Photography is generally accepted as an invention dating back to 1839, and within five years, the medium had already been introduced into China. The development of Chinese photography has a long and varied history and this book examines it chronologically over the course of three chapters: "Photography during the Republic of China and War Photography", "Photography after the Founding of the People's Republic of China", and "Chinese Contemporary Photography". From the unique body of work seen in Chinese pictorial photography to the country's war photography, and from revolutionary photography for the workers and soldiers to the diverse exploration of photography since 1976 and the experiments of the 1990s, the works included in this book present the essence of Chinese photography as never before, revealing the rich and varied creations of Chinese photographers and the evolution of their understanding of the medium.

With valuable contributions from ten leading scholars, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn about the great diversity and absorbing history of Chinese photography.