Chinese Dung Collectors

Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Mary Evans Picture Library

Chinese Dung Collectors

Young children scrape animal droppings off a paved walkway

Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries

Media ID 4340466

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10179810

1827 Baskets Collectors Dung Paved Poor Rags Scrape Tatters Trades Trowels Walk Way Droppings

EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures a moment in the historical record of China's humble dung collectors, a trade that once played a vital role in the country's economy. Taken in 1827, the photograph depicts a group of young Chinese children diligently scraping animal droppings off a paved walkway, using simple trowels and baskets to collect their valuable cargo. The children, dressed in tattered rags, appear focused and determined, their expressions reflecting the importance of their work. The trade of collecting and selling animal droppings, known as "night soil," was a common practice in China during the Qing Dynasty. The collected dung was used as fertilizer for agricultural production, which was essential for the country's food security. The practice was particularly prevalent in urban areas, where animal waste accumulated in large quantities. Despite the essential role that dung collectors played in Chinese society, their work was often stigmatized and considered lowly. Children, who were often the ones who engaged in this labor, were particularly vulnerable to the health risks associated with handling animal waste. The image serves as a poignant reminder of the historical reality of poverty and the importance of manual labor in the lives of children in China during this period. The photograph's historical significance is further emphasized by the fact that it was taken on a paved walkway, a feature that was relatively new to China at the time. The paving of streets was a sign of modernization and urbanization, but it also presented new challenges for the collection of night soil. The image thus captures a moment of transition in Chinese history, as the country moved towards modernization while still relying on traditional practices to sustain its agricultural production.

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