Vietnamese historical photography, paths from Hong Kong to Cholon, Saigon Chinatown

For the Indochina period, historian François Drémeaux reveals an intriguing fact: Hong Kong served as the first harbor of French Indochina. This choice was influenced by several factors, with one of the primary attractions being the city’s favorable taxes and free port system.

The Vietnamese Administration of the Nguyen Dynasty also recognized this advantage. In 1865, they dispatched Dr. Dang Huy Tru on a Chinese mission to explore Hong Kong’s current development. At that time, photography had not yet taken root in Vietnam, but Hong Kong already boasted a few studios. The earliest seems to be the one of G. E. Petter, who first advertised in the 7th August 1861 issue of the China Mail.

During his trip, Dang Huy Tru captured two portraits: one dressed in court attire and the other resembling a Chinese merchant. Two years later, he returned to China and, during an official visit to Guangdong in 1867, he acquired photography equipment. Upon his return to Hanoi, he established the first photo studio in Vietnam.

Photography gained popularity in Hong Kong, and Chinese photographers began to emerge. Pun Lun Studio, founded in 1864, stands out as one of the earliest and most renowned studios. Its success led to the opening of franchises in Foochow (Fuzhou), Saigon, and Singapore. Notably, Pun Lun Studio’s photos of Saigon and its people provide a valuable glimpse into the city’s past, dating back to around 1880.

Our exclusive collection of archives from the Indochina period to 1975 originates from Cholon, a distinct Chinatown within Saigon that preserved its Chinese heritage. These historic studios were primarily situated along the main street of Dong Khanh (old name of Trang Hung Dao street). Among the fascinating items presented is a photographic manual, printed around 1931 by Shanghai Press in Shanghai. This manual found in Cholon, designed for Chinese inland photographers, serves as a tangible link, tracing a part of the Chinese roots in Vietnamese photographic history.