China, the Land of Mystery and Charm

Experience what life was like across China in 1939 prior to the outbreak of World War Two in Frances Hotham’s fascinating documentary film.

Experience what life was like across China in 1939 prior to the outbreak of World War Two in Frances Hotham’s fascinating documentary film. A combination of both colour and B/W film, the footage documents a journey from Tokyo, Japan arriving in China via the bustling port of Shanghai. From there, the streets of cities like Nanjing, Hong Kong and Canton are shown in all their vibrancy. Ornate parks, gardens and canals as well as famous monuments like the Great Wall and the ‘Ming Lion Dog of China’ are also featured.

The filmmaker Frances de Horsey (née Hotham) was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society between 1938 and 1965. She was a lecturer and traveller; she died in 1975. This entry forms part of a series of place-based documentary films directed by Hotham, some of which can be found in the BFI player under the titles ‘Nine Countries in Ninety Minutes’ and ‘South Africa: The Land of Smiles and Sunshine.’