China
Old farmer from Guangxi province.
Old farmer holding little baby on a rice field near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Elderly men playing mahjong on a square in Kunming. Many people of this age still wear uniforms from the Cultural Revolution and Mao times .
On the road again. Somewhere in central China.
Little girl on a street stall selling soybean sprouts and other vegetables in Kunming, Yunnan province.
Dongtai Road Antique Market in Shanghai.
Old man from Shanghai - thinking.
Old and new architecture of Shanghai.
Chinese bikers resting on stairs. Kunming, Yunnan province.
Grand Mosque in Xian (Shaanxi province) as many other mosques is like second home ifor Chinese Muslims - the place to pray, play and sometimes to sleep.
Village market near Yangshuo, Guangxi province.
Slums at the bank of Yangtze river.
Censer (vessel for burning incense) in front of the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Young boy from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
A shop with manequins in Beijing.
Fisherman with his net at work on Yangtze River.
Portrait of Mao Zendong weighing 1.5 tonnes hungs over the central entrance of the Tiananmen or Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing.
One man bike repair workshop on a street in Beijing.
Stone Forrest - an area of limestone formations resembling petrified trees in Shilin in Yunnan Province.
Stone Forrest - an area of limestone formations resembling petrified trees in Shilin in Yunnan Province.
Stone Forrest seen from the viewing terrace above it. Shilin in Yunnan Province.
Poor fisherman boats on Yangtze River.
Viewing terrace with Chinese pavilion in Stone Forrest - an area of limestone formations resembling petrified trees in Shilin in Yunnan Province.
The forrest of stone knives and edges called Stone Forrset in n Shilin in Yunnan Province.
Mugs with tea on the steps of a house in Guangzhou (Canton) in Guangdong province.
Propaganda board on the border between China and Hong Kong before the handover of Hong Kong (1997)
Wall of a department store by a busy street in Kunming covered top to bottom with banners.
Red mercedes on a side shopping street in Shanghai.
Street food in Shanghai.
New World Department Store at Chengshan Road in Shanghai.
Votive candles in a censer (vessel for burning incense) in front of the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Bicycles parked in front of an old house in Kunming, Yunnan province.
Red peppers drying on a window of a poor house in Beijing.
Details of entrance gates to the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing.
Intricately carved and painted detail of the entrance gate in Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Neons on Nanjing Lu in Shanghai.
Entrance facade of Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Inside a flat near the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Roofs of Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Inside the complex of Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Huge censer (vessel for burning incense) in front of the main hall of the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Wall painting depicting mythical figures in a Chinese temple.
Dried snakes, larvae, bugs, bones and any kind of animal or animal part one can think of for sale on a market in Guangzhou (Guangdong province).
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing.
Busy street corner in Shanghai.
Coca Cola commercial on a busy street corner in Shanghai.
Low rise residental street in the center of Shanghai.
Front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing.
Richly carved balustrade and one of the gates in emple of Heaven complex in Beijing.
Meridian Gate - the southern entrance to Forbidden City seen from the Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihemen). Beijing.
Great Wall in Simatai 120 km northeast from Beijing.
Wangshi Garden (Garden of the Master of the Nets) - commonly regarded as the most beutiful garden in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.
One of the backpackers oriented caffes in Yangshuo, Guangxi province.
A barge on a channel near Hangzhou in Zhejiang province.
One of the channels in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
A break for a smoke and lunch. Luoyang, Henan province.
One of the backpackers oriented caffes in Yangshuo, Guangxi province.
Rice fields in central China.
Scenery seen from a boat on the famous Li river in the Yangshuo area in Guangxi province.
Pagoda like observation tower on a Taklamakan Desert near Dunhuang in Xinjiang province.
A child asleep in a temple in Beijing.
Boy pouring hot water from a distance in a restaurant in Hangzhou on the bank of the West Lake in Hangzhou - the capital of Zhejiang province.
Open-air bike service station. Luoyang, Henan province.
A street in the old part of Luoyang, Henan province.
Street shoemaker fixing a shoe. Chengdu, Sichuan province.
