Author | Liu Chezai Editor | Yan Fei

Summer has come, and photographers holding cameras in the street are waiting for this cool season. On the streets of Taikooli, Chengdu, there are often fashionable hipsters in strange clothes, but more people just come for "beauty".

Here, the lens of street photographer Xiaomi captures a woman wearing a pink floral sling and a middle-aged man also wearing pink. Their light pace, such as the spring breeze, the swaying charm of the girl and the obvious age difference between the two make the photographer feel very excited.

But no one expected that this video of lovers’ elegant demeanor made the whole people witness an extramarital affair led by a global project management company. Subsequently, the girl’s personal social account was revealed, and people talked about the details of her private life and made great comments on it. And the sales of the pink floral dress with suspenders on her body soared with the heat until it was sold out.

(Photo/Weibo)

When interviewed by the media, the photographer Xiaomi has deleted the video. He explained: "At that time, when shooting in the street, the two did not refuse. Many photographers were shooting, and they were chasing after each other in the front." But the reality is that most people who are photographed don’t know how to explicitly refuse to shoot in public. In addition, they will not know where these photos and videos will eventually flow and how they will be used.

Aside from the discipline of this matter and the moral controversy of extramarital affairs, the invasion of privacy and the "sexual gaze" revealed in street shooting since its appearance are deeply disturbing.

Abused "street shooting"

"Street shooting" is an exotic product. "Street snap" means capturing the moment on the street. At the beginning of the 20th century, it first appeared in European and American fashion circles. Photographers found that the instantaneous state of models outside the show was more personalized than that on the show.

In that era of strong personal consciousness and the rise of popular culture, photographers took to the streets to capture popular fashion through street shooting. In 1970s, William John Cunningham, the originator of street photography, was famous for his candid camera and street photography. He is a milliner himself, and after a series of street shooting works, he became a fashion photographer in The New York Times.

Bill Cunningham who is shooting in the street. (Photo/new york Museum of History)

Subsequently, many professional photographers turned their subjects from celebrities to street people. They were fascinated by the urban street environment and the mental state of people in it, and took many unforgettable street photographs so far.

Photo taken by legendary street photographer vivian maier. (Photo/"Looking for vivian maier")

In about 2007, Zhong Hao, the "street shooter", found inspiration from foreign fashion street shooters and began to take pictures of people he thought were dressed in fashion in downtown Hangzhou. Until 2010, with the rise of fast fashion in China, people began to pay attention to wearing, and street photography, as a fashion photography, gradually became popular in China.

With the rise of social media, around 2018, a large number of street auctions have emerged in China. For example, Sanlitun in Beijing, Yintai in Hangzhou, Taikooli in Chengdu, Tianjie in Chongqing and Anfu Road in Shanghai are all business districts where hipsters gather.

Anfu road street shooting is a grand occasion. (Photo/vision china)

At first, street shooting focused on capturing people’s clothes. But soon, in the battle for attention of social media, beauty became a natural traffic password. More and more street shooting bloggers began to target women groups, paying more attention to the beauty’s face value and figure when shooting.

At this time, street shooting has little to do with the randomness of "street". In other words, the public nature of "street" sheltered all kinds of irrationality when the photographer openly raised the camera.

Walking around Taikooli, Chengdu in June, you will see many people holding cameras, shooting at girls in short skirts, bare legs and revealing their waists. Some people will pose when they see the camera, but others will speed up their steps and cover their faces with mineral water bottles or fans. But this is not enough to deter the photographers. If the subjects don’t have a more explicit refusal, they will trot close to each other and continue to look for positions and angles.

A man running in the street. (Photo/Weibo)

In 2019, due to the phenomenon of chasing and blocking shots in street shooting, it caused serious interference to pedestrians and made people feel uncomfortable that their privacy was violated. Taikooli, Chengdu, issued a public notice prohibiting street shooting, stating that "unauthorized photographing/shooting is prohibited" and setting up a sign to remind people to "raise awareness of prevention and protect personal portrait rights". At present, these warning signs are still there, but the ban is gone.

Warning signs in Taikooli business district in Chengdu. (Figure/Time Video)

In fact, the problem of invasion of privacy almost exists with the birth of street shooting. In fashion street shooting, in order to avoid the risk of privacy, the most reasonable way is to obtain the consent of the subject before shooting and inform the shooting purpose.

People generally have a high degree of acceptance for some recorded humanistic street beats.

In these humanistic street photography, recording the interaction between people and the environment is the key point. Joel Meyerowitz, an American street photographer, said when explaining street photography: "I am interested in the whole street environment, not a specific person." In Joel’s lens, people are integrated with their surroundings. The structure, light and shadow of the street environment and the people in it present the rhythm of a city.

