China Travel Photography

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Most of us meet people every second of the day, nothing special, an activity as mundane as brushing our teeth. But if we allocate time and money, and travel thosands of miles to a location -- then the contact experience, whether physical or perceptual, is heighted and calculated exponentially. The more foreign the culture, the more distant the land, the more physically demanding and dangerous the journey, or the further away from civilization -- the greater the exponent. Once we step into the unknown, we will realize that the world is everything but small.

I find that the most interesting people are those I came into contact on the road, going from one place to another. This can be in a packed and smokeful long-distance bus, on an overnight train ride sharing a seat, or cruising and sleeping on a wet and smelly boat. Usually, unusual people come into light during unusual circumstances, in unusual places. The more you move around, the more you would be rewarded with this probability. I admit, I am addicted to the unusual and its delights. Unfortunately, I find it difficult to photograph the most interesting contacts. Most people don't like to be photographed by strangers. Alot of times I have to give up the shot out of respect for the subject's comfort. But comfort is relative, if they are not aware of being photographed, then most of the time it is fine.

NEW -- July 21, 2010

The beautiful city of Suzhou crisscrossed with narrow water canals

Category: 人物People

人物图片People Pictures

  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    A headshot of a local man taken from the window of a bus.

  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    One of the two boat man on my boat. They treat you like royalty if you give cigarettes, especially foreign brands such as Marlboro Lights.

  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area
  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area
  • Picture of 武当山 - 道士 Wudangshan ( Wudang Mountains ) - Young Daoist practitioner

    A young Daoist practitioner sat near a temple entrance to greet visitors.

  • Picture of 上海市 Shanghai City

    An old man taking a cigarette break on 外滩Waitan (the Bund). Shanghai is hectic. One of the few joys of most common Chinese (mainly male) is having a smoke, however unhealthy it may be. A pack of cigarettes can be gotten for 2 yuan.

  • Picture of 故宫 (紫禁城) Gugong (Forbidden City)
  • Picture of 天子山 Tianzishan (Tianzi Mountains)
  • Picture of 天子山 Tianzishan (Tianzi Mountains)
  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 上海市 Shanghai City

    An old man on 外滩Waitan (the Bund) looking toward the Pudong skyline under the noon sunlight. The Bund is extremely popular with tourists and natives. No doubt because you can see the old and new from both sides of the 黄浦江Huangpu Jiang (Huangpu River); the activities going on the river; the established commercial setups in the area; the music, dances and shows that are common here; and of course one another for company.

  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 天子山 Tianzishan (Tianzi Mountains)
  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 吐鲁番 - 二堡乡的孩子 Tulufan (Turfan) - Erabaoxiang Town Children

    I spent some time trying to capture a good image of her.

  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 上海市 Shanghai City

    I found her in a crowded street. She stood out easily with her attractive and clean simple style.

  • Picture of 北京市 -- 舞女孩 Beijing City --  Dancing Girl

    The little girl danced every time she came out of a clothing shop that she hangs around.

  • Picture of 吐鲁番 - 二堡乡女孩 Tulufan (Turfan) - Erabaoxiang girl

    The little girl sells bells to tourists at the entrance building to the 高昌故城 Gaochang Ruins.

  • Picture of 故宫 Gugong(The Palace Museum)
  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 嘉峪关 Jiayuguan (Jiayu Pass)

    Four women vendors selling fruits.

  • Picture of 嘉峪关市 Jiayuguan (Jiayu Pass) City

    A fashionable lady ready to go home the leisurely way. Man-powered vehicles such as this three-wheeler are very popular in small cities. They are easy to navigate the streets, easy to maintain, and consume no natural resources, therefore affortable.

  • Picture of 宏村 Hongcun Village
  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    Photographed through the bus window while shuttling from the Changjiang river to the Daning River, where the Little Three Gorges are found.

  • Picture of 凤凰 Feng Huang
  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    The Little Gorges river is shallow, and the current can be rapid. The long bamboo stick is use to maneuver the boat ahead of time.

  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    A boat family sailing close to the shore of the Little Three Gorges.

  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    Tourist observing from the ship's deck on the Yangzi river.

  • Picture of 武当山 - 本地女人 Wudangshan ( Wudang Mountains ) - Local Woman

    A local woman outside the hotel buildings.

  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    Corn is the main crop in this area. These corns are served boiled or, mostly, roasted over coal. The corns are especially large and meaty.

  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    A woman picking stones by the shore.

  • Picture of 长江 Yangzi River Area

    She has a basket of stones that she collected on the shore. The stones have various textures, shapes, and color patterns. She sells them to tourists. Those with unusual color patterns demand the most.

  • Picture of 关麓 Guanlu village
  • Picture of 南屏 Nanping village
  • Picture of 关麓 Guanlu village
  • Picture of 天坛公园 Tiantan (Temple of Heaven) Park

    At the closing hour of the park.

  • Picture of 吐鲁番 - 二堡乡女孩 Tulufan (Turfan) - Erabaoxiang girl
  • Picture of 吐鲁番 - 二堡乡的孩子 Tulufan (Turfan) - Erabaoxiang Children

    The kid proudly held up a piece of paper which I assumed was money.

  • Picture of 吐鲁番 - 二堡乡的孩子 Tulufan (Turfan) - Erabaoxiang Children
  • Picture of 上海市 Shanghai City

    An old woman practicing 太极拳Taijiquan in a quiet section of a park. Chinese people like to stretch and move freely within a comfortable circle. In this way one becomes more reflective, meditative and associative. So, you will not find them jogging very often. Exercise is a big thing in China. Do not be surprise to see exercise machines on the side walks. They are a common sight and a gathering ground for people.

image of Pingyao streetimage of the main gate tower to the Chang family's compound and gardern

The compounds and manors of the extreme wealthy in 山西Shanxi's small towns and villages. See the old town of 平遥Pingyao with well-preserved Ming and Qing city wall and street layout.

image of Jiayuguan fort

嘉峪关Jiayuguan (Jiayu Pass) - the lone fort at the edges of the desolate and bare Gobi desert. It is at once both a timeless symbol of human's uncompromising reach and an otherworldly mirage.

上海 shanghai skyline苏州园林 suzhou gardernUygur lady and tourist boat in 天池 Tianchi

Selected pictures from my 3-month travel through China during the summer of 2006.

image of Great Wallimage of Great Wall

The 万里长城Great Wall from the shining 渤海Bohai sea to the Gobi desert west — 山海关Shanhaiguan (Shanhai Pass) to 嘉峪关Jiayuguan (Jiayu Pass).

My translations of some Chinese poems.

clay figure of 钟馗 Zhong Kui

Arts and Crafts that I bought along my travels.

image of stone lion

The stone lions, chimeras, toistoises and unicorns that guarded the royal tombs of the 六朝Six Dynasties Era for the past 1600 years.

image of Tulufan's Emin MinaretPortriat of a Uygur girl in 二堡乡 Erbaoxiang

See 吐鲁番Tulufan's well-known attractions -- 苏公塔Sugonta (Emin Minaret), 高昌城Gaochang Ruins, and 火焰山Huoyan Shan (Flaming Mountains).