China

This 1931 travelogue records a trip from Canada to Honolulu, journeying across China before completing the homeward journey via Singapore, the Red Sea and Port Said.

This 1931 travelogue records a trip from Canada to Honolulu, journeying across China before completing the homeward journey via Singapore, the Red Sea and Port Said. The various highlights from this intercontinental journey include architectural marvels such as the St. Lawrence Canal and the Quebec Bridge, the grand ornate cities of Peking and Hanchow - the latter referred to as ‘the city of heaven.’ Natural wonders include the ‘Purple Mountain’ in the Chinese Jiangsu province and the prairies of Western Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada.

One of the more stunning sites recorded in the travelogue film is that of the ‘Purple Mountain’ know in Chinese as Zijin Shan. Located to the east of the city of Nanjing (or Nanking) in the Jiangsu province, it is a relatively small peak standing at 1467ft. Steeped in historical and cultural significance, the mountain derives its name from the colourful purple and golden mists which cloak its peak at dusk and dawn. Since the Ming Dynasty the mountain has been used for astronomical observations and one of China’s first ‘modern’ observatories - built 1934 - is located on its slopes.