Joel Meyerowitz, an American street photographer, walks the streets of new york with a 35mm camera on his arm every day to capture passers-by. (Photo/photographer official website)

But in some photographers’ works today, the street remains unchanged, and they just want to shoot different faces and bodies. Street shooting has nothing to do with fashion and has lost its public value.

Sexual Gaze in Street Shooting

After the scandal was revealed, photographer Xiaomi deleted the video, but different versions of video clips are still popular online. The scandal has become a joke, the male client is invisible, and an inspection of the female client has just begun.

In many videos, the figure of the male party is directly cut off, leaving only the enlarged female body parts for the spectators to touch carefully. The comment area is full of comments on "genuine goods and good leadership taste", which proves the status quo that women are regarded as "appendages" under the gaze of men.

Susan Sontag wrote in On Photography, "Photography is not practiced by most people as art, it is a power tool." The behavior of street shooters aiming long guns and short guns at young women reflects the power difference between the sexes. The female body in front of the camera has become the carrier of men’s "possession" power.

People with cameras are looking for "prey" everywhere. (Photo/vision china)

In some street shooting accounts featuring snapshot, photographers not only put the camera on it, but even ask passers-by to interact with it in a provocative tone.

Previously, a female star met a street shooter on the street, and the other party held a mobile phone while shooting and flirted: "Beauty, come and say hello to everyone." The female star was angry and uncooperative, leaving a string of swearing words, which also triggered the criticism of female stars by netizens.

In the face of girls’ anti-sneak shots, the most commonly used words of photographers and their supporters are: "Isn’t it for filming to dress so well?" Not cooperating with filming means that girls are not generous and rude. This means that the authority of male gaze construction is everywhere, while women don’t even have the right to say "no".

The chase scenes and frivolous orders are uncomfortable. (Figure/short video account)

A photographer who pretends to photograph each other’s "beauty" completely deprives the subjectivity of female beauty. In other words, this interpretation of women’s motivation to dress up completely ignores the possibility of women’s self-satisfaction. It seems that women’s dress and beauty must be confirmed by men and exposed to produce meaning.

Finally, under the guidance of male perspective, the chest, long legs, exposed parts, suspenders and short skirts become the focus of street photos. The material is full of sexual gaze from men, and the audience’s sexual fantasies are also met invisibly.

The invasiveness of the camera, coupled with male gaze. (Photo/"Blonde Monroe")

What is even more disturbing after this is the flow of these photos.

These photographers often use street shooting materials to run social accounts. On social networks or short video platforms, you can see a lot of street shooting content. In order to drain, they often use labels such as "long legs", "beautiful little sister" and "fair skin". On some street shooting websites, users want to watch the full version of the street shooting video and even need to pay to unlock it.

Many subjects discovered that they had been photographed when they saw their photos and videos online. In order to better protect the privacy of portrait rights, the provisions of the Civil Code, which came into effect on January 1, 2021, point out: "Without the consent of the portrait owner, the portrait owner may not use or disclose the portrait of the portrait owner by publishing, copying, distributing, renting or exhibiting."

In addition to explicitly expressing rejection when being photographed, this provision directly requires street photographers to obtain the consent of the photographed when using their own street photographs, and not to use the street photographs beyond the authorized scope afterwards, let alone illegally use them.

You must obtain the consent of the other party before shooting. (Photo/"Follow Your Home")

But this is still based on personal consciousness, and more importantly, the attitude of the platform to these street shooting behaviors-can more censorship links be set up on the level of protecting women’s privacy? And, can you improve the efficiency of feedback on complaints?

At present, many platforms have set up complaint portals that infringe privacy and portrait rights, but the complaint cycle is very long, and it often takes several working days or even longer to get feedback. This gives the photographer an opportunity.

Back to this incident, while the whole people applauded for "catching rape", we should also realize that the flood of street shooting has extended to people’s private lives, and it is difficult for ordinary people who have been infringed to delete photos or sue each other. Only by raising the illegal cost and reducing the difficulty of safeguarding rights can vulgar street shooting gradually disappear.

Proofreading: Yang Chao

Operation: hee hee

Typesetting: Zhong Yinglin

History is an evil teacher who only tells the truth to free people.

-Lord acton

For some countries or nations, history may be a fetter and a burden, but if you want to liberate from history, the safest and most reliable means is to recognize history.How a country’s citizens know about history determines what kind of future this country will have to a certain extent.Therefore, a correct understanding of history is extremely important for us at present.

Hegel said, "The only lesson that human beings have learned from history is that they have not learned any lessons from history". The reason for this is precisely because human beings have all kinds of wrong understandings of history. However, a historian, with his vigilance and insight, corrected the wrong cognitive model of history and helped us learn wisdom from history and enhance our realm. He is Lord acton.

