In 1936 Hedda Morrison spent ten days travelling by donkey with three Chinese guides in the 'lost tribe' country, in the hills west of Peking. During this time she took this photograph, and many others, of the so-called 'lost tribe' people. The 'lost tribe' are Miao people, originally from the south of China. They were taken to the west of Peking as a 'trophy of war' by the Manchu Government, which established the Qing dynasty in 1644. The woman in the photograph wears what was known in Old Peking as a Southern Chinese nationalities bun (or 'Manzi zuan', 'Man' being an ancient name for 'Southern Chinese nationalities'), a traditional hairstyle of ethnic Miao women from Southern China. This distinctive southern Chinese hairstyle was fashionable among Han Chinese women in the late Qing dynasty.

This is one of a large number of photographs that were taken by Hedda Morrison (1908-1991) during her years of residence in Peking (Beijing), China 1933-1946.

Black and white photograph showing close-up of a young girl in profile. The girl's long hair has been pulled back in a decorative ponytail, doubled back on itself - the section tied at the base of her neck and bound with a cord. She has an earring in her ear and her eyes are averted.

Photographed: Morrison, Hedda; Beijing, China

Made: 1933 - 1946

92/1414-207

330 mm

275 mm