Nixon In China
On
February 21, 1972, at 10:30 P.M., EST, Richard M. Nixon stepped down from Air
Force One alone and offered his hand to Premier Chou En-lai (pictured below)
to consummate one of the most historic handshakes in diplomatic history, in
what Henry Kissinger termed "splendid solitude." Later that day, Nixon would
meet the aging Chairman, Mao Tse-tung (pictured left in a photo by the China
News Agency). Ollie Atkins and others were there to record those historic
moments. Yet, beyond his official capacity, he captured, for us and posterity,
a portrait of yet another lost "dynasty": China in the twilight of the Mao Revolution.
These photographs (by White House photographers Ollie Atkins and Byron Schumaker,
and the China News Agency) hint at the many layers of the Chinese character
to offer a peek under the veil of the "Kingdom of Heaven."
Photo by Byron Schumaker.
Photo by Ollie Atkins.
To view a larger version of each photograph, click on the image. The two-part
number code refers to the original folder in the Atkins Collection. Photographs
taken by Oliver Atkins are indicated by [OFA]. Photographs by Byron Schumaker
are indicated by [BES]. Photographs by the China News Agency are indicated by
[CNA].
1.
2.
6-12
6-14
1. Young Woman. [BES]
2. Red Guard. [BES]
3. 
4. 
5.
6-12
6-12
6-13
3. Preparing for Nixon's arrival
by sweeping the snow in Beijing. [BES]
4. Beijing at Dusk. [OFA]
5. Early morning Beijing traffic. [BES]
6. 
7. 
8.
6-12
6-12
6-12
6. Nixon and National Security
Advisor Henry Kissinger on Air Force One en route to China. [OFA]
7. Nixon addressing his staff aboard Air Force One. [OFA]
8. Nixon reading aboard Air Force One. [OFA]
9. 
10.
6-12
6-12
9. Nixon meeting with his advisors
aboard Air Force One. [OFA]
10. Nixon in thought before his arrival in China. [OFA]
11. 
12. 
13.
6-12 6-14
6-12
11. Chinese village at dawn. [OFA]
12. Old man with parasol. [BES]
13. Chinese countryside at dawn. [BES]
14. 
15. 
16.
6-14 6-14
6-13
14. Chinese school children touring
the Forbidden City. [BES]
15. Chinese architecture. [BES]
16. Tiananmen Square. [OFA]
17. 
18. 
19.
6-13 6-12
6-14
17. Workers sharing an outdoor
meal. [OFA]
18. Man reading a newspaper. [BES]
19. Chinese river boats. [BES]
20.
6-12
20. Nixon and Kissinger meeting Premier Chou En-lai and Party Chairman Mao Tse-tung. [CNA]
21. 
22. 
23.
6-14
6-13
6-14
21. President Nixon reviewing
Red Guard, escorted by Premier Chou En-lai. [OFA]
22. Nixon making a point to Chou En-lai. [OFA]
23. Nixon and Chou En-lai share a toast. [OFA]
24. 
25. 
26.
6-13
6-14
6-13
24. Pat Nixon meeting farmers.
[BES]
25. The President being introduced to a little girl, possibly Chou En-lai's
granddaughter. [OFA]
26. Pat Nixon meeting a schoolgirl. [BES]
27. 
28. 
29.
6-12
6-13
6-13
27. Nixon talking with press corps
in Beijing. [BES]
28. Ollie Atkins(r) with Nixon advance man Ron Walker at the Great Wall.
[BES]
29. Ollie Atkins(r) with news photographer Frank Cancellare in Beijing. [BES]
30. 
31. 
32.
6-13
6-13
6-13
30. Little girl dancing for the
Presidential party. [BES]
31. Chinese schoolroom in the Evergreen People's Commune. [BES]
32. Pat Nixon visiting pandas at Beijing Zoo. [BES]
33. 
34. 
35.
6-13
6-13
6-13
33. The Host and Presidential
parties attending a special performance of The Red Detachment of Women. [OFA]
34. Scene from The Red Detachment of Women. [BES]
35. Nixon with Madam Mao, Jiang Qing (of the famous "Gang of Four") at the
performance. [BES]
36. 
37. 
38.
6-13
6-14
6-13
36. The Nixons with Chou En-lai.
[OFA]
37. White House press corps group photo with the President in Beijing. [BES]
38. The Nixons share a laugh with Chou En-lai. [OFA]
39. 
40. 
41.
6-14
6-14
6-14
39. Nixon touring a factory. [OFA]
40. The Nixons with Secretary of State William Rogers at the Great Wall.
[BES]
41. Presidential party touring the Forbidden City. [OFA]
42. 
43. 
44.
6-14
6-14
6-14
42. The Forbidden City in a snow
storm. [OFA]
43. Nixon and Chou En-Lai at a banquet. [OFA]
44. Chinese children exercising. [BES]
45. 
46. 
47.
6-14
6-14
6-13
45. Tiananmen Square. [OFA]
46. West Lake pagoda at Hangchow. [OFA]
47. Presidential party touring the Great Wall of China. [BES]
48. 
49.
6-14 6-14
48. Young people attending a special
table tennis exhibition for the Presidential party. [OFA]
49. The Nixons and Chou En-lai applauding the table tennis exhibition. [OFA]
50.
6-14
50. Wide-angle shot of table tennis exhibition. [BES]
51. 
52. 
53.
6-13
6-13
6-14
51. The Great Wall of China, guarded
by a sentinel. [OFA]
52. Nixon takes a coffee break in Beijing. [OFA]
53. Pat Nixon observing a Chinese class. [BES]
54. 
55. 
56.
6-12
6-12
6-13
54. White House press corps in
Beijing. [OFA]
55. President Nixon, Secretary of State Rogers, and Premier Chou En-lai.
[OFA]
56. Nixon studying his notes in Beijing. [OFA]
57. 
58. 
59.
6-14
6-12 2-9
57. Socialist billboard in Beijing.
[OFA]
58. Nixon meets Mao Tse-tung. [OFA]
59. Kissinger, Premier Chou En-lai, and Chairman Mao Tse-tung. [OFA]