From Lord acton’s works such as Freedom and Power and Lectures on Modern History, The Prophet Bookstore summarized the following four ideological paths of understanding history, each of which is a historical thinking that goes straight to the bottom:

1. History lies not in abundance, but in truth.

In human history, there are many false histories, the most typical of which is the "history" from the hands of autocratic monarchs. In order to maintain their own orthodoxy, they always delete historical materials and monopolize history. If we want to break away from the domination of power in the vast "history" where fakes are everywhere, we must have the knowledge and courage to find the truth.

Acton believes that the value of history lies not in its richness, but in its credibility. No matter how much false history is piled up, it is equivalent to garbage. It is better not to have it. Only in reliable historical facts can human beings learn real lessons.

2. Meaning is not in the present, but in eternity.

People usually think that the main significance of history is to provide lessons for the present. This is not wrong, but if it is only so, it will be a bit narrow. Because "the present" is always full of disputes and agitation, and the sacred and just beliefs should be detached from it and need to be formed in a quiet space.

Acton said, "Beyond credibility, it is a question of detachment". The key point of historical significance lies in "grasping the eternal problems, so that we are free from limiting the transient and changeable things". Reading history lies in thinking about the origin and root of things, thus gaining a transcendental wisdom.

3. Truth is important, but morality is more important.

In the face of history, if we only pay attention to the truth, it is often easy to draw wrong conclusions. For example, ancient aristocratic rule had many disadvantages, which is a fact, but it does not lead to the conclusion that civilian rule is better. As acton said, "The question is not which specific class is not suitable for ruling, but all classes are not suitable for ruling". Without the universal morality of mankind as a whole, any rule is dangerous.

Acton believes that "ideas are often repeated, rules of conduct are often changed, and creeds also rise and fall, but moral laws are engraved on the eternal monument". Therefore, history must have morality and faith running through it, and we must return to caring for people themselves. Without the restraint of moral principles, history can easily lead to blind hatred and become a call for slaughter.

4. Great history bears witness to the wisdom of God.

Acton believes that if we don’t take into account the history of 3,000 years, we can’t find philosophy in the historical observation of nearly a hundred years in modern times. But compared with ancient history, the cognition of modern history is more important. Because the transformation of mankind from barbarism to civilization in modern history helps us to see that "the wisdom of God’s rule is not reflected in the perfection of the world, but in the improvement of the world".

Modern history "tells our own story and is a record of our own life". Modern history "still hinders the pace of human beings and puzzles the human mind", and every part of modern history "contains extremely precious lessons". If we don’t know how to use the precedents and teachings, we will only repeat the same mistakes in the future and pay a huge price.

The above four points are only a small part of Lord acton’s historical insights. What he warned by moral laws is the weakness of the whole human race and the universal humanity. Acton’s unique transcendence and historical concern made him a prophet, but he was destined to be a minority in history.

Generally speaking, historical research values scientific methods, objective facts and impartial attitude; However, acton’s historical research is the last echo of western classical liberalism, and what he emphasized is precisely the points farthest from history in our eyes-freedom, morality and faith. This unique historical perspective is unfamiliar to Chinese people, but also lacking-perhaps this is the fundamental reason why China has not been able to get out of the cycle of chaos control for thousands of years.

Source: People’s Network-Viewpoint Channel

Visit Xuanyuan Temple of Huangdi Mausoleum, and pay tribute to the vigor and uprightness of cypress planted by Huangdi in 5000 years. At Lushan Mao site and Shiyan Mao site, feel the grand scenery of the capital city of "Wanbang came to Korea" 4000 years ago; In Baoji Bronze Museum, I realized the pre-Qin civilization of the Western Zhou Dynasty 3,000 years ago … With the launch of the online theme of "Why is China in a Prosperous Age", an interview group composed of Chinese and foreign journalists, experts and scholars set off from Xi ‘an, Shaanxi Province, and started a wonderful journey of exploring the source. The magnificent treasures and voluminous documents help us decipher the code of civilization and strengthen our cultural self-confidence.

Cultural self-confidence is a more basic, broader and deeper self-confidence and a more basic, deeper and more lasting force in the development of a country and a nation. The Chinese nation is an ancient and great nation in the world. It has created a splendid civilization that has lasted for more than 5,000 years and made indelible contributions to the progress of human civilization. Through cultural relics, heritages and texts, the online theme propaganda of "Why is China in a Prosperous Age in China" makes people more and more amazed at the profoundness and long history of Chinese civilization. Numerous cultural creations have strengthened our cultural confidence, from a subset of classics and history with rich knowledge, to the four books and five classics, six towers and three strategies that show profound wisdom, from jade carving and bronze wares and ceramic silk weaving that show superb skills, to piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, poetry and songs with elegant interests.

