Biographical Note

Historical Background

Scope and Content

Restrictions on Access

Restrictions on Use

Custodial History

Acquisition Info

Processing Info

Inventory   [ + ]

Subject Terms


Guide to the Clem Russell China Photograph Collection
1930-1932


PH Collection No.: 691
Creator: Russell, Clem, collector
Title: Clem Russell China Photograph Collection
Date Span: 1930-1932
Quantity: 218 photographic prints (1 box)
Location: K0195
Languages: Collection materials are in English.
Tartar Wall and Hatamen from Chienmen Station. Special Collections, UW Libraries, UW24526z



Biographical Note

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 Background

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.

Scope and Content

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.

Restrictions on Access

The collection is open to the public.

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions might exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the repository for details.

Custodial History

Clem Russell gave the collection to his friend, R. B. Jay.

Acquisition Info

R. B. Jay gave the collection to the East Asia Library in 2000. The East Asia Library transferred it to Special Collections in 2001.

Processing Info

Processed by Scott Forland, 2005.

Inventory

 
Folder Item Date
China
Tartar Wall and gates, Beiping (now Beijing), Chinacirca 1930-1932
11Tartar Wallcirca 1930-1932
2Observatory near Tungpienmen   View imagecirca 1930-1932
3Hatamen Streetcirca 1930-1932
4Hopingmen from Tartar Wallcirca 1930-1932
5Chienmen from Tartar Wallcirca 1930-1932
6Outdoor restaurant in Chienmen with two Marine Corps radio towers in background   View imagecirca 1930-1932
7Tartar Wall and Hatamen from Chienmen Station   View imagecirca 1930-1932
8Chienmen Station   View imagecirca 1930-1932
"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."
9Train arriving at Chienmen Station   View image1932
10Chienmencirca 1930-1932
11Chienmen from Tartar Wallcirca 1930-1932
Legations, Beiping (now Beijing), China
212-13Entrance to Italian Legation1931
14Entrance to British Military Compound1931
Forbidden City, Beiping (now Beijing), Chinacirca 1930-1932
315-16Forbidden City from Tartar Wall   View imagecirca 1930-1932
17Forbidden City from Coal Hillcirca 1930-1932
18-19Thrown Hillcirca 1930-1932
20-22Wall of Forbidden Citycirca 1930-1932
423-27Gilded lions   View imagecirca 1930-1932
28-30Incense burners   View imagecirca 1930-1932
531Courtyardcirca 1930-1932
32Gate to inner courtyardcirca 1930-1932
33Rollie Russell, Clem's brother, in Forbidden Citycirca 1930-1932
34-36Forbidden City   View imagecirca 1930-1932
Yenching University, Beiping (now Beijing), China
637Building at Yenching Universitycirca 1930-1932
"Three American and one English mission support the University."
Miscellaneous, Beiping, China
738Gatecirca 1930-1932
39Pagodacirca 1930-1932
40Templecirca 1930-1932
41-43Buildings (probably temples)   View imagecirca 1930-1932
Temple of Heaven, Beiping, China
844-47Temple of Agriculturecirca 1930-1932
"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.'"
48-49Temple of Tabletscirca 1930-1932
50-51Temple of the Suncirca 1930-1932
952-55Alter of Heaven   View imagecirca 1930-1932
56-58Temple of Heaven   View imagecirca 1930-1932
Summer Palace, China
1059-65Summer Palace   View imagecirca 1930-1932
66Round window at Summer Palacecirca 1930-1932
67Tablet at Summer Palacecirca 1930-1932
1168-70Bridge of Seventeen Archescirca 1930-1932
"The 'Seventeen Arches Bridge' connects the east shore of the lake with the island. On the island is the 'Dragon Temple.'"
71-76Lakecirca 1930-1932
"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.'"
77-78Marble Boat   View imagecirca 1930-1932
79Teahouse near Marble Boatcirca 1930-1932
1280-85Pagoda   View imagecirca 1930-1932
86Temple of 5,000 Buddhascirca 1930-1932
1387-91Jade Fountain Pagodacirca 1930-1932
92-94Temple of the Clouds   View imagecirca 1930-1932
95-97Camel-Back Bridgecirca 1930-1932
"'Camel-Back Bridge'...spans the canal that supplies the lake with water from the Jade Fountain."
Winter Palace (Beihai Park), Beiping (now Beijing), China
