Chinese Children in the 1980s Seen Through a Japanese Lens

In 1982, Japanese photographer Ryoji Akiyama published Dear Old Days after a long trip through China, within the context of the normalisation of relations between the two countries. In 2019, in parallel with the publication of a new version of the book, a second work, Dear Old Days II, was released, containing 122 previously unseen photos from the 8000 taken at the time.

Born in Narakawa in 1942 and the son of a professional photographer, Celadon Akiyama, Ryoji Akiyama wandered around with a camera in hand from an early age. After joining the Associated Press as a photojournalist, he worked with the daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun, before deciding to go freelance.

A happy childhood

At the age of 40, he made the first of five trips to China as part of an advertising project, capturing scenes in the lives of the population, particularly children, in various regions across the country.

In these images. the photographer draws a parallel between the ways in which the two countries addressed education during this period. Thus, prior to observing young people in China, the photographer had released a series on those in Japan, entitled Unhappy Children, in which he illustrated the packed schedule endured by children in Tokyo, who have to continue to work after school every day and appear to have even less energy than adults.

In China, where the education system is less strict, children seem to have more freedom, and the approach to learning is more fun. Although Chinese children work equally hard, they exude a sense of dynamism and seem happy. They are also keen readers, taking particular advantage of the magazines and books sold by the side of the road at very affordable prices, as Ryoji Akiyama points out in words quoted on the website CathayGifts.

Other images captured by the photographer, in black and white and taken in Japan, can be found in the MoMA collection.

Dear Old Days II (2019), a book of photographs by Ryoji Akiyama, is published by Seisodo.