"A Life in Portraits" The annual photograph of Ye Jinglu (1881-1968) spanning the first 7 decades of China's turbulent 20th century.

In a ceremonious personal custom, between 1907 and 1968, Ye Jinglu compiled a chronicle of his personal odyssey from the time of the Qing Dynasty through the Republican Period and extending well into the People's Republic of China. These photos, represent a mode of auto-ethnography that inadvertently also traces social and political changes over time. Ye Jinglu in many ways was a man before his time, expressing through his determined efforts the spirit of contemporary performance art, and a commentator of men’s fashion in China.

1901 Age 21

1907 Age 27

1908 Age 28

1909 Age 29

1910 Age 30

1911 Age 31

1912 Age 32

1913 Age 33

1914 Age 34

1915 Age 35

1916 Age 36

1917 Age 37

1918 Age 38

1919 Age 39

1920 Age 40

1921 Age 41

1922 Age 42

1923 Age 43

1924 Age 44

1925 Age 45

1926 Age 46

1927 Age 47

1928 Age 48

1929 Age 49

1930 Age 50

1931 Age 51

1932 Age 52

1933 Age 53

1934 Age 54

1935 Age 55

1936 Age 56

1937 Age 57

1938 Age 58

1939 Age 59

1940 Age 60

1941 Age 61

1942 Age 62

1943 Age 63

1944 Age 64

1945 Age 65

1946 Age 66

1947 Age 67

1948 Age 68

1949 Age 69

1950 Age 70

1951 Age 71

1952 Age 72

1953 Age 73

1954 Age 74

1955 Age 75

1956 Age 76

1957 Age 77

1958 Age 78

1959 Age 79

1960 Age 80

1961 Age 81

1962 Age 82

1963 Age 83

1964 Age 84

1965 Age 85

1966 Age 86

1967 Age 87

1968 Age 88

Source:

New Museum: 

http://www.newmuseum.org/exhibitions/view/the-keeper

China.org:

http://www.china.org.cn/video/2008-11/12/content_16749620.htm

Bo Associated Press:

http://home.blshe.com/space.php?uid=6598&do=blog&id=674622&page=3