Nearly a hundred years ago, there was no choking smog, hardly any automobiles, and definitely no one-party rule in China—but certainly lots and lots of people in the capital. In response to a 14-minute video shared on the Chinese Internet showing what life was like in old Beijing, Chinese Internet users quickly pointed out how things had changed within a century.
The grainy video, which shows footage of Beijing taken between 1920 and 1929, originates from Library and Archives Canada, according to popular Chinese news portal Sina. Comparison with modern-day photos shows that some of the footage were shot at Deshengmen, the ancient city gate that was once part of Beijing’s northern city wall. The video indicates that it was an important gateway as many people on horse carriages passed under its arches. Now, it is a preserved landmark.
