This film is part of Free

Title of error

Visit to Great Wall and Temple of Heaven, Peking c.1934

You can’t see it from space after all, so you’ll get a better view in this amateur film from the 1930s, with Beijing’s Temple of Heaven thrown in too.

Amateur film 1934 4 mins Silent

Overview

Few make the trip to China without visiting the Great Wall, and this amateur footage from the 1930s captures a good impression of what a remarkable structure it is. The shots are framed to emphasise that it's not just its length that's impressive, but also how it zig-zags up and down peaks and troughs. Shots of Beijing’s Temple of Heaven mark an altogether more sedate tourist experience.

Original title

Visit to Great Wall and Temple of Heaven, Peking - C.1934

Genres

Amateur film

Country

United Kingdom

Location

Tiantan (Temple of Heaven)

Language

No Dialogue with English subtitles

Subjects

Watch for free

Beijing c.1932 Beijing c.1932

Amateur film 1932 11 mins Silent Location: Beihai Park

This home movie from the Eng family's collection includes scenes of Beihai Park and Forbidden City.

Watch for free

Beijing Extract 1 c.1932 Beijing Extract 1 c.1932

Amateur film 1932 2 mins Silent Location: Beijing

This amateur film from the Eng family's collection includes views of the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.

Watch for free

Peking March/April 1937 Peking March/April 1937

Amateur film 1937 14 mins Silent Location: Tiantan (Temple of Heaven)

Indulge in a spot of time-travel with this 1930s sightseeing tour of ancient Chinese monuments.

Watch for free

Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A

Short interview 2024 24 mins

Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.

Watch for free

Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A

Short interview 2024 30 mins

Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.

Watch for free

Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell

Documentary 2024 42 mins

Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.

Watch for free

Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels

Short documentary 2024 12 mins

Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.