China on Film

China on Film is a collection of over 100 digitized 20th century films of China and Hong Kong from the British Film Institute. These films illustrate everyday life and major events in China and Hong Kong through the perspectives of Western filmmakers. It includes amateur films (including missionary films), travelogues, and newsreels. It also includes historians' essays and video interviews that contextualize the films, helping modern-day viewers understand how these films were created and used historically, how Western filmmakers' backgrounds and perspectives shaped the films, and where the films are historically accurate and where they may communicate misconceptions. The films have been organized into thematic groupings:

•  Agriculture and Farming
• Architecture and Landscapes
• Family and Home
• Religion and Education
• Rural Life
• Social and Cultural Life
• Trade and Commerce
• Transport and Travel
• Urban Life and Street Scenes
• War and Conflict
• Western Travellers in China

Please note that graphic images featuring violence, injury, and death can be found in these films.