Shenzhen, 2019. With an average age under 30, Shenzhen is China’s most youthful city. Modern migrant workers comes here armed with college and graduate degrees to work for technology companies like Tencent and DJI.

Shenzhen, 2019. With an average age under 30, Shenzhen is China’s most youthful city. Modern migrant workers comes here armed with college and graduate degrees to work for technology companies like Tencent and DJI.

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Inner Mongolia, 2019. Da Fei and Lao Dai used to skateboard and listen to reggae in northeastern industrial Shenyang. In a reversal of decades of rural to urban migration, they have fled the cities to roam the grasslands on their beat-up motorcycl

Inner Mongolia, 2019. Da Fei and Lao Dai used to skateboard and listen to reggae in northeastern industrial Shenyang. In a reversal of decades of rural to urban migration, they have fled the cities to roam the grasslands on their beat-up motorcycles.

Shanghai, 2018. College students dress up in traditional Chinese hanfu costume. In response to the popularity of Japanese anime-influenced cosplay, China has pushed its own dress-up activities for young people. Among the dozens of different soc

Shanghai, 2018. College students dress up in traditional Chinese hanfu costume. In response to the popularity of Japanese anime-influenced cosplay, China has pushed its own dress-up activities for young people. Among the dozens of different social clubs at this university, the hanfu club is the only one with direct government sponsorship.

Jinan, 2019. Instead of going to class, college seniors spend eight or more hours a day cramming for graduate school entrance exams at Jinan Yingcai (Talent) University. A major part of the exams requires rote memorization of political thought, incl

Jinan, 2019. Instead of going to class, college seniors spend eight or more hours a day cramming for graduate school entrance exams at Jinan Yingcai (Talent) University. A major part of the exams requires rote memorization of political thought, including the results of past Party meetings.

Shenzhen, 2019. The rapid rise of ordering meals and products on the internet has led to a huge growth in door-to-door delivery services such as SF Express, and Meituan. Riding motorbikes for these services have become the dominant entry level jo

Shenzhen, 2019. The rapid rise of ordering meals and products on the internet has led to a huge growth in door-to-door delivery services such as SF Express, and Meituan. Riding motorbikes for these services have become the dominant entry level jobs for millions of relatively unskilled urban men.

Beijing, 2018. Hardcore fans of the rock band Reflector cheer for their idols at a music festival sponsored by a real estate company.

Beijing, 2018. Hardcore fans of the rock band Reflector cheer for their idols at a music festival sponsored by a real estate company.

Shanghai, 2018. Transgender activists Xiao Ranran and Da Xiong are in the process of transitioning from male to female and female to male respectively. Ranran works on a info hotline and Da Xiong travels and gives talks about gender identity.

Shanghai, 2018. Transgender activists Xiao Ranran and Da Xiong are in the process of transitioning from male to female and female to male respectively. Ranran works on a info hotline and Da Xiong travels and gives talks about gender identity.

Jingdezhen, 2019. Li Zhenling, 28, worked in urban Suzhou at a factory making iPad cases before returning close to his small town home in Jingdezhen to become a pottery master. 95% of the people he grew up with became migrants.

Jingdezhen, 2019. Li Zhenling, 28, worked in urban Suzhou at a factory making iPad cases before returning close to his small town home in Jingdezhen to become a pottery master. 95% of the people he grew up with became migrants.

Beijing, 2019. Yang Xue, 23, left, a Beijing University grad student in public health dressed as a Chinese goddess, while the young women on the right are dressed more typically as Japanese cartoon characters. While China is the regional economic,

Beijing, 2019. Yang Xue, 23, left, a Beijing University grad student in public health dressed as a Chinese goddess, while the young women on the right are dressed more typically as Japanese cartoon characters. While China is the regional economic, geopolitical and military superpower, it lags far behind South Korea and Japan in cultural soft power. After getting her degree, Yang joined the China CDC just before the Covid-19 outbreak.

Shanghai, 2019. Young couple Zibi and Zou Yichen, at their Shanghai apartment. They met in university, when they were studying in the digital media department. This relationship ended when Zibi left for London to studying for her MFA.

Shanghai, 2019. Young couple Zibi and Zou Yichen, at their Shanghai apartment. They met in university, when they were studying in the digital media department. This relationship ended when Zibi left for London to studying for her MFA.

Shanghai, 2018. Special forces soldier Fang in uniform on break at his parents suburban home. He says as an elite leader he has to work with soldiers from different parts of the country, a skill he picked up when organizing raiding parties in the

Shanghai, 2018. Special forces soldier Fang in uniform on break at his parents suburban home. He says as an elite leader he has to work with soldiers from different parts of the country, a skill he picked up when organizing raiding parties in the multiplayer online computer game, World of Warcraft. “Every soldier’s dream is to see Taiwan reunited with the motherland” he says.

Beijing, 2019. Young couple spends part of the weekend visiting Tiananmen Square. Like all visitors, their every move is recorded from multiple angles by the surveillance cameras that festoon many of the lampposts.