Cart full of yello wfruit for sale in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
A cyclist riding along a wall of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Sitting on the floor in the Forbidden City. At the background -Pavilion of Manifesting Righteousness,Forbidden City, Beijing
A fishermen on a Li river near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Rice field near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Vegetable seller covers her face with a fan on Xingping Market in Guangzhou in Guangdong province.
Rice terraces in central China.
Red character (meaning "east") on a yellow wall in a temple.
Qingyan stone boat in Summer Palace, Beijing.
A group of young Shaolin monks with their master (in the center, dressed in yellow) in front of the main entrance to the monastery known as the Front Gate or the Mountain Gate. Shaolin, Henan province.
A boy from Shaolin Monastery wearing the typical Shaolin monk robes designed for martial art training. Shaolin, Henan province.
Young Shaolin monk during a kung fu training routine in front of the Mountain Gate of the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Young Shaolin monks during a kung fu training routine in front of the Mountain Gate of the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Young Shaolin monk resting during a kung fu training routine in front of the Mountain Gate of the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
A group of young Shaolin monks with their master leaving the Shaolin Monastery through the Mountain Gate. Shaolin, Henan province.
Young monks from Shaolin, Henan province.
Young monks from Shaolin during a break in their training. Shaolin, Henan province.
Little boy among watermelons being sold on the street in Kunming.
Fire fighting equipment in a temple in Shanghai.
Happy seller presenting fish for sale in a shop in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Young Shaolin monks preparing for a kung fu outdoor training. Shaolin, Henan province.
Young Shaolin monk during a kung fu training routine in front of the Mountain Gate of the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
The Bund - a waterfront promenade along the western bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, famous for its grand architecture of banks and trading houses from the 30-ties of the XXth century.
Young monks practicing kung fu in the Forrest of Dagobas near the main complex of Shaolin Monastery in Henan province.
Elderly residents of Shanghai practicisng tai chi on the street.
Young monks practicing kung fu in the Forrest of Dagobas near the main complex of Shaolin Monastery in Henan province.
Stretching exercises of young Shaolin monks in the Forrest of Dagobas near the main complex of Shaolin Monastery in Henan province.
Street fruit vendors in the center of Dalian, Liaoning province.
Modern shopping mall, Chinese style in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Sweeping the street in front of the World Expo Center in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Residential towers in Chinese style on the bank of malan River in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Tacky "castle" built in the late 90-ties of the XXth century in Dalian, Liaoning province, now a five star hotel.
Towers of the "castle" in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Gate and towers of the "castle" in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Young monks practicing kung fu under the watchful eyes of their master (old one wearing yellow robes and young one in black) in the Forrest of Dagobas near the main complex of Shaolin Monastery in Henan province
Old man doing stretching exercises on the Bund in Shanghai.
A view of the Pudong district in Shanghai with the ugly Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower in the center.
Huangpu River and the buildings of Pudong district in Shanghai.
Old part of Suzhou, Jiangsu province at night.
Young boys from one of many kung fu schools practicing on a street in Shaolin, Henan province.
A very busy road crossing in Shanghai.
A seven storeys Longhua Pagoda in Shanghai - the most famous of the 16 historic pagodas that still stand within the Shanghai municipality.
Bright yellow wall of the Jade Buddha Monastery in Shanghai.
Old man playing mahjong on the street in Shanghai.
Dongtai Road Antique Market in Shanghai.
One of the few remaining old houses in the Pudong district of Shanghai.
Big open spaces still waiting for developers and tacky skyscrapers in the Pudong district of Shanghai.
Jin Mao Tower designed by the famous US company SOM- one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
The entrance canopy of Jin Mao Tower designed by the famous US company SOM - one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
Pudong district of Shanghai seen from the observation deck in Jin Mao Tower.
Upper floors of Jin Mao Tower with the western bank of Huangpu River at the background.
Jin Mao Tower designed by the famous US company SOM - one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
Detail of the elevation of Jin Mao Tower - one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
Jin Mao Tower designed by the famous US company SOM - one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
Jin Mao Tower among other buildings of Pudong district in Shanghai.
Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower in Pudong district of Shanghai - one of the ugliest buildings in the city.
