How has China changed in the last hundred years

Graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, director of the startup Robby Technologies Dcrime Venkatraman decided to check how fast people change the appearance of cities. He found in different sources of vintage photos of China and drove in places that were depicted on them to replace from the same angle. And then compare. Black and white color chose to distract the attention of the audience from bright street pointers and other minor objects and enable to focus on larger changes.

Wencatransman’s works have shown that, on the one hand, the city can change a lot in just a couple of decades. On the other, the mountains and rivers remain the same, being a kind of reminder that a person is still weak in front of nature. Some project photos can be selected in this selection.

It’s hard to believe, but a hundred years ago Shanghai was a little fishing village. Today it is the largest seaport, the most populated city in the world, as well as an important financial and cultural center of the country. It is the view from the embankment, shown in the pictures, is the Shanghai business card: skyscrapers, television «Eastern Pearl» and the building of the World Financial Center height 492 m. (Left: approximately 1920. Right: 2009)

Since Lanzhou was an important stopping point on the Great Silk Road, according to his Bridge Zhongshan, perched across the Juanhe River, camel caravans often. They met at the beginning of the 20th century. And now they can be seen except in stone. Yes, and that is not here, and in the Park Binshe, located in the north of the city. People walk along the bridge, and it still remains one of Lanzhou’s most significant facilities. (Left: 1910. Right: 2016)

The city of Chengdu began his rich history in the IV century BC.NS. and became the administrative center of Sichuan Province in the second half of the XVII century. His feature is that the most ancient monuments are surrounded by modern highlights. However, everything looks pretty organic. By the way, in Chengdu is the only breeding nursery in the world in the world. (Left: 1994. Right: 2016)

Unfortunately, in Uhana — Center of Hubei Province, located in the confluence of the Yangtze Rivers and Hansui, floods are not uncommon. But it is thanks to waterways in the XVIII century, Wuhan became one of the leading shopping cities of the country. The main export article was the tea that was supplied primarily to China and Mongolia. Today there are many shops here, but trading is not so foolo, as a century ago. (Left: 1931. Right: 2016)

Nanjing Street in Shanghai — This is a paradise for tourists and shopaholics. Currently, its large part — Pedestrian. But it was not always so. From 1908 along the entire length of the street, tramways were laid, and the tram was carried by passengers to the temple of Jinganis. A ticket to the third class cost cheaper and wishing to drive them at the peak hours there was so much that the conductor had to push people and lock them with a grill so that no one feels on the go. (Left: 1940. Right: 2016)

Ibin is often called «First city» On the Yangtze River. At first he was famous for the center of handicrafts, and then the industry began to develop here. And in less than a hundred years the settlement transformed beyond recognition. Today Ibin — This is the largest producer of a liqueur in China. (Right: 1940. Right: 2016)

It is believed that for the first time the Chinese got acquainted with Christianity in the VII century. And in the middle of the XIX century, together with European traders, preachers from Europe and the USA rushed. In 1875, a northern Catholic Church was built in Guyian, which is still. (Left: 1920. Right: 2016)

For a long time Lanzhou was a fortress city. And now, thanks to the successful location, this is a key transportation unit between the Western and Eastern settlements of China. Centuries turned out to be enough for Lanzhou radically changed. Time not touched only the mountains and the Juanhe River. (Left: 1930. Right: 2016)

Lake Sihu is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in China, as well as a calling card Hangzhou. This in its surroundings grown the famous Longjin tea, which is a kind of green. Only if earlier the lake was a little west of the city, now is located right in his center. But the mountains in the background remained the same. (Left: 1900, right: 2016)

In 1862, British architects built a customs building in Uhana. It is still in the same place. True, no longer defines the line of the horizon, since skyscrapers are now towers over the old part of the city. Yes, and inside is no longer customs, but a museum. (Left: 1927. Right: 2016)

In addition to the Great Silk Road, there was an alternative — Sea, which started from the port of Guangzhou in the mouth of Zhujiang, also known as a pearl river. Called it so because the main fishery of these places was always the mining of pearls. For a long time Guangzhou was the only harbor in China, where it was allowed to go shopping ships from Europe. Currently, it is, of course, not so, but the port remains one of the largest in the country. (Left: 1970. Right: 2016)

Wuhan called «city ​​of hundred lakes». All because there are 166 lakes on its territory, and this is about a quarter of the city square. It is not surprising that water walks in the parks were spread still half a century ago. With the exception of the forms of boats, has not changed since. (Left: 1960. Right: 2016)