A life in pictures

Linfen Campaign, by Gao Fan.

Gao, who was born in a destitute rural family near Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, was among the youth who wanted to fight the Japanese invaders. So he joined the Party-led army in 1938.

He first became a publicity officer, doing wall paintings and woodcuts to encourage people to protect their country from the aggression.

He took up photography a year later, after he was given a camera seized from the enemy.

He then learned the basics of photography and later became a combat photographer.

Through his pictures, viewers today can see the intensity of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45) and the War of Liberation (1945-49).

Gao's photos at the exhibition include the Linfen Campaign. The work from 1948 shows a wave of explosions set off by the People's Liberation Army in battle in Shanxi province.

He also took pictures of PLA troops entering Beijing, then called Beiping, in 1949 and before the inauguration of New China on Oct 1 that year.

The works show residents filling the streets when the troops and cars passed through the Zhengyang Gate in Qianmen and Xisi Tower.

Another photo shows Chairman Mao inspecting troops at Xiyuan Airport.