(Li Hongzhang took a photo with former US President Grant, shot by Liang Shitai, silver salt paper base, 24× 30cm, 1879, printed after 1894. )

Photography was introduced to China in 1840, and entered the palace and people from south to north, but I didn't know that this groundbreaking "strange skill and cunning" had an indissoluble bond with Tianjin.

(The shooting scene of the studio in those days. )

Cixi is a photography fan, and nearly a thousand photos of her are preserved in the Forbidden City. 1904, when the German Crown Prince came to China, Cixi entrusted a picture of "Comb your hair, wear clean clothes and take a round fan" to the German Queen, and "Huang Ting carried it and drove to Tianjin with Germany and Chu Jun".

(Portrait of Li Hongzhang, taken by Liang Shitai in the West Flower Hall of Li Hongzhang's Yamen, 1870. The inscription reads: "I was eight years old in the fourth year of Guangxu. On the seventh day of March in late spring, when I was in Kinmen, I took a photo in the West Flower Hall of Benya. Liang Shitai photo studio is a photo. " )

"The former thing is good, and the latter thing is bad." Duan Fang, governor of Zhili and minister of Beiyang, went abroad for inspection and brought back the first camera in Jincheng and learned to take pictures. He made many films when he was in office, and later he lost his official position because he hired someone to take pictures of Cixi's funeral.

(Liang Shitai's signature on the photo. )

The earliest photo studio in the north was born in Tianjin and was founded by Guangdong Liang Shitai on 1875. It is more than 20 years earlier than Beijing Fengtai Photo Studio, which is famous for shooting the Peking Opera Dingjun Mountain. Liang was well-known at that time, with the reputation of "coming from the south (Albania) and the northern beam". He took many photos in his life, and his early works spread in Europe and America. He was a pioneer in Tianjin photography.

(Left,1June 8, 879, the newspaper published a report about Liang Shitai taking pictures of Li Hongzhang and Grant. The picture on the right shows the photo of Prince Alcohol taken by Liang Shitai published in 1930 Beiyang Pictorial. The photo was taken at 1886. )

Speaking of Kai Liang's photo studio, there are anecdotes. One year, Yi Xuan, the Prince of Alcohol (Guangxu's father), came to Tianjin and lived in Guang Hai Temple. After daily convenience, the toilet is washed by Dagege. One day, Gege was washing buckets in the garden pool and was seen by Liang. He smelled the opportunity to please and paid tribute to his hospitality. Therefore, you must brush the toilet every morning. At that time, he learned photography well from Europeans, and there was no photo studio in Tianjin. Gege knew that she could take pictures, so she recommended it to her father and brought it back to Beijing. He served the "Prince of Alcohol" for more than 20 years, took many portraits of life and became a royal photographer.

(Above, Prince Yi Xuan and Fujin Yenara. The picture below shows the pavilion in the center of Qinchun Wangmi Lake. This photo album shot by Liang Shitai is now in America. )

His masterpiece is the photo of Prince Chun's 50th birthday, with vivid characters, exquisite lighting and props such as books, swords, tea and cigarettes, which is very artistic. Prince Chun was very happy when he saw it, and mounted an inscription on it, like a treasure. During this period, Liang made a lot of money. After returning to Tianjin, Liang Shitai opened a photo studio in Xinghua Village (now near Xiaobailou). There are thousands of photos, figures, landscapes, calligraphy and painting of Jinmen officials, which are really magnificent. 1885 was also invited by Prince Chun to take photos of Tianjin beiyang fleet, and was awarded.

(Above, indoor scenery photos, below, separated photos. )

In the early days, Liang Shitai's studio mostly used natural light and natural scenery to shoot. Later, it borrowed from the western setting method. "There is a white cloth to illuminate the tent curtain to measure the intensity of sunlight and shoot a black and white positive." There are also piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, many furnishings, fake trees and flowers, landscape terraces, all decorated at will, and the scene is wonderful. Liang learned the translation "The Wonder of the Shadow" which introduced European photography methods, and learned the skills of lighting and modeling, and became a master.

(Liang Shitai photo studio signboard. )

Liang introduced "high-tech" photography technology into Tianjin, which broadened people's horizons, updated people's concepts, enriched urban life with its vivid and quick effect superior to painting, and created a new industry with enviable profits. With its unique function, the photo studio extends its tentacles to all levels of society. The official case was put on file, and when the exam went abroad, he began to take photos to prove his identity and test the authenticity.

(Prince Gong Yixin, son of Daoguang, sixth brother of Emperor Xianfeng, known as "Ghost Six", photo by Liang Shitai)

Liang once photographed Ding, the company commander of Tianjin Town, the prefect of Beiyang Navy. Revolutionary party member, which organized political party associations, rallies and uprisings, also took photos and kept their lighting records. Sun Yat-sen, Kang Youwei and Tan Sitong all left such photos. The beauty of the famous actress Jiali is not only famous for the studio, but also caters to the aesthetic entertainment needs of the citizens. It is becoming a fashion for citizens to take photos when they get married, have birthdays, get together and leave. Li Moan's poem "Microphotography Calls for Truth, More Charming than Danqing" in "Photo Studio" expresses his praise for the contrast landform.

(Photo taken by Liang Shitai when Russian gunboat Suo Beier was in Tianjin, 1879. )

Liang Shitai Photo Studio pioneered Tianjin photography and promoted the development of Tianjin photography. 1903, Wang Shaoshan set up a "technical photography workshop" in Tianjin, and taught photography technology at the earliest. Photography is valued by the press. 1904, Oriental Magazine took the lead in distributing photos of Chinese and foreign celebrities to readers. During 1909, the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce held the "Nanyang Persuasion Meeting", and excellent photographic works were sent from all over the country to participate. Liu Zhiping's Portrait of Li Wenzhong, which was shot in Tianjin, won the silver prize. On the eve of Tianjin's liberation, there were more than 90 photo studios.

(Hong Kong Shen Bao's advertisement for Liang Shitai's photo studio. )

Regrettably, Liang Shitai's photo studio was later robbed in the Boxer War, which is regrettable.

(The eunuch director photographed by Liang Shitai)