1930s Willmott Family Mt. Omei Journeys
Item
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Title
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1930s Willmott Family Mt. Omei Journeys
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Description
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This series of images depicts trips the Willmotts took from Chengdu to Faerymorn, their summer cottage in the Mt. Emei region, down the Min River and up the mountain with trunks and baskets full of their summer gear.
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Commentary
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Throughout most their career in West China, the Willmott family spent their summers in their cottage at Mt. Omei (pinyin Emeishan), affectionately named Faerymorn.
While the Willmotts were living in Jenshow, they had to travel overland to Leshan and Emeishan City before climbing the mountain to the missionary cottage complex at the San Hsi Kai Buddhist temple. The route to Mt. Omei from Chengdu follows the Min River southwest to Leshan. Therefore, this series of photographs, which includes images of a boat voyage, must have been taken while the family was stationed at Chengdu, 1932-1951. Judging from the dress styles and the age of the youngest boy, Dick, it is likely that most of these images were taken in the 1930s, though we can’t assume they were taken during the same trip.
The final image in the series was taken by Lewis Walmsley during a rare visit to China in 1954. No Willmotts accompanied him, but they were given some of his slides from this trip. Although the image is in color, it appears that not much had changed that early after the CPP takeover.
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Event Date
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1932-1939 (approximately)
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Type
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Event
mt-emei.jpg
Boats Loaded for Mt. Omei
Carrier with Load Packed for Omei
Carriers on Path to Xinkaishi
Dick Willmott en Route to Faerymorn
Group Portrait on Boat to Mt. Omei
Katharine Willmott en Route to Faerymorn
Long Ferryboat on the Min River
Mt. Omei Pilgrim in Backrack Huagar
Pilgrims Descending Mt. Omei
Trackers on the Min River
Willmotts Crossing River on Plank