People of Western China
People of Western China is a short film from 1940 released on 16mm. It is held in the Prelinger Archives collection.
Contents. The life and work of the people who live in a valley in western China.
Chengtu lies cradled between lofty chains of mountains. There are views of its ancient wall, its temples and tombs, and its streets.
Outside the city the farmers cultivate their land as they have for centuries. An ancient irrigation system planned by Li Ping 2,000 years ago is still in use. Grain is made into flour in an old mill using water for power. Rice is hulled with apparatus ancient in design. The products of the farm are offered for sale in the markets of the city.
Following views of bamboo growing in a clump, the many uses of this product are indicated -- the making of furniture, household utensils, rope, sedan chairs, bridges, etc.
Some of the ancient crafts of China are pictured. As a potter is shown at work, the commentator says that the potter's wheels revolved during the classic dynasties of Tang and Sung and Ming. A silversmith works at his ancient trade. As silk weavers are shown, the commentator says that a legend claims that the Chinese have been weaving silk for over 4,000 years. Rich silk fabrics are displayed in the shops of the city. There are views of the mulberry trees on which the silkworms feed.
Modern science is changing the ancient ways of life. Modern electric power has brought with it the telephone, the electric light, and the motion picture projector. The Chinese farmer working in his fields sees modern automobiles and airplanes. Modern medical science replaces the herb doctor.
Appraisal. Good for (1) showing an ancient city located in western China, (2) indicating the agricultural practices of farmers in western China, and (3) showing the ancient handicrafts of that country. Should be useful in developing an appreciation of the antiquity of Chinese civilization and in indicating the influence of modern inventions on the Chinese way of life.
A sequence showing the many uses for bamboo suggests the ingenuity of the people in adapting an abundant native product to their needs. Although the film does not specifically mention the effect of the Japanese invasion, it can very well be used as background material for a study of that action.
Photography and sound are excellent.
19:48:30:00 People of Western China 14337
19:49:01:00 wide shot of pagoda surrounded by smaller thatched buildings (19:49:05:00) 19:49:18:00 wide shot from mountain over looking temple (19:49:24:00) 19:49:25:00 med wide shot of goats climbing on some sort of ancient structure 19:49:27:00 MCU pan of ancient tomb structure (19:49:32:00) 19:49:40:00 wide shot of open gate in old city wall - people coming toward camera in carts drawn by other people (19:49:48:00) 19:49:49:00 med shot of busy market street 19:49:52:00 another shot of busy market street 19:49:58:00 intersection of street and long boulevard - carts and bicycles (19:50:06:00)
19:50:07:00 wide shot from above of city square (19:50:13:00) 19:50:14:00 med shot of plowing with oxen 19:50:23:00 med shot of people planting rice? 19:50:28:00 shots of extremely old mill/irrigation apparatus 19:50:44:00 med wide shot of people crossing through rice paddies 19:51:03:00 CU pan of 2,000 year old map of rivers, irrigation system (19:51:17:00) 19:51:23:00 med shot of two men working in fields - mountains in background (19:51:27:00) 19:51:28:00 sequence of shots of water-driven mill 19:51:47:00 men hulling grain with ancient apparatus 19:52:14:00 med wide shot of street with vegetable markets 19:52:40:00 CU of bamboo plants (19:52:44:00) scenes of bamboo harvesting 19:53:10:00 MCU of household furnishings made from bamboo 19:53:31:00 CU of plates of food, hand with chopsticks 19:53:34:00 MCU family eating 19:53:47:00 wide shot of bridge built from bamboo 19:53:58:00 nice med wide shot of man crossing bamboo bridge over river toward distant landscape (19:54:02:00) 19:54:06:00 MCU of 2 men smoking long narrow bamboo pipes - dressed in cliche Chinese outfits with paintings in background several CU pans - sequence ends (19:54:23:00) 19:54:24:00 MCU of man making clay pot on pottery wheel 19:54:33:00 CU of hands making pot on wheel (19:54:54:00) 19:55:00:00 silversmiths working 19:55:07:00 CU of silver pots, ornaments, men working 19:55:29:00 silk manufacturing 19:55:37:00 MCU man working at loom 19:55:44:00 CU of loom in action (19:55:51:00) 19:55:56:00 CU of hands displaying silk cloth 19:55:59:00 ladies examining silk 19:56:10:00 med shot of plants that feed silk worm 19:56:16:00 fade in men cross footbridge over mountain stream 19:56:26:00 med shot - men carry baskets past traditional water wheels 19:56:33:00 med shot - white man walking past dark machines covered with dials 19:56:40:00 MCU of white man pulling lever of some sort - hydroelectric plant 19:56:44:00 MCU of Chinese man working in hydroelectric plant 19:56:57:00 med shot - family eating dinner with electric light over table 19:57:07:00 older Chinese man using telephone classroom scene 19:57:25:00 med shot of man planting seeds 19:57:30:00 wide shot of hills with bus traveling down road 19:57:37:00 med shot of woman patient and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner somewhat patronizing and very long-winded voice-over about how the doctors may not have known exactly why the herbs worked, but somehow they did 19:58:06:00 CU over man s shoulder as he draws Chinese characters with brush (19:58:10:00) 19:58:11:00 CU of open boxes of herbs, scale - hands selecting, weighing(19:58:17:00) 19:58:20:00 med shot of Chinese man being x-rayed (19:58:28:00)
19:58:39:00 wide shot of farm with many workers 19:58:45:00 med shot of carts pulled by people, people riding bicycles (19:58:52:00) 19:58:53:00 wide shot of ancient wall- looks similar to Great Wall (19:58:56:00) 19:58:57:00 wide pan of landscape - looks either fake or not on focus 19:53:03:00 wide shot of mountains, river
(19:59:07:00)| People of Western China | |
|---|---|
| Produced by | ERPI Classroom Films, Inc. |
Production companies | ERPI Classroom Films, Inc. |
| Distributed by | ERPI Classroom Films, Inc. |
Release date | 1940 |
Running time | 10:32 |
| Language | English |
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