Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Clem Russell China Photograph Collection, 1930-1932
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Russell, Clem
- Title
- Clem Russell China Photograph Collection
- Dates
- 1930-1932 (inclusive)19301932
- Quantity
- 218 photographic prints (1 box)
- Collection Number
- PH0691
- Summary
- Photographs of China collected by Private Clem D. Russell United States Marine Corps while he was stationed in Beiping (now Beijing)
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Clem D. Russell was born in 1912. When he was 17, he and his older brother, Rollie, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. They were stationed in Beiping (now Beijing), China from 1930-1932. Clem was a member of the 62nd Company Legation Guard, and Rollie was a member of the band. Clem’s memoir, “The China Marine,” contains stories about prostitutes, drugs, and diseases in Asia and the Pacific. After serving in China, Clem and Rollie had a falling out over an executioner’s knife and a silk shawl. Clem was sent to Quantico, Virginia, and Rollie was sent to San Diego, California. In 1933, Clem married Lucille E. Mattern and left the Marine Corps. In 1937, he joined the Marine Corps League and was an active member for many years. He was an amateur Marine Corps historian and donated many items to the Marine Corps University archives in Quantico, Virginia. In 1977, the Chinese government awarded him the Chinese War Memorial Medal.
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
In 1917, Sun Yat Sen ended centuries of imperial rule in China and ushered in the Nationalist Period. In 1924, Puyi, the last emperor of China, was expelled from his home in the Forbidden City. In 1928, Chiang Kai Shek turned Beijing into Beiping by moving the capital to Nanjing (the word "jing" means capital). By the early 1930s, China had gone through many changes. However, the Japanese invasion during the second Sino-Japanese war had not yet occurred and Mao Zedong had not yet come to power. By the end of the twentieth century, many landmarks and cultural traditions documented in this collection were gone or dramatically altered.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains 203 photographs of China in the early 1930s when Private Clem D. Russell was stationed in Beiping (now Beijing). Most of these photos are of Beiping and the surrounding areas of northeast China. This collection also contains 14 photographs of Art Deco paintings of young attractive Chinese women and one photo postcard of Hong Kong.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
View selections from the collection in digital format
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions might exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the repository for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
ChinaReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Tartar Wall and gates, Beiping (now Beijing), China |
circa 1930-1932 | ||
Folder | item | ||
1 | 1 | Tartar Wall |
circa 1930-1932 |
1 | 2 | circa 1930-1932 | |
1 | 3 | Hatamen Street |
circa 1930-1932 |
1 | 4 | Hopingmen from Tartar Wall |
circa 1930-1932 |
1 | 5 | Chienmen from Tartar Wall |
circa 1930-1932 |
1 | 6 | circa 1930-1932 | |
1 | 7 | circa 1930-1932 | |
1 | 8 |
Chienmen Station
"It is my understanding that this station is no longer there. The new station is located about where the old YMCA was. The new station has the largest waiting room in the world."
|
circa 1930-1932 |
1 | 9 | 1932 | |
1 | 10 | Chienmen |
circa 1930-1932 |
1 | 11 | Chienmen from Tartar Wall |
circa 1930-1932 |
Legations, Beiping (now Beijing), China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
2 | 12-13 | Entrance to Italian Legation |
1931 |
2 | 14 | Entrance to British Military Compound |
1931 |
Forbidden City, Beiping (now Beijing), China |
circa 1930-1932 | ||
Folder | item | ||
3 | 15-16 | circa 1930-1932 | |
3 | 17 | Forbidden City from Coal Hill |
circa 1930-1932 |
3 | 18-19 | Thrown Hill |
circa 1930-1932 |
3 | 20-22 | Wall of Forbidden City |
circa 1930-1932 |
4 | 23-27 | circa 1930-1932 | |
4 | 28-30 | circa 1930-1932 | |
5 | 31 | Courtyard |
circa 1930-1932 |
5 | 32 | Gate to inner courtyard |
circa 1930-1932 |
5 | 33 | Rollie Russell, Clem's brother, in Forbidden City |
circa 1930-1932 |
5 | 34-36 | circa 1930-1932 | |
Yenching University, Beiping (now Beijing), China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
6 | 37 | Building at Yenching University
"Three American and one English mission support the University."
