Sichuan's agriculture occupies an important place in China. Its grain output,
particularly in rice and wheat, is about
one-tenth of the country's total, ranking
first among China's provinces. The
Chengdu plain is one of the richest
agricultural areas in China. Today, it IS
still watered by the Dujiangyen Irrigation
System, an engineering marvel built more
than 2000 years ago. Other key agricultural products are rapeseed, maize (corn),
sweet potatoes, sugar cane, tung oil, citrus,
tea, and medicinal herbs.
Sichuan is also rich in forest resources
and is one of the three major forest zones
in China. Much of the province, especially
the northwest, is undergoing major
reforestation efforts. In the area of animal
husbandry, it ranks number one in China
in hog raising. As one of the five major
pastoral lands in China, the western
plateau is also suitable for herding horses,
yaks, sheep, goats, and other animals. Ferrous and non-ferrous mineral resources
abound in this province. These include
coal, phosphate and iron ore deposits, copper, aluminum, and lead. Sichuan also has
one of the largest natural gas deposits in
China.
In commerce, foreign trade, and industry, Sichuan is particularly strong in
the production of light and heavy
machinery, metal fabrication, chemicals,
textiles, silks, garments, leather, processed
foods, and a broad range of native handicraft items. Like much of China, it is
engaging in major modernization efforts.
The result is a dynamic blend of ancient
industrial traditions and modern technological developments. In 1978, the province
was selected by the central government as
a testing ground for economic reforms
within China. Since then, Sichuan has
taken great strides in expanding its trade
with foreign countries and improving its
own economy.
Modern Sichuan is now linked with
other parts of the province and China by a
network of railways and highways. The
Yangtze River is its main artery and serves
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Dragon Boat Race on the Traditional Double-Fifth Festival
Photographer: Zhou Qinsong
as the major inland water transportation
together with more than 400 other rivers
of various sizes.
The scenery in Sichuan Province is well
known throughout Chinese history. Since it
was only opened to foreign tourism in
1978, many places have yet to be discovered by foreign travellers. Some of the
famous spots include the river excursion
through the historic Three Gorges of the
Yangtze River, the ancient Dujiangyen Irrigation System on the Chengdu plain, the
Great Buddha of Leshan, the spectacular
Mt. Emei (often depicted by Chinese
painters), the Thatched Cottage of the
famous Tang dynasty poet Du Fu, the
recently opened Buddhist wall carvings
and sculptures of Dazu, and the Baoguang
(Precious Light) Monastery and Pagoda
near Chengdu .
Acknowledgements
The Sichuan Photography ex hibition has been
made possible by the generous support of
First Interstate Bank of Washington , with
partial funding by Washington
Commission for the Humanities.
A Washington State
Cultural Exchange Program
Other supporting organizations include:
Washington State Department of Commerce
and Economic Development; The Evergreen
State College; Washington State China Rela tions Council; and Pacific Science Center
(Seattle). Special thanks to the Sichuan branches of the Chinese People's Association for
Friendship With Foreign Countries and Chin;
Photographer's Association.
Curator for the Sichuan Photography exhibition was Sid White, Director of Evergreen
Galleries, The Evergreen State College,
and Exhibit Touring Services of Washington State. Cultural interpretation for
the exhibit was prepared by Mitzi Hu,
International Trade Specialist and China
Exchange Coordinator, Washington State
Department of Commerce and Economic
Development.
Exhibit
Touring
Services
W;s shington State
This exhib it ion is circulated by Exhibit Touring
Serv ices, a consortium of public and non·profit
ex hibiting organizations, w ith primary funding from
the Washington State Arts Commission. For further
information contact ETS Director, The Evergreen State
College, Olympia, Washington 98505, (206) 866-6000,
ext. 6062/6075.
