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“BEIJING: ANCIENT CITY, MODERN CITY” OPENS AT NYS MUSEUM OCT. 1ST

ALBANY, NY – A glimpse of life in China’s capital city, many centuries ago and today, is the subject of a photography exhibition open at the New York State Museum October 1st to December 31st.

The exhibition, Beijing: Ancient City, Modern City, coincides with the national convention of the US -China Peoples Friendship Association (USCPFA) being held in Schenectady Oct. 7-10. The exhibition of photographs by the Beijing Photographers Association (BPA) is also made possible by the USCPFA.

The prospects of China entering the World Trade Organization and that country’s bid to host the 2008 Olympics have brought Beijing into the spotlight in recent years. But its structures and social customs have stood for thousands of years.

The collection, made up of 34 photographs, defines Beijing as an ancient city and modern metropolis. The work is arranged by theme. A section titled “View from the Old Days’’ provides a “tour’’ of buildings and other structures dating back nearly 1,000 years. The Lugou (Marco Polo) Bridge was built in 1189 and was personally inscribed by Emperor Quinlong. A relative newcomer, Yonghe Palace has stood since the Kangxi reign in 1694 and remains among the most well-preserved Lama temples in the nation. The Drum Tower, completed in 1420, sounded a drumbeat hourly through the Ming and Qing periods.

The section titled “Customs of Beijing’’ acquaints viewers with the cultural life that continues to thrive within the ancient structures. A photograph titled Xiao Hua Lian, for “face painting,’’ demonstrates the vivid use of paint to depict characters in Peking opera. Photographs depicting shuttlecock kicking, papercut and dough sculpture pay homage to the folk art and recreational activities Chinese continue to engage in.

The photographs also present a view of the lively city life. The many accents of Beijing vendors fill the air at Wangfujing Snack Street, a market for foods from all over the country. Taking the Bride Home shows the preferred mode of transportation, the bicycle, which is used even in the traditional wedding ceremony.

The BPA is well recognized in China, where they have won many photography competitions. Their work also has been exhibited worldwide.

The USCPFA is a non-profit, educational organization whose goal is to strengthen friendship

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understanding between peoples of the United States and China. It was founded in 1974 and has more than
2,000 members in 50 affiliated chapters. The Northeast New York (Albany) chapter assists approximately 600 Chinese students and scholars studying in the Capital Region annually. Further information is available at www.uscpfany.org.

The New York State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education. Started in 1836, the museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the United States. The state museum is located on Madison Avenue in Albany. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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