While much of the world is celebrating Marty McFly coming back to the future on October 21, 2015, some of us are taking a look back to the past. A Chinese newspaper recently republished a batch of famous photos by French photographer Louis-Philippe Messelier depicting 1930s Shanghai, bringing them back into the limelight.
In the 1930s, Louis-Philippe Messelier, a French teenager, journeyed to the Far East working a double-career in wool trade and journalism for the French Journal of Shanghai. Through his work he captured hundreds of pictures of the exotic charm of the back streets of Shanghai and also the daily lives of the average citizens.
While this is no DeLorean, here’s a chance to be taken back in history through a different kind of time machine.
▼ Junks on the Huang-pu River
▼ An old man eating noodles in his shop
▼ A duck farmer in the outskirts of the city
▼ A religious dignitary being taken around the city
▼ A group of men playing mahjong
▼ A snake charmer performs for a crowd.
▼ Fuzhou Street
▼ Performers in a street theater
▼ Shanghai was a destination for Japanese travelers as well.
▼ Fashionable people at the racecourse
▼ Shanghai’s been a busy place for quite a while!
We see and hear a lot about Shanghai in the news these days, being the still-growing metropolis that it is. However, it’s nice to get a glimpse of the Shanghai of nearly a century ago too. While many things have changed, it still retains much of its charm and culture that was so evident in the 1930s.
Source: Photography of China via Shanghaiist
Images: Photography of China, NetEase
World’s largest retail LEGO store to open just outside of Shanghai Disneyland Park in June
2015 Chinese Dream Calendar comes true! 12 whole months of Xi Jinping and his wife waving
Shanghai singletons revolt against Valentine’s Day, buy up all odd-number movie seats
Rumour: Sony and major Chinese investor in talks re: bringing PlayStation 4 to China
Starbucks opens its second Roastery, the biggest Starbucks coffee shop yet, in Shanghai
Black Thunder has a luxurious cousin few have ever heard of【Taste test】
Studio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fans
7-Eleven Japan releases fukubukuro lucky bags filled with convenience store surprises
Churros at Japanese family restaurant chain are designed to enslave you
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Do cold noodles from a Japanese vending machine fill us with joy or regret?
Kyoto green onion theft victim becomes Kyoto green onion thief
Celebrating Good Couple’s Day in Japan…by getting our significant others to dress us
What are Japan’s best, and most unique, regional rice balls?
How merry is Starbucks Japan’s new Merry Cream holiday Frappuccino?
Berserk T-shirts coming to Uniqlo for launch of new Manga Curation line【Photos】
Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke teams up with Foxfire for outdoor apparel collaboration【Photos】
Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】
Taking the Kyoto overnight bus for the first time
Yakuza vending machines coming to real-world Tokyo neighborhood that inspired Like a Dragon games
Starbucks Japan reveals new holiday goods for the 2024 festive season
Nintendo’s controller capsule toys are so cool, even the machine you buy them from is awesome【Pics】
Tokyo Disneyland loses top-attendance crown for Japanese theme parks for second year in a row
Ghibli Park debuts first winter illumination display with Howl’s Moving Castle theme
Pringles releases a limited-edition sweet flavour in Japan
Sanrio and magical girl anime PreCure join forces for new merch line【Photos】
Japanese job-quitting service contacted by other job-quitting service because employee wants to quit
After cancelling Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood cancels New Year’s Eve too
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Paris Hilton gets stuck in a crowded elevator in China, praises her savior【Video】
Book your plane tickets now: Shanghai’s official Hello Kitty restaurant looks amazing!
Chinese bank teller becomes internet sensation for belly laughing at knife-wielding robber【Video】
Man flips out on train after being confronted for his rude behavior【Video】
Chinese businessman sets his sights on driving Disney Resort out of Shanghai
It opens next year?! We go to the Shanghai Disneyland site, find a lonely river in a field
Costco opened its first store in China, and things immediately got crazy【Video】
Shanghai Disneyland to feature Chinese elements and the largest castle ever, opens spring 2016
Korean idol unit trots on stage in matching skirts and what look like pseudo-Nazi armbands
Police respond to explosion, suspected bombing at Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo
China’s “paper building” looks like it would topple over if we pushed hard enough
Taking the joke too far? Bloodied zombie subway prank in Shanghai raises eyebrows
Buildings in China slowly collide, shoddy worksmanship suspected
16 tourist spots that China ripped off from the rest of the world
Leave a Reply