China

The cities, the countryside, the workers

and even the game of Go.

Living in China from 2002 to 2004, and specifically with a Chinese family for one of those years, has given me many unique insights into the life of the Chinese people. The family I lived with was a well-to-do family of university professors with roots in the surrounding countryside. I took several of these pictures during a visit to the countryside to commemorate the 3 year anniversary of their grandmother’s death.

Monks perform funeral rites

Farmers plough fields by hand and grow much of their harvest inside earthen greenhouses

Some estimates believe that most major Chinese cities have an unregistered illegal migrant population of over 30%. These workers often work very long days for very low pay. However, these opportunities are much better than what is available to them in the countryside. These are a few pictures of some of these migrant workers that make up much of the backbone of the Chinese economy.

Workers from the countryside attempt to make sense of the bus schedule

Plywood factory where plywood is being made by hand

Another compelling aspect of China’s development is what happens to the city and the environment surrounding it as the cities develop and grow.

Pollution is a serious problem—China contains 16 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities

The old makes way for the new—Buildings are often demolished by hand as the building materials can be re-used

Many small villages survive solely on tourism—this village’s pond was part of the setting for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

As many urban Chinese become more successful they begin to look for more ways to give their children a competitive edge. Legend has it that the game of Go is a good way to promote the development of higher level thinking in children. Go is so valued in Chinese society that highly skilled children can get bonuses to their college admission test scores. Professional players make hundreds of thousands US dollars a year and enjoy celebrity status.

Professional matches are sponsored by multinational corporations and broadcast on national TV

Aspiring students of the game usually start around ages 4-5 years old and drop out of school to pursue full-time study of the game by about age 10 if they show promise of professional strength

Copyright owned by Daniel Sweet—these images are for viewing purposes only.

You can now find me on Twitter as @dsweet or read my blog at afinanceguy.com.

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