Jin Mao Tower (left) and another, less successful high-rise office tower in Pudong district of Shanghai.
People leaving the work in the afternoon with Jin Mao Tower at the background. Pudong district, Shanghai.
Communal worker sweeps the street in the Pudong district of Shanghai with Jin Mao Tower at the background reflecting the afternoon sun.
View of the Pudong district from the Bund on the western side of the Huangpu River. Shanghai.
The Bund - the most famous street in Shanghai seen from Three on the Bund restaurant.
View of the old houses along the Bund from Three on the Bund restaurant in Shanghai.
Interior of Three on the Bund bar and restaurant in Shanghai.
Nanjing Road - the most famous shopping street in Shanghai, at night.
Giant bottle of Coca Cola brightly lit at night on Nanjing Road - the most famous shopping street in Shanghai.
The shop of a Chinese brand Georgi Amoni, which from the name and logo surprisingly resembles Giorgio Armani, or is it just an illusion? Shanghai.
The shop of a Chinese brand Georgi Amoni, which from the name and logo surprisingly resembles Giorgio Armani, or is it just an illusion? Shanghai.
Outdoor restaurant in Xintiandi - one of the most trendy dining and shopping areas of Shanghai, designed in the area of traditional mid-19th century shikumen ("stone gate") houses on narrow alleys.
WIndow of a restaurant in Xintiandi - one of the most trendy dining and shopping areas in Shanghai.
Refurbished narrow alley in Xintiandi - one of the most trendy dining and shopping areas in Shanghai.
On of the gates leading to Xintiandi - one of the most trendy dining and shopping areas in Shanghai.
Man collecting cardboard boxes for recycling, Shanghai.
Traditional, cheap street food stall in the bussiness area of Pudong in Shanghai.
Elegant architecture from the 30-ties of the XXth century on the Bund in Shanghai.
SYellow street facade of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Main hall of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Woman praying in the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Huge censer (vessel made for burning incense) inside the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
People lighting incense in the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
People lighting incense in the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
People praying in the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
One of the inner courtyards of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Elderly man reading a newspaper in a Shanghai park.
People doing exercises in one of the Shanghai parks.
Little shop selling gloves, Shanghai.
Riding a bike through narrow lanes in Shanghai.
Narrow street in the old residential area of Shanghai.
Street barber. Shanghai.
Telephone booth in the old residential area of Shanghai in the late 90-ties of the XXth century.
Nanjing Lu - the most famous and the busiest street in Shanghai.
Chinese commercials on Nanjing Lu - the most famous and the busiest street in Shanghai.
Nanjing Lu - the most famous and the busiest street in Shanghai.
View towards Pudong area along Nanjing Lu - the most famous and the busiest street in Shanghai. One of the pink spheres of the tacky Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is seen at the background.
Keymaker from Shanghai.
Chinese women practicing tai chi routines with red fans early morning at the Bund - the famous waterfront promenade in Shanghai.
Elderly Chinese exercising early morning at the Bund - the famous waterfront promenade in Shanghai.
An elderly Chinese man is exercising early morning at the Bund - the famous waterfront promenade in Shanghai with the silhouette of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower at the background.
Chicago-style architecture from the 30-ties of the XXth century along the Bund fin Shanghai.
Open air tricycle repair shop in Shanghai.
Statue of Chen Yi - the first Communist mayor of Shanghai on the Bund.
Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in the Zhong Mountain Scenic Area in the east suburb of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.
Elderly Chinese wearing Mao-style clothes in Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in the Zhong Mountain Scenic Area in the east suburb of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.
Pavilion erected by Kuomintang housing a great stele in the memory of Sun Yat-sen. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in the east suburb of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.
Statue of Sun Yat-sen on top of his tomb in the Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in the east suburb of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.
Old residential street in Shanghai.
Old woman in front of her house in Shanghai.
Mother with children on the road near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Scenery of the famous karst mountains and Li River in Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Cormoran fisherman at the bank of the Li River with the famous karst mountain scenery at the background. Yangshuo near Guilin in Guangxi province.