1498-99Bridge of 1,000 Yearscirca 1930-1932
100-104Great White Dagoba and Bridge of 1,000 Years   View imagecirca 1930-1932
105-108Great White Dagoba and North Lakecirca 1930-1932
109Steps to Great White Dagobacirca 1930-1932
15110-111Dragon screen   View imagecirca 1930-1932
"'Spirit Wall' called the Dragon Screen, made of glazed tile with figures of dragons in relief."
112Rock grottos on South Lakecirca 1930-1932
113Boat on South Lakecirca 1930-1932
114Stone Lion   View imagecirca 1930-1932
115Courtyardcirca 1930-1932
116Bridgecirca 1930-1932
117-122Winter Palace (Beihai Park)circa 1930-1932
Lama Temple (Yonghegong), Beiping (now Beijing), China
16123Buddha at Lama Templecirca 1930-1932
Hall of Classics, Beiping (now Beijing), China
17124Gate leading to Hall of Classicscirca 1930-1932
Temple of Confucius, Beiping (now Beijing), China
18125Gate leading to Temple of Confucius   View imagecirca 1930-1932
Troop train, China
19126Chinese Troop Train   View imagecirca 1930-1932
127Chinese Troop Train1930
Ming Tombs and Sacred Way, China
20128Great Pailou   View imagecirca 1930-1932
129Stone elephant   View imagecirca 1930-1932
130Stone qilincirca 1930-1932
131Stone camelcirca 1930-1932
132Stone horsecirca 1930-1932
133Sacred Way   View imagecirca 1930-1932
134Stone officialcirca 1930-1932
135Stone generalcirca 1930-1932
136Tabletcirca 1930-1932
137-139Burial site   View imagecirca 1930-1932
140Ming tombscirca 1930-1932
141Tomb of Yung Locirca 1930-1932
"This is the 'Soul Tower.' Beyond the tower is the sealed chamber containing the body of the Emperor."
Great Wall, China
21142Station for Great Wallcirca 1930-1932
143Marines on train to Great Wall   View image1931
144-145Marines at Great Wall1931
146-149Great Wall   View imagecirca 1930-1932
Hills west of Beiping, China
22150Western Hillscirca 1930-1932
151Road to Western Hillscirca 1930-1932
152Pagodacirca 1930-1932
153Templecirca 1930-1932
154-155Hotel1932
156Pailou near Western Hillscirca 1930-1932
Hong Kong, China
23157Star Ferry1932
158Hong Kong chair1932
Miscellaneous people, China
24159Men and boatscirca 1930-1932
160People and buildingscirca 1930-1932
161Man washing turnipscirca 1930-1932
162Men along roadcirca 1930-1932
163People selling grain   View imagecirca 1930-1932
164Child and wellcirca 1930-1932
165Men in uniform and pack animalscirca 1930-1932
166Men working on train trackcirca 1930-1932
167Man in uniform and stone lioncirca 1930-1932
168Men on streetcirca 1930-1932
25169Funeral processioncirca 1930-1932
170Procession   View imagecirca 1930-1932
171Childrencirca 1930-1932
172Girlcirca 1930-1932
173Barber and customer   View imagecirca 1930-1932
174Men and cartscirca 1930-1932
175Mencirca 1930-1932
176Man with Chinese violin   View imagecirca 1930-1932
177Woman and childcirca 1930-1932
178People travelingcirca 1930-1932
26179-183Men and cartscirca 1930-1932
184Sidewalk merchant   View imagecirca 1930-1932
185Money changer   View imagecirca 1930-1932
186-188People on street   View imagecirca 1930-1932
27189Men in uniformcirca 1930-1932
190Men, children, and donkeycirca 1930-1932
191Street sellercirca 1930-1932
192Men and train between Tientsin and Beiping (now Beijing)circa 1930-1932
Miscellaneous structures, China
28193Buildings and Pailoucirca 1930-1932
194Constructioncirca 1930-1932
195Pagodacirca 1930-1932
196Pailaucirca 1930-1932
197Reception hall for the royal residencescirca 1930-1932
198Burial site of a Chinese officialcirca 1930-1932
199Tablet with lioncirca 1930-1932
200Bellcirca 1930-1932
201Building through archcirca 1930-1932
202Tablet with dragonscirca 1930-1932
203Watch towercirca 1930-1932
 
Folder Item Date
Photographs of art deco paintings of Chinese women
29204-217Photographs of art deco paintings of Chinese women   View imageundated
 
Folder Item Date
Photo postcard of Hong Kong
30218Photo postcard of Aberdeen fishing junks   View imageundated

Subject Terms

Geographic Names:
Beijing (China)--Photographs.
China--Photographs.
Subjects:
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.
Genre Headings:
Photographic prints.
Last modified: May 23, 2008
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