Business Documents portrays the social and economic development of Tianjin-a major city in northern China-between the 1860s and the 1910s through 500-plus photographed color documents, including trademarks, business firm seals, stock certificates, bank drafts, transportation passes, contracts, bills, stamps, and envelops.
Rivers and Sites is a collection of seven color maps of water courses taken from ancient books such as A Compendium on Harnessing Rivers (1703), covering the Grand Canal, the Yellow River, and rivers in today's Hebei province. Apart from these, three more ancient maps are also included on the emperor's temporary dwelling palaces, batteries, and other historical sites.
Old Manchu Capital features paintings and photographs about Shenyang-the old capital of the Qing Dynasty-ranging from city walls, mausoleums, and war remains to places of worship and cultural sites.
Manchurian Railway records, through 500 photographs, the early stage of the Manchurian Railway (1906-1911), covering its operations along the railway and in its accessory lands and providing a unique perspective of studying the history of Chinese-Japanese relations during the late Qing period.
All the pictorial materials collected in these titles are first-hand resources which present vividly the political, economic, military, and cultural landscapes of China during the Qing Dynasty. They are of exceptional academic value.