Scenes from the memory of a native Beijinger
- By staff reporter Chen Jun
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Learn More about Beijing's History
One particularly striking painting in Liao's exhibition is the long scroll portraying a typical Beijing temple fair. With Huguo Temple Fair as the backdrop, Liao has recreated this vivid, colorful 1960s scene, featuring folk acrobatic performances, handicrafts, and traditional snacks, in all its vibrant vitality.
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The Memory of a Hutong. |
Liao says that snacks are the main attraction at temple fairs these days, but go beyond traditional Beijing specialties to include Western favorites like pizza. "I think the entire essence of temple fairs has changed," Liao said. "I wish more people could know what a real temple fair was like."
Liao intends to recreate these aspects of Beijing life for those who missed out on them. For instance, there used to be a huge vat of water in each household, replenished by the many water wagons rolling through Beijing. This feature of everyday city life is not dissimilar from that of today, with large bottles of water delivered by tricycle. In earlier times, it was customary to keep a small crucian carp in the vat. Its health was an indicator of the water's quality.
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"I hope through this exhibition people could see the contrast between Beijing's past and present," Liao said.
Hutongs are a unique view of Beijing and carriers of its history and culture. Liao's exhibition also includes supplementary information about hutongs, including photos of how they look now, if indeed they remain, to amplify its visual impact. "If the exhibition acquaints people with Beijing's history and how life progressed from liberation to the present day, then I ask for no more," Liao said.
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