By having his portrait photo taken every year, over 62 years, Ye Jinglyu has left humanity a fascinating chronicle of a mortal's lifetime. And it's a lifetime that spans the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, and "New China". Called "Insight to Self", the series has gone on display at the Fujian Museum.
By having his portrait photo taken every year, over 62 years, Ye Jinglyu has left humanity a fascinating chronicle of a mortal's lifetime.
Ye Jinglyu was born in 1881 in China's Fujian Province. At the age of 15, he went to London as a servant of Luo Fenglu, the Chinese Minister to great Britain. During his five years in London, Ye cultivated a love of photography and, from the ages of 27 to 88, regularly had his portrait taken every year.
"Every Spring Festival, he would show his photo albums to visitors, to see if there were any changes," said Ye Lin, his grandson.
In 2007, Ye's photos were found by collector Tong Bingxue.
By having his portrait photo taken every year, over 62 years, Ye Jinglyu has left humanity a fascinating chronicle of a mortal's lifetime.
"Taking portrait photos was a ritual for Ye Jinglyu. Each photo is like pressing the pause button so that he can take a look back at his life, as a summary, a reflection, and an outlook for the future," said Tong Bingxue, a collector.
Ye's photos have been exhibited in many Chinese cities, as well as the Kwangju Art Biennial in South Korea. But this is the first time the series has gone on display in Fuzhou, his hometown.
The exhibition runs until February the 29th, and admission is free.
