描述Kidnapped Girls, Foochow, China (1904) Attribution Unk (RESTORED) (4110877417).jpg |
Entitled: Kidnapped Girls, Foochow, China [1904] Attribution Unk [RESTORED] I did simple spot corrections, contrast and tonal adjustments and added a cool tone, similar to the old selenium effect on bromide paper.
The picture was found in the Edward Bangs Drew Collection held in the Harvard-Yenching Library of Harvard University. The accompanying information stated:
"Kidnapped girls, Foochow, Found hidden in a junk by customs inspector. These girls would have been sold for slaves. Chinese characters on mount, left of image." The info also stated that the scene was in Fuzhou, Fujian Sheng, China.
However, those Chinese characters printed on the mount tell a slightly different story:
"Kidnapped male and female children, totaling forty one, being held in foster homes, Lam Hing Lan Company, Recovered from ship in open seas. Customs detention of 23 kidnappers ."
If one examines the photograph closely, it become rather evident that several of the children are indeed, boys (by their clothing and hair styles). Only 27 of the supposed 41 child victims appear in the picture.
The selling of children into a life of servitude was not uncommon in China, as slaves were owned by many wealthy families. Poor families often looked upon it with a benign fatalism as a child sold into slavery was still better than a child starving to death. However, quite a few unscrupulous people kidnapped their neighbor's children to fuel this sad economy. The kidnapping and selling of children (and even adults) continues to be a lucrative business in China, to this day. |