Bohai-er (Bohai child) Photo

Photographer’s Note

There is one old Japanese man, who had been raised in a Chinese family in Tianjin,China, until he was 16 years old.

He has been back in Japan for over 60 years now but he still misses China.

Now he is 79 years old, his memories back in Tianjin brings nostalgia, he even started to forget Japanese and he feels more comfortable when he speaks in Chinese.

He wrote the poem and showed it to me. I lost words to continue the poem after his, because I have never gone through the same hardships as he did.

Poem translation :

60 years has past since I left the land
Even if I have lived in this home land
People ask me where I am from
Actually I am a Bohai child, in North East.

Not quite sure if these letters he wrote are correct, but he explained the context of the poem just like above. Also, I don't know how to call "Bohai" in English. Also, I knwo the story is pretty hard to understand if not so understand the history of China and Japan.

BUT, this guys' life story is very touchy to me, in order to introduce a Japanese who had been in an unusual situation during world war 2, I decided to upload that photo.

huahoa, Mingfang, tcht, erthmuffin, plimrn, adam_k, manub has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Mingfang (1415) 2006-08-13 23:46

hi lauryn,

i am so tourched by your this shot. nice story. it is a good instance for the good relationship between Chinese and Japanese. i think there are many people like him in China and Japan, no matter how cruel of the war. that like what i had said before, the war worked by the govenment, the ordinary people are always kindness.

it is amazing that the calligraphy is so nice. Bohai is a name of a sea which is nearby Tianjin and Beijing. i also dont know how to call it in English, maybe sea of Bo or Bohai Sea, heheh.

tcht (7298) 2006-08-14 12:44

妳好Lauryn,
Very interesting poem and even more interesting when he refers to Nippon as "東瀛", the old Chinese name for Japan. I think this picture requires the reader to understand Chinese.
I like the way you presented it in BW and also the little tilt to make it more dynamic. Good DoF control that blurred parts of the poem, adding more atmoshpere. A fine close up work that I'd struggle to achieve!
謝謝,
卓軒

erthmuffin (1537) 2006-08-14 16:26

nice idea. i wish the letters closest to the camera were in focus and then they slowly went out of focus further away. nice composition, tones and note, though.

huahoa (3691) 2006-08-18 4:57

Hi Lauryn,
His story is very touching !
I don't understand chinese but i always like chinese writing,
his poem is so nice.
All that thanks to your shot, your sensibility is contagious.
TFS
Hoa

Furachan (0) 2006-08-26 8:32

Yes, this is good, Zig, part of the set (I'm moving backward here ;o))) As a set it is excellent - good, instructive posting about someone you know well.
Keep it up!
-F

adam_k (596) 2006-08-29 2:49

Very personal and nostalgic story...
It must have been a very difficult situation for this man: 60years ago the World War II ended and during that time if I know it correctly Japan and China didn't like each other: probably due to Japanese occupation of Chinese territory...
He must be really split internally...

jinju (14265) 2006-09-24 3:45

Hey Zig,

I remember you saying before you had problems with focus..looks like thats not so anymore! Perfect sharp focus and also beautiful bokeh in the foreground, the b/w is superb. This is wonderful work Lauryn.

jackcanali (102) 2007-02-02 7:17