|
circa 1930-1932 |
Miscellaneous, Beiping, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
7 | 38 | Gate |
circa 1930-1932 |
7 | 39 | Pagoda |
circa 1930-1932 |
7 | 40 | Temple |
circa 1930-1932 |
7 | 41-43 | circa 1930-1932 | |
Temple of Heaven, Beiping, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
8 | 44-47 | Temple of Agriculture
"Here the Emperor offered sacrifice to Shen Nung, the prehistoric ruler to whom the temple is dedicated and who was the first agriculturalist. The altars here are square 'as the earth is square.'"
|
circa 1930-1932 |
8 | 48-49 | Temple of Tablets |
circa 1930-1932 |
8 | 50-51 | Temple of the Sun |
circa 1930-1932 |
9 | 52-55 | circa 1930-1932 | |
9 | 56-58 | circa 1930-1932 | |
Summer Palace, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
10 | 59-65 | circa 1930-1932 | |
10 | 66 | Round window at Summer Palace |
circa 1930-1932 |
10 | 67 | Tablet at Summer Palace |
circa 1930-1932 |
11 | 68-70 | Bridge of Seventeen Arches
"The 'Seventeen Arches Bridge' connects the east shore of the lake with the island. On the island is the 'Dragon Temple.'"
|
circa 1930-1932 |
11 | 71-76 | Lake
"The name of the hill [of the Summer Palace across the lake] is 'the Mountain of Eternity.' On the left is the 'Temple of the Clouds' and on the right is 'Temple of 5,000 Buddhas.'"
|
circa 1930-1932 |
11 | 77-78 | circa 1930-1932 | |
11 | 79 | Teahouse near Marble Boat |
circa 1930-1932 |
12 | 80-85 | circa 1930-1932 | |
12 | 86 | Temple of 5,000 Buddhas |
circa 1930-1932 |
13 | 87-91 | Jade Fountain Pagoda |
circa 1930-1932 |
13 | 92-94 | circa 1930-1932 | |
13 | 95-97 | Camel-Back Bridge
"'Camel-Back Bridge'...spans the canal that supplies the lake with water from the Jade Fountain."
|
circa 1930-1932 |
Winter Palace (Beihai Park), Beiping (now Beijing), China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
14 | 98-99 | Bridge of 1,000 Years |
circa 1930-1932 |
14 | 100-104 | circa 1930-1932 | |
14 | 105-108 | Great White Dagoba and North Lake |
circa 1930-1932 |
14 | 109 | Steps to Great White Dagoba |
circa 1930-1932 |
15 | 110-111 |
Dragon screen
"'Spirit Wall' called the Dragon Screen, made of glazed tile with figures of dragons in relief."
|
circa 1930-1932 |
15 | 112 | Rock grottos on South Lake |
circa 1930-1932 |
15 | 113 | Boat on South Lake |
circa 1930-1932 |
15 | 114 | circa 1930-1932 | |
15 | 115 | Courtyard |
circa 1930-1932 |
15 | 116 | Bridge |
circa 1930-1932 |
15 | 117-122 | Winter Palace (Beihai Park) |
circa 1930-1932 |
Lama Temple (Yonghegong), Beiping (now Beijing), China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
16 | 123 | Buddha at Lama Temple |
circa 1930-1932 |
Hall of Classics, Beiping (now Beijing), China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
17 | 124 | Gate leading to Hall of Classics |
circa 1930-1932 |
Temple of Confucius, Beiping (now Beijing), China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
18 | 125 | circa 1930-1932 | |
Troop train, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
19 | 126 | circa 1930-1932 | |
19 | 127 | Chinese Troop Train |
1930 |
Ming Tombs and Sacred Way, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
20 | 128 | circa 1930-1932 | |
20 | 129 | circa 1930-1932 | |
20 | 130 | Stone qilin |
circa 1930-1932 |
20 | 131 | Stone camel |
circa 1930-1932 |
20 | 132 | Stone horse |
circa 1930-1932 |
20 | 133 | circa 1930-1932 | |
20 | 134 | Stone official |
circa 1930-1932 |
20 | 135 | Stone general |
circa 1930-1932 |
20 | 136 | Tablet |
circa 1930-1932 |
20 | 137-139 | circa 1930-1932 | |
20 | 140 | Ming tombs |
circa 1930-1932 |
20 | 141 | Tomb of Yung Lo
"This is the 'Soul Tower.' Beyond the tower is the sealed chamber containing the body of the Emperor."
