People often feel bored with where they live and yearn to travel and explore the unknown world. I took photographs in Chengdu, where I grew up and have lived for 20 years, and for the first time, I allowed myself to photograph the city as an outsider.

 

In 2013, I set foot on foreign land for the first time and began my undergraduate studies in Boston. I began to mature, pay attention to things and people around me, and experience different cultures, life attitudes, and even weather and environment. Before that, I was mostly focused on my studies. It can be said that my body grew up in China, but my spirit grew up in the United States.

 

During my studies, I often missed the food and my family in Chengdu. The people of Chengdu are known in China for being good at enjoying life. After graduation, I returned to my hometown excitedly, as if I had never been there before. However, with the development of globalization, China's degree of modernization and commercialization has increased, and fast-paced life has replaced the slow-paced life in Chengdu.

 

The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020 has intensified polarization. China is the only country in the world still adhering to the zero-covid policy in 2022. During the early weeks of the pandemic, the Chinese government corralled tens of millions of people to stop the disease from spreading out of Wuhan. Almost three years later, lockdowns have become China's undoing. A combination of protests and rising cases means that China will have to navigate between mass lockdowns and mass infection—and end up with both. Blockades, mass testing, strict surveillance, isolation, and border closures have become alarms that will be triggered at some point. Once implemented, cities will quickly become deserted. After the blockade is lifted, most private enterprises in the catering industry cannot escape the fate of closing their doors, and it will take several months for people to go out and enjoy life. People's lives have been disrupted, their income has become unstable, and their emotions have become uncontrollable.

 

At the end of 2022, without any reserve fever-reducing medication, imported effective medication like Paxlovid, messenger RNA vaccines, increased ICU beds, and transparent disclosure of the actual situation of the epidemic, the Chinese government suddenly announced a complete lifting of the lockdown. Large-scale infections and deaths ultimately ended this tragedy. None of this was the beautiful outcome I had hoped for when I returned to China. I wandered the streets at night, capturing these desolate scenes, my heart full of sadness.

 

Photography plays a crucial role in my project as a means of capturing the city's visual essence and communicating its message to viewers. My project focuses on exploring how my hometown of Chengdu has changed over time and how I can capture its essence through my photography. My main message is to reflect on the impact of globalization and the COVID-19 pandemic on the city's identity and culture and to encourage viewers to think critically about these changes. The emphasis area of this series is documentary, specifically social documentaries. 

 

In this project, I explore the city as a night traveler, I try to record the moment when the city becomes increasingly indifferent and lonely. I will use cool colors and night-time imagery to capture the feeling of emptiness and disconnection in the city, while also exploring moments of beauty, connection, and hope.

 

My artistic intent is to communicate, trying to resonate with people who live in the same city. My intended audience is people living in Chengdu who may be experiencing similar feelings of disconnection and emptiness in their city. Through my photography, I hope to convey a sense of personal reflection and introspection, while also creating a collective dialogue about the city's past, present, and future. My intended outcome is reflective. A person's change still requires self-reflection, not to mention the transformation of a city, which requires everyone to think, strive for, and yearn for freedom.