Scenery of the famous karst mountains along the Li River in Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Scenery of the famous karst mountains along the Li River in Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Carved and painted details of the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
A group of young Shaolin monks on a courtyard of Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Young boys from Shaolin have a break in their kung fu practice session in the Forrest of Dagobas near the Shaolin Monastery complex in Henan province.
The largest antient statue of Buddha in the world (71 m) built in the VIIIth century. Leshan, Sichuan province.
Great Wall of China in Simatai in the north of Miyun County, 120 km northeast of Beijing.
Tacky building of KFC fast food bar on Victory Square in Dalian, Liaoning province with modern office towers at the background.
"Clock tower" of a tacky building of KFC fast food bar on Victory Square in Dalian, Liaoning province with modern office towers at the background.
Bookseller from Dalian, Liaoning province.
Young boy from Shaolin practicing in the Forrest of Dagobas near the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province practicing with spires in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
The final pose of the practice routine performed by the boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province practicing with spires in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province prepare for their practice session in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province prepare for their practice session in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Postcard perfect scene of the young boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province striking a pose with their master in the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Forrest of Dagobas located to the west of the Shaolin Temple in Henan province. It is the graveyard of eminent Shaolin monks from the past consisting of 232 dagobas built from 9th to 20th century.
Young boy from Shaolin practicing in the Forrest of Dagobas near the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Yoyuan bazaar - the "tourist paradise" of Shanghai is a shopping area built from scratch in the 80-ties of XXth century and pretending to be "real China".
Dawn in a small roadside town on Karakorum Highway in Xinjiang province.
A back alley in Xintiandi area of Shanghai.
A back alley in Xintiandi area of Shanghai.
A not-too-busy cook sleeping in front of his restaurant in Shanghai.
Longyang Road terminal station of the famous Maglev (magnetic levitation) train from Shanghai Pudong Airport. Unfortunately this last station is far enough from the city center to make the whole trip useless. The line was built in 2001-2003 by German companies as a demonstration of Maglev technology.
Longyang Road terminal station of the Shanghai Maglev Demonstration Operation Line running from Shanghai Pudong Airport.
Maglev train on the platform of Longyang Road station in Shanghai.
Yellow, leather seats in the first class coach of the Maglev train connecting Shanghai Pudong Airport with the Luoyang Road ststion at the outskirts of Pudong district.
Street painter (cleaner?) from Dalian, Liaoning province.
Inner courtyard of the Haoyuan hotel located in a traditional Beijing huntong.
Bird cage on the courtyard of the Haoyuan hotel in Beijing.
Inner gate of the Haoyuan hotel located in a traditional Beijing huntong.
Tiananmen Gate with the giant portrait of Mao Zendong - the most famous and iconic place in Beijing.
Courtyard surrounded by old, delapidated houses in a poor, residential area of Shanghai.
Tacky, modern skyscrapers destroyed a lot of traditional, old residential areas in Shanghai.
In China bad taste often goes hand in hand with big money. Shanghai.
Elderly Chinese man in his flat the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
One of the channels in Suzhou in Jiangsu province, known (with a bit of exaggeration) as "Venice of the East".
Local woman is doing laundry at the bank of the channel near her house. Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
Local woman is doing laundry at the bank of the channel near her house. Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
View of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower on the Pudong side from the Daming Road bridge with the Russian Consulate on the left. Shanghai.
Old residential buildings with ubiquitous laundry hang across narrow streets. Shanghai.
Pink spheres of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower in the Pudong district of Shangahi seen the houses of a poor residential area.
Street food vendor proudly presenting his fried fish. Shanghai.
The 76 m tall, nine-story Beisi Pagoda in Suzhou, built between 1131 and 1162.
A kiosk with cigarettes entirely covered with huge price tags. Central China.
Old houses along one of the channels in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
Small bridge, one of many in Suzhou - the "Venice of China".
Elderly man in Mao-era jacket covering himself from the sun in Suzhou, Jiangsu province. Chinese are obsessed with protecting themselves against sunlight, because fair skin is a sign of high social status.
Old houses along one of the channels in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
Old man carrying heavy sacks in a traditional way. Sunzhou, Jiangsu province.