Beijing, 2019. Young couple spends part of the weekend visiting Tiananmen Square. Like all visitors, their every move is recorded from multiple angles by the surveillance cameras that festoon many of the lampposts.

Beijing, 2018. Self-promotion is a new industry in a traditionally self-effacing society. Chen Jingxin is an 18 year-old student who became a minor Wanghong (internet star), putting up videos and livestreams of himself singing and putting on makeup

Beijing, 2018. Self-promotion is a new industry in a traditionally self-effacing society. Chen Jingxin is an 18 year-old student who became a minor Wanghong (internet star), putting up videos and livestreams of himself singing and putting on makeup for his 120,000 fans. Media criticism about "sissy boys” leaves him unfazed - “They judge masculinity by appearances rather than character and responsibility.”

Beijing, 2019. Er Yang, 23, (with Liuzi, 21) makes a living playing blues and rock at bars. He studied information services at Beijing Technology University, the first one in his family to go to college. After graduation, he wrote blurbs of classic

Beijing, 2019. Er Yang, 23, (with Liuzi, 21) makes a living playing blues and rock at bars. He studied information services at Beijing Technology University, the first one in his family to go to college. After graduation, he wrote blurbs of classic Western rock (Stones, Dylan, etc) available for download on Apple Music China. But he now he spends all his time jamming and recording, often in his tiny alley room with a dozen or so likeminded musician friends.

Beijing, 2019. Fans of pop star Liu Yuning organized via WeChat to all dress as brides to attend a concert by their hero.

Beijing, 2019. Fans of pop star Liu Yuning organized via WeChat to all dress as brides to attend a concert by their hero.

Beijing, 2018. Li Xiaotong, 26, and Tian Chen, 25, were vape hobbyists who decided to make a business of it, opening a shop in Beijing and also on Taobao.com. One characteristic of the young entrepreneurial generation is the willingness to quickly m

Beijing, 2018. Li Xiaotong, 26, and Tian Chen, 25, were vape hobbyists who decided to make a business of it, opening a shop in Beijing and also on Taobao.com. One characteristic of the young entrepreneurial generation is the willingness to quickly monetize whatever they do, and just as quickly abandon it if not profitable. Since this picture was taken they have moved on to 3-4 other business ideas.

Shenzhen, 2019. The urban village of Shangsha has become home to many modern migrants with white collar jobs. Industrial furniture designer Yang Hong, 24, is an industrial furniture designer from Hubei, moving to new apartment in an urban village of

Shenzhen, 2019. The urban village of Shangsha has become home to many modern migrants with white collar jobs. Industrial furniture designer Yang Hong, 24, is an industrial furniture designer from Hubei, moving to new apartment in an urban village of rental apartments for young people like herself.

Beijing, 2019. Qian Geng (middle) is an experimental performance calligrapher with a growing international reputation in Europe. He delves into ancient culture but isnt glued to past rules or ideology. In his extreme version of bixian (ghost brush

Beijing, 2019. Qian Geng (middle) is an experimental performance calligrapher with a growing international reputation in Europe. He delves into ancient culture but isnt glued to past rules or ideology. In his extreme version of bixian (ghost brush), he physically wrestles others to write characters unknown to them, like a big Oujia board.

Beijing, 2019. Aaron Wei Ziyao, 15, went to Long Island with his teammates to train with the NY Islanders for three years as part of China’s approach to hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics. They all had to return home when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Pr

Beijing, 2019. Aaron Wei Ziyao, 15, went to Long Island with his teammates to train with the NY Islanders for three years as part of China’s approach to hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics. They all had to return home when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Previously China had no hockey tradition, and in fact suited up white Americans and Canadians to represent them at the actual Games.

Shanghai, 2019. Homosexuality is still widely considered a form of mental illness in China, but Jin Jing, an artist/actress, and Liu Yingli, an ad exec, were open to being photographed as a couple. Their parents know they are together and welcome e

Shanghai, 2019. Homosexuality is still widely considered a form of mental illness in China, but Jin Jing, an artist/actress, and Liu Yingli, an ad exec, were open to being photographed as a couple. Their parents know they are together and welcome each partner to family meals and events.

Shanghai, 2019. Young rooftoppers (who are students, materials buyers and insurance agents by day) bypass security guards and pick locks to ascend tall buildings to take photos of and against the cityscape from on high. They post their best pictures

Shanghai, 2019. Young rooftoppers (who are students, materials buyers and insurance agents by day) bypass security guards and pick locks to ascend tall buildings to take photos of and against the cityscape from on high. They post their best pictures on instagram (which is also banned in China).

Shanghai, 2018. Design student Liu Mengsi, 23, waits for her boyfriend A Ming at band practice, babysitting his son outside the rehearsal room. Last year they broke up and she is now working in a karaoke bar.

Shanghai, 2018. Design student Liu Mengsi, 23, waits for her boyfriend A Ming at band practice, babysitting his son outside the rehearsal room. Last year they broke up and she is now working in a karaoke bar.