Description
Black and white photograph showing a man seated on a step, reading, behind him the wall of a building. Spread before him are fortune telling paraphernalia, including books, I Ching wheel, inscriptions, an open folder of painted watercolours, a framed picture, fortune sticks, beads and incense. The photograph has been dry mounted onto white card with reinforced corner punches.

Significance statement
The Tianqiao area was famous for its street entertainment, acrobatics, quacks (medicine vendors) and fortune-tellers. In 'A Photographer in Old Peking' (p. 118), Hedda Morrison observed: 'Peking people never tired of having their fortunes told and such forecasts were often an important guide to current action. From the container in the foreground the client would shake out a sliver of bamboo, on which were inscribed certain characters. From a study of these and reference to booklets arranged around the centre-piece, decorated with Eight Trigrams that provide the symbolic foundation for divination, the fortune-teller would advise his client as to what the future held for him'.

Production notes
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.

History notes
Exhibited in 'An Asian experience: 1933-67', organised by the Asian Studies Association of Australia, Fisher Library Foyer, University of Sydney, 12-30 May 1986. Reproduced in Hedda Morrison, 'A photographer in Old Peking' Hong Kong, Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1985, p. 118, with the caption: 'Roadside fortune-teller. Peking people never tired of having their fortunes told and such forecasts were often an important guide to current action. From the container in the foreground the client would shake out a sliver of bamboo, on which were inscribed certain characters. From a study of these and reference to booklets arranged around the centrepiece, decorated with Eight Trigrams that provide the symbolic foundation for divination, the fortune teller would advise his client as to what the future held for him'.

Credit line
Gift of Mr Alastair Morrison, 1992

Design marks
Lower right corner of card has circular sticker with handwritten '8'.

Registration number
92/1414-219