World · East Asia & Pacific · 17 hrs ago
Boy in famous Great Wall Coca-Cola photo became a businessman
In 1979, US photographer James Andanson photographed eight-year-old Hei Zhentao drinking Coca-Cola at China's Great Wall.
The image appeared in National Geographic and became famous around the world.
China and the United States had recently established diplomatic relations, and the picture came to represent China's growing contact with Western culture.
The photo did not show China's first Coca-Cola cans: shipments had arrived in the country before Andanson's visit.
Hei later studied civil engineering, worked in business and founded companies in architecture and property development.
He also became a golf commentator for China Central Television in 2016.
Hei learned decades later that he was the boy in the photograph, after seeing it in a book about China's reform and opening-up.
Coca-Cola brought Hei and Andanson together in 2019 to mark 40 years since the company established a presence in China.
He Jian Tao, the boy in a famous 1979 photograph of a child drinking Coca-Cola on the Great Wall, became a businessman.
American photographer James Andanson took the photograph when He was eight.
Published by National Geographic under the title “China’s first can of Coca-Cola,” it drew international attention and became associated with China’s opening to Western culture.
He learned decades later that he was the boy in the photograph.
In 2019, Coca-Cola brought He and Andanson together to mark 40 years since the company established a presence in China.
- Who
- He Jian Tao, the boy in the photograph, and American photographer James Andanson.
- What
- A famous photograph of He drinking Coca-Cola on the Great Wall became known internationally; He later became a businessman.
- When
- The photograph was taken in 1979, when He was eight. He and Andanson reunited in 2019.
- Where
- The Great Wall in China.
- Why
- The photograph showed a Chinese child drinking a Western brand’s drink at a time of growing cultural exchange. He later discovered he was in it after seeing a book about China’s reform and opening-up.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Andanson photographed eight-year-old He drinking Coca-Cola on the Great Wall.
He passed the entrance exam for Southeast University’s civil engineering department.
He began commenting on golf tournaments for China Central Television.
Coca-Cola brought He and Andanson together to mark 40 years since the company established a presence in China.
- Photograph
- Taken in 1979 on the Great Wall
- Boy in the photograph
- He Jian Tao, aged 8
- Photographer
- James Andanson
- University
- Southeast University; He passed its civil engineering entrance exam in 1988
- Television work
- He began golf commentary for CCTV in 2016
- Reunion
- He and Andanson reunited in 2019
What people are saying
So for a child like me, drinking a bottle of soda was an unforgettable pleasure.