作者序
會一頭栽入民國攝影史的研究領域其實是個偶然。在1994年從紐約回台後，經同事蔣載榮教授介紹，認識了《攝影天地》雜誌的主編湯思泮先生。承蒙湯老的厚愛，開始了一段每個月要為專欄交稿而發愁的日子。當時沒想到這個專欄會在大陸被轉載，也因此接到北京《中國攝影》雜誌的邀稿，又起一段冥思苦想的時日。後來訪問中國攝影家協會時，在該會檔案室看到許多民國時期的攝影史料。這些史料是編輯《中國攝影史》（1989年出版）的原始資料，親眼目睹這些七八十年前攝影前輩留下的足跡，心中感到十分震撼。為什麼這群人對攝影這麼有興趣？特別是在一個中國劇烈變動的時代？雖然時間久遠，但這些攝影前輩的事蹟卻令人感到似曾相識。隨著不斷在大陸各圖書館與檔案館的搜索，我慢慢了解攝影作為嗜好與創作形式在中國的發展過程，這些痕跡事實上在戰後兩岸的攝影活動中依然有深遠的影響。
2001年在《中國攝影》主編李波的協助下，我在北京與研究對象中少數仍在世的吳寅伯(1910-2004)先生見面。老先生當時已高齡九十一歲，記憶力竟仍驚人地好。我看到他放在馬口鐵餅乾盒子裡的老照片，這是他僅存的民國時期作品，其中還有1948年與郎靜山等藝文界人士受台灣省政府邀請來台所拍的日月潭風光。在兩三個小時的訪談中，老先生不見疲態，半個多世紀前塵封的往事歷歷在目；說到一些老朋友的遭遇，仍不免激動哽咽。在我漫長的研究搜尋過程中，曾經質疑做這件事的意義何在，但只要想起吳老當時的神情，就覺得應該為這段歷史留下點什麼。
這本書的出版是在許多人的協助下完成，在墨爾本大學的師長Anne E. McLaren與Maggie
Hegarty多次在我陷於困頓之際激勵我向前。墨爾本大學圖書館中文部館長楊碧霞女士在研究上的支援，不僅在墨爾本，連我在上海與台北都能受到協助。《中國攝影》主編李波多年來的關照，使公私兩忙的我仍能持續走在攝影研究的路上。《中國攝影史》作者之一的陳申先生無私的提供許多史料與線索，讓我受益良多。在復旦大學顧錚老師的協助下，使我能順利訪問到一些攝影家親友，釐清許多疑問
。兩位攝影家的後代王雁女士與莊文駿先生不僅熱心提供研究資料，也各自促成其父執輩作品全集的發表。
民國攝影史的研究當初落在隱晦的角落，這幾年來終於在西方學界與大陸引起注意。我這些年來雖有幾篇論文的發表，直至這本書的出版總算將研究做了一個總結。限於我個人的資源與能力，無法將所有史料蒐集到位，但相信在各界對此議題的逐漸關注下，更多的史料會被持續發掘出來。民國攝影史不僅會被視為一個重要的攝影發展過程，更是影響至今的視覺文化史。
最後，要感謝老友NEPO藝廊主人林顯東先生，他就像民國時期的攝影愛好者一樣，雖然投身在其他事業中，仍始終將攝影視為一生的志業。如果不是他的堅持，這本書的出版可能還不知是什麼時日。
陳學聖 2015.11.
Acknowledgments
I began the research that led to this book fifteen years ago in Beijing. In the dusty archive room of the Chinese Photographers’ Association, I found the precious collection of Chinese
photography before 1949. It was the starting point that led me to many institutions and individuals to search for the development of Chinese art photography in the Republican era. This topic
was only briefly discussed in the 1989 edition of History of Chinese Photography. With help from Li Bo, the chief editor of Chinese Photography, I interviewed Wu Yingbo (1910-2004), the last
surviving member of the Black & White Photographic Society, in his Beijing residence in 2001. Wu was ninety years old at that time. We spent several hours discussing photographers in the
1930s. Many of them were not included in the official history due to political reason. At the end of the interview, I found Wu’s eyes were full of tears and his voice trembling. The topics we
discussed had been buried in his head for several decades. However, he could still vividly recollect those stories. Wu’s health condition deteriorated rapidly after we met. I did not have the
chance to meet him again. But his passionate voice still lingers in my head and reminds me of my original mission in starting this research. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people who
made it possible for me to complete this book.
I am fortunate to have two great supervisors. Constantly challenging my thoughts, Anne McLaren guided me through the writing and revising of my research. Maggie Hegarty, always understanding,
allowed me freedom in the creative work. They never once failed me when I needed their help.
For his friendship and trust, my heartfelt thanks to Li Bo. He opened up the China Photographers Association Archives for me in 2001. Without access to these archives, it will take another
decade to collect the research material I need. I am greatly indebted to Ms. Bickhar Yeung of the University of Melbourne Library. Ms. Yeung was my greatest resource at the library. She also
extended her support through her network of librarians in Hong Kong and China. I am very grateful to Chen Gong and Liang Wenchuan who assisted me at the National Library of China in Beijing in
2002. Without their help, the task of finding pre-1949 photographic journals by the usually misplaced catalog cards and photocopying pages within these fragile materials was almost impossible.
My sincere thanks to Mr. Shen Enze and Ms. Zhou Li of the Shanghai Library who helped me to obtain and digitize rare Chinese pictorial periodicals from 2004 to 2007. During my three extended
visits to the Shanghai Library, they helped me to set up a copy stand and digitize thousands of printed pages within the shortest time span. Many thanks to Dr. Zhou Dajun of the Shanghai
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine who led me to the wealth of the Shanghai antique book markets in 2004 and became my book scout in Shanghai since then. I am thankful to Mr. Cai Tao of
the Guangdong Museum of Fine Arts who generously shared his research materials with me and pointed me to the archives at the Second Historical Archives of China in Nanjing in 2007. I am very
grateful to the late Dr. Lucie Cheng, former director of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, for her stimulating comments. I also appreciate the support of Dongdong Wu who helped me to
clarify some of the issues discussed here.
I met and interviewed a number of photographers active before 1949 and their families such as Mr. Zhang Zhudao, Ms. Chiang Ming, Mr. Long Zhuxi, and Mr. Zhuan Wenjun of Beijing, Mr. Ding
Binxuan, Ms. Hu Hersen, and Mr. Hu Gensen of Shanghai, Ms. Wang Yan of Guangzhou, and Ms. Lang Yuwen and Mr. Zhou Zigang of Taipei. I am indebted to Li Bo and Li Mei who introduced me to the
photographers in Beijing. Many thanks to Dr. Gu Zhen of the Fudan University who arranged the interview with Ms. Hu Hersen and Mr. Hu Gensen. I am thankful to Chen Shen, author of History of
Chinese Photography, and Xiao Yongsheng, author of The Biography of Lang Jingshan, who led me to many archives and shared their findings with me.
Special thanks are due to my parents, Chen Hsinting and Wang Yueo, for their understanding, tolerance, and unlimited support. I feel indebted to my children, Huey and Lily. They did their
best to give me the freedom to work on my project when they needed me most.
I am also very grateful to the Cheng She-wo Scholarship Program of the Shih Hsin University and the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange, their financial support
funded parts of this research.
Last but not the least, I'd express my sincere gratitude to my friend Mr. Lin Shean-tung, who is owner of NEPO Gallery. To me, he resembles photography enthusiasts before 1949 that
devoted his time and effort on this divine cause. Without his perseverance and support, the birth of this book is not possible.
Chen Hsueh-Sheng 2015.11.
