One of two 'lost' films shot by Jesuit missionaries in China in 1947-48 identified by Prof. Joseph W. Ho (Ph.D. Michigan, Albion College, MI). The original reels, containing over 3000 feet of 16mm film, had been tucked away in an Institute storage cabinet for many years. The films contain vivid scenes of everyday life and missionary activity in China prior to the founding of the PRC. Both in full color, "Ageless China" includes soundtrack. Important historical source for the study of Jesuit missions to China during the postwar period.

"The documentary, entitled "Ageless China," is composed of footage shot by Fr. Hubbard, SJ, in 1947-1948 Peiping, Shanghai, Yangzhou, Nanjing, and Sheshan (Zose). This screenplay was proposed by Fr. William Klement, a priest attached to the Yangzhou mission who detailed the film, shot-for-shot, in a 5-page letter written in 1948. As such, the copy at the Ricci Institute is the closest version to a complete documentary of the Yangzhou mission during its postwar operation. "Ageless China" does exist as a VHS transfer at SCU but that copy is of rather poor quality. We have the original footage here, complete with the original soundtrack ...3000 feet of film in total.... The pre-1949 scenes depicted in them would be of significant interest to historians of modern China."-- Dr. Joseph Ho, Ph.D.

Dig. file (m4v, mp4, etc.) in Video folder.