Created by the Belgian priest Father Charles Meeus, this silent film about China dates to just before the WWII era. It was likely a film that Meeus would show to an audience with an accompanying dialogue — so while it is silent here, it would have had narration when shown. The subject matter is simple enough: a look at some of the beautiful things in China including scenery, the arts, and culture.

At :43 a Chinese boy Chip-Gao is introduced with a rabbit. At 1:55 a small boat rises in a calm sea. At 4:30 flowers are seen. At 5:11 a beautiful Chinese vase, followed by others. At 6:08 a beautiful bracelet and other jewelry are shown. At 7:00 statues, including Buddhas. At 8:30 a Chinese opera performer is shown in costume, and then other performers.

Although not well known today, Meuss was well known in China and the USA during the 1940s, and remained active with U.S. forces during the Korean War. His “China Letter” appeared in Reader’s Digest in May 1944, and a diary he wrote about his experience in China was published after the war. It was Meeus who wrote about the fate of some of the Doolittle Raiders.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com