China might be the country that has changed faster than any other in human history. Beijing, as the capital, is a prime example of those rapid changes.
Beijing in the 70s is an utterly fascinating time when everything seemed so totally different from today, unrecognizable even.
Dongsi Santiao in the 70s
A collection of old black-and-white photos capturing Beijing around the 1970s is currently on exhibition at the Earthquake and Architectural Science Educational Museum. Initiated by the Urban Construction Archive, the exhibition aims to show the significant achievements Beijing has made in city construction over the past four decades since the Opening Up. The exhibited photos are divided into several categories.
One of the exhibited photos showing Jinyu Hutong
When I visited the other day, most of the audience at the exhibition were in their 60s or older. “It’s heartbreaking to look at the pictures of those hutongs that don’t exist any more,” I overheard one of them saying.
A photo showing Qianmen
Free entrance (ID card or passport needed); 9am-5pm Tuesday to Sunday daily until Aug 7, 2018; Earthquake and Architectural Science Educational Museaum (No.11 Hujing Donglu, Chaoyang district, 8437 2950).
Photos: Huang Chenkuang
