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Photograph depicting a Chinese man and four Chinese children on a platform at the entrance of the Chinese Pavilion at the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. Shows a boy standing with his back to the viewer, wearing a queue hairstyle and
attired in a red cap, a blue shirt and pants, and blue cloth slip-on shoes. In the left, the boy, attired in a blue cap, a
pink shirt and pants, and blue cloth slip-on shoes, sits on a chair and looks to the left. Beside him, a seated young girl,
wearing a pink bow in her hair and attired in a pink shirt and pants, and blue cloth slip-on shoes, covers her face with both
of her hands. In the right, a child, attired in a dark blue shirt, blue pants, and blue cloth slip-on shoes, sits and raises
their arm and hands to cover their face. In the left behind the children, a Chinese man, attired in a conical hat, a dark
blue shirt and pants, and cloth slip-on shoes, stands and holds possibly a torch. A white man, wearing a mustache and attired
in a white collared shirt and a gray suit, stands and faces the viewer. A green dragon with its mouth open decorates the platform.
A decorative wooden railing is visible along the background. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, also known as the St. Louis
World's Fair, was held from April 30 to December 1, 1904 in commemoration of the centennial of the Purchase. More than 60
countries and 43 of the American states displayed exhibits at the fair, which was attended by 19.7 million people. The Chinese
Pavilion included a theater, a temple, a tea house, a bazaar, and a reproduction of the summer home of Prince Pu Lun, the
Imperial Commissioner. In the Chinese Village were Chinese merchants, mechanics, painters, waiters, silk weavers, musicians,
performers, and children. The children were set at the entrance of the concession to attract visitors.
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Text printed on verso: In the Chinese Village there were nine little Chinese children who were shrewdly employed at the entrance
to the concession as a drawing feature and who attracted great crowds of people. The youngest child was but three years old.
Both parents lived in the village as merchants. The favorite with the visitors was Fanny Moy, the seven-year old daughter
of the village druggist. She possessed a sweet voice and spoke English almost without any foreign accent. The largest boy,
nine years old, was an accomplished musician and took also a prominent part in the theatrical performances. The children were
under government inspection, and physicians detailed from the army service looked after their physical welfare, while a returned
missionary instructed them in English. Each child was under a bond of $500 to secure their safe return to China after the
exposition.
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