How to treat one’s excellent traditional culture is an important criterion to judge whether a country or a nation has cultural self-confidence. In the new era, the Chinese civilization tracing project has made important progress, the national cultural digitalization strategy has been rapidly promoted, and the national cultural park has been built in an orderly way … A major project has blossomed with more dazzling light of civilization, helping the people of China to glow with stronger historical consciousness and initiative.

Strengthening cultural self-confidence means sticking to your own path. The road of Socialism with Chinese characteristics came out under the guidance of Marxism, and it also came out from the history of Chinese civilization for more than 5,000 years. For example, the people’s congress system is deeply related to the people-oriented thought of Chinese civilization and the idea of ruling the world together. The system of regional ethnic autonomy inherits the tradition of China’s cultural unification, which is based on Kyushu, Liuhe and the four seas. If we continue to explore our own roads and methods on the land of China, we should base ourselves on the great historical practice and contemporary practice of the Chinese nation, seek the source of living water from traditional culture, provide enlightenment for understanding and transforming the world, provide inspiration for governing the country and opening up a new road without forgetting the way we came.

The revival of a nation is always supported by the prosperity of culture; The progress of an era is always marked by cultural prosperity. The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China drew a grand blueprint for building a socialist modernization power in an all-round way and promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in an all-round way with Chinese modernization. On the new journey, we should further strengthen our cultural self-confidence, work together to create a new culture belonging to our times, build a modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and provide a strong value guiding force, cultural cohesion and spiritual impetus for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Great China, magnificent mountains and rivers. Looking back at the depths of history, one of the important reasons why the Chinese nation has survived from countless difficulties and hardships is that Chinese culture has provided strong spiritual support to overcome difficulties. Looking into the future, there are calm, stormy waves, rushing rivers and flying clouds. Standing on the land of China infiltrated with excellent traditional culture, we have the majestic power of more than 1.4 billion China people, our historical background is extremely profound, and our determination to advance is extremely strong. Illuminate the way forward with the light of thought, and eliminate all difficulties and dangers with the power of spirit, and we will surely build a towering spiritual building and promote the rejuvenation of Chinese civilization.

"The apes on both sides of the strait can’t stop crying, and the canoe has passed Chung Shan Man!"

Rivers run, birds gather, and poets sing loudly, resounding through the sky. At the end of the animated film "Three Wan Li in Chang ‘an", Li Bai finally saw the light after a rough time, and the audience felt deeply and comfortably. The creator showed the weather of the Tang Dynasty with a hearty audio-visual narrative, and also made the familiar Tang poems have a new artistic conception.

From The Return of the Great Sage on the Journey to the West, which was called "the light of the country", to the grand occasion that Ne Zha created a single box office of more than 5 billion yuan and 140 million people watched the movie, and then to the watching craze and continuous hot discussion caused by Three Wan Li in Chang ‘an … In the past 10 years, nine of the top 20 animated films at the box office in China were based on Chinese excellent traditional culture. These passionate "national style animations" activate cultural genes with contemporary aesthetics, present magnificent imagination with digital technology, explore China style and pursue China style, and become a microcosm of Chinese excellent traditional cultural innovation.

不只是动画，也不只是电影。近年来，我国文艺领域“国潮”涌动、“国风”劲刮。舞台上，《唐宫夜宴》《只此青绿》《五星出东方》，“国宝文物”翩然起舞；荧屏上，《中国诗词大会》《经典咏流传》《斯文江南》，典籍文字气韵生动；北京冬奥会开幕式上，二十四节气倒计时展示华夏独特时间观，“燕山雪花大如席”以浪漫想象穿越时空，徐徐打开的“中国门”迎纳四海宾朋……国风国潮牵动的，不仅是器物、人物和故事，更是审美、情感和认同；它所体现的，不仅是赓续文脉、续写辉煌的文化自觉，更是坚定的文化自信。

5000多年未曾中断的中华文明，为新的文化创造提供丰沛源泉，人民日益增长的精神文化需求，为推动文艺高质量发展提供源源动力。习近平总书记指出：“要把握传承和创新的关系，学古不泥古、破法不悖法，让中华优秀传统文化成为文艺创新的重要源泉。”当前文艺创新的成功探索向我们昭示：文化自信涵养文化创造，文化创造增强文化自信。强化这个正反馈，在新的起点上继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国、建设中华民族现代文明，是我们在新时代新的文化使命，也必将推动中华文化生生不息、奔涌向前。《 人民日报 》( 2023年09月15日 04 版)