|
circa 1930-1932 |
Great Wall, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
21 | 142 | Station for Great Wall |
circa 1930-1932 |
21 | 143 | 1931 | |
21 | 144-145 | Marines at Great Wall |
1931 |
21 | 146-149 | circa 1930-1932 | |
Hills west of Beiping, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
22 | 150 | Western Hills |
circa 1930-1932 |
22 | 151 | Road to Western Hills |
circa 1930-1932 |
22 | 152 | Pagoda |
circa 1930-1932 |
22 | 153 | Temple |
circa 1930-1932 |
22 | 154-155 | Hotel |
1932 |
22 | 156 | Pailou near Western Hills |
circa 1930-1932 |
Hong Kong, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
23 | 157 | Star Ferry |
1932 |
23 | 158 | Hong Kong chair |
1932 |
Miscellaneous people, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
24 | 159 | Men and boats |
circa 1930-1932 |
24 | 160 | People and buildings |
circa 1930-1932 |
24 | 161 | Man washing turnips |
circa 1930-1932 |
24 | 162 | Men along road |
circa 1930-1932 |
24 | 163 | circa 1930-1932 | |
24 | 164 | Child and well |
circa 1930-1932 |
24 | 165 | Men in uniform and pack animals |
circa 1930-1932 |
24 | 166 | Men working on train track |
circa 1930-1932 |
24 | 167 | Man in uniform and stone lion |
circa 1930-1932 |
24 | 168 | Men on street |
circa 1930-1932 |
25 | 169 | Funeral procession |
circa 1930-1932 |
25 | 170 | circa 1930-1932 | |
25 | 171 | Children |
circa 1930-1932 |
25 | 172 | Girl |
circa 1930-1932 |
25 | 173 | circa 1930-1932 | |
25 | 174 | Men and carts |
circa 1930-1932 |
25 | 175 | Men |
circa 1930-1932 |
25 | 176 | circa 1930-1932 | |
25 | 177 | Woman and child |
circa 1930-1932 |
25 | 178 | People traveling |
circa 1930-1932 |
26 | 179-183 | Men and carts |
circa 1930-1932 |
26 | 184 | circa 1930-1932 | |
26 | 185 | circa 1930-1932 | |
26 | 186-188 | circa 1930-1932 | |
27 | 189 | Men in uniform |
circa 1930-1932 |
27 | 190 | Men, children, and donkey |
circa 1930-1932 |
27 | 191 | Street seller |
circa 1930-1932 |
27 | 192 | Men and train between Tientsin and Beiping (now Beijing) |
circa 1930-1932 |
Miscellaneous structures, China |
|||
Folder | item | ||
28 | 193 | Buildings and Pailou |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 194 | Construction |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 195 | Pagoda |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 196 | Pailau |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 197 | Reception hall for the royal residences |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 198 | Burial site of a Chinese official |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 199 | Tablet with lion |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 200 | Bell |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 201 | Building through arch |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 202 | Tablet with dragons |
circa 1930-1932 |
28 | 203 | Watch tower |
circa 1930-1932 |
Photographs of art deco paintings of Chinese womenReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Folder | item | ||
29 | 204-217 | undated |
Photo postcard of Hong KongReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Folder | item | ||
30 | 218 | undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Art deco--China--Photographs
- China--History--Photographs
- Great Wall of China (China)--Photographs
- Ming Tombs (China)--Photographs
- Palaces--China--Beijing--Photographs
- Stūpas--Photographs
- Temples--China--Beijing--Photographs
Geographical Names
- Beijing (China)--Photographs
- China--Photographs
Form or Genre Terms
- Photographic prints
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)