Lithographs from the Touchstone Studio

November 17, 2009 4:33 AM

Envisioning Chinese Society in the Late Nineteenth Century: Words and Images from the Dianshizhai Pictorial Very nice online presentation of translated content from the famed nineteenth century Shanghai pictorial journal (China's first); Dianshizhai (点石斋画报) was modelled on Britain's Punch and produced as a supplement for Shen Bao subscribers. Flash is used so elements in the cartoons can be clicked for further information: a young woman repels a thief with martial derring-do; a customer bilks on the bill in a street eatery in Hangzhou; small-town society and politics with the muddle-headed magistrate; a non-performing temple bell offers a chance for sceptical commentary on religion; the gentlemanly pastime of cricket-fighting.
posted by Abiezer (4 comments total)

metafilter: During the smelting process there must have been too many women onlookers, with their filthy thoughts in mind, and so it ended this way.
posted by idiopath at 5:19 AM on November 17, 2009

Ruined by a stupid flash viewer.
posted by b1tr0t at 6:36 AM on November 17, 2009

I would love to see the ongoing adventures of Hongxian, Kick-Ass Housewife.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:57 AM on November 17, 2009

I would love to see the ongoing adventures of Hongxian, Kick-Ass Housewife.

You did see that they suggested this?
posted by IndigoJones at 10:32 AM on November 17, 2009