Abstract

Folk cultures contribute to the important composition of the traditional culture in China, a multiracial ancient civilization enjoying a profound history. Folk photography opens a window for the world to enable people in other countries to understand China as well as its traditional culture. Western photographers have created a large amount of folk photographs during over a century of corresponding development. These works mean not only great significances to the documentation and heritage of Chinese folk cultures but also enormous contributions to the communication of Chinese folk cultures towards the global community. The paper reviewed the Chinese folk photographic creations of western photographers from mid-19th century to early 21st century, and discussed the connotations and meanings of these works.

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