Rare photos from the Qing Dynasty: The beauty of the number one courtesan is not as intriguing as her 'top-notch' legs

As a period often recreated in many famous movies, was the life of the people during the Qing Dynasty really similar to the movies?

The Qing Dynasty has always been one of the most popular periods for Chinese historical dramas and films. However, was the life of the people during this period really similar to the movies?

In order to get a clearer sense of the lives of people during this period, a series of old photos have been restored in color using AI technology, thereby providing a more realistic view of this period, in which scenes such as roads and cities are clearly depicted. In particular, the portraits of the most famous courtesans of that time also made many people extremely excited.

A man looking miserable was selling sugar cane by the roadside.

Fishmonger in the Market: In a market, several fishmongers are gathered to sell their freshly caught fish. During this period, people also believed that eating fish was a very happy thing.

Street letter writers: During the Qing Dynasty, most people were illiterate, so there were always stalls specializing in writing letters for others. The old man wearing glasses in the photo was the one who did this job.

Two boys about six or seven years old are pulling the millstone in front of the house.

The city gate was bustling with people coming and going, trading and doing business.

Street barber: In the old days, when there were no specialized barber shops, barbers would bring their tools including a hot water stove and a stool for customers to sell their goods on the streets.

Photo taken in front of the Qing Dynasty post office: In the late Qing Dynasty, the Qing government established its own postal system based on the Western model. The photo shows managers and employees in front of the post office to commemorate the opening of the post office.

Two prostitutes pose for a photo on a chair: At that time, running a brothel was not illegal. Therefore, if the prostitutes had beautiful looks, they would be as famous as "celebrities". It can be seen that, like many girls of noble origin, the prostitutes also followed the custom of binding their feet and had small feet. It is known that during this period, the Chinese believed that the smaller the feet of a woman, the more beautiful she was considered, and those with large feet were considered ugly and had difficulty finding a husband. Therefore, foot binding was carried out as a mandatory standard.

Four elderly prostitutes in a brothel.

One of the three famous courtesans named Tieu Vinh Hi.

Sai Kim Hoa, one of the three most famous courtesans of that time.

Duong Thuy Hi, one of the three famous courtesans.