Description
Black and white photograph showing a man and two children enjoying the winter sunshine. The man is seated on the edge of a large basket smoking a pipe. Two children are beside him in the basket - one seated, the other standing to the right of the image, touching the man on his back. All are dressed in warm padded clothes. The man wears a hat with ear flaps.

Significance statement
The empty wicker basket suggests that this old man and children are probably from a village outside Peking and have come into the city to trade. On the wall behind the children is a graffiti scrawl written in chalk which represents a play upon the opening words of the Thousand Character Classic (Qianziwen), which refers to the creation of the universe.

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

History notes
Reproduced in Hedda Morrison, 'A photographer in Old Peking', Hong Kong, Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1985, p. 97, with the caption: 'Family group taking the winter sunshine'.

Credit line
Gift of Mr Alastair Morrison, 1992

Registration number
92/1414-196