White aprons hang to dry in full sun across a back alley in Shanghai.
A man smiling from the window of the caffe on the first floor. Shanghai.
Chinese architecture of shopping district built in the 80-ties of XXth century in the Yuyuan Gardens area of Shanghai.
Bikes parked in front of the Yuyuan Tourist Mart in Shanghai.
People sitting on homemade bamboo stools and chairs in front of their lowrise houses on a residential street in Shanghai.
Washing dishes outside of a house in a traditional residential district of Shanghai.
Traditionally in the old residential areas of Shanghai many activities, houseworks and social interactions happen on the street in front of the houses.
Statues of the Fengxian Temple with the Diamond Giant on the right in the famous Longmen Grottoes in Henan province.
Souvenir sellers sitting under numerous niches, which once held hundreds of Buddha statues. Longmen Caves, Henan province.
Niches emptied of the Buddha statues throughout centuries by robbers. Longmen Caves, Henan province.
Fengxian Temple with some of the best preserved sculptures of the Longmen Caves in Henan province with sitting statue of Vairocana Buddha - the largest one 17.14 m high.
Fierce looking face of the Diamond Giant. Longmen Caves, Henan province.
Closeup of one of the warrior statues of Fengxian Temple in Longmen Caves, Henan province.
One of the Buddha disciples from the Fengxian Temple in Longmen Caves, Henan province.
Vairocana Buddha - the largest statue in Longmen Caves, Henan province(17.14m) towering over the area.
Little child squatting in front of on of the grottoes of Longmen Caves in Henan province.
Mahjong on a street in white sleeveless tops - the favourite passtime of elderly Chinese men. Luoyang, Henan province.
Old men playing mahjong on the street. Luoyang, Henan province.
Bowls with grain, seeds, spices, dried mushrooms, roots and other Chinese specialities for sale in Luoyang, Henan province.
Closeup of the 30 m tall Mao Zedong statue on Tianfu Square in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
Elderly lady dringing tea in front of her house. Chengdu, Sichuan province.
600 m tall Canton Tower in Haizhu District of Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
View from the 600 m tall Canton Tower to the Flower City Square in surrounded by a collection of iconic buildings like Guangzhou Library and Guangzhou Opera House designed by Zaha Hadid. Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Enclosed viewing platform with glass floor at the top of the 600 m tall Canton Tower in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Street cleaner in a traditional wicker hat in front of the ultramodern, 600 m tall Canton Tower in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Entrance to the Guangzhou library on the Flower City Square in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Canyon-like forms of the Guangzhou Opera House designed by Zaha Hadid on the Flower City Square in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
A sculpture on the plaza in front of the Guangzhou Opera House designed by Zaha Hadid on the Flower City Square in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Elderly Chinese man resting or meditationg in a traditional position in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
A boy in yellow tshirt. Forbidden City, Beijing.
Old farmer having a smoke on his field near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Rice terraces in central China.
Construction worker on top of a huge, concrete gate in Qufu, Shandong province. Although many meters above the ground, he works with with no protection.
Little boy next to the toe of the largest sitting sculpture of Buddha in the world in Leshan in Sichuan province.
Farmer on a rice field near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Old man reading a newspaper at a close distance in a park in Shanghai.
A man practices tai-chi early moring in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes in Huangpu Park, the Bund area, Shanghai,
Colorful gate on a street with traditional houses, Xian, Shaanxi province (?).
Crippled, three legged stool on the street of Kunming, Yunnan province.
Old farmer from Guangxi province.
Old farmer holding little baby on a rice field near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Elderly men playing mahjong on a square in Kunming. Many people of this age still wear uniforms from the Cultural Revolution and Mao times .
On the road again. Somewhere in central China.
Little girl on a street stall selling soybean sprouts and other vegetables in Kunming, Yunnan province.
Dongtai Road Antique Market in Shanghai.
Old man from Shanghai - thinking.
Old and new architecture of Shanghai.
Chinese bikers resting on stairs. Kunming, Yunnan province.
Grand Mosque in Xian (Shaanxi province) as many other mosques is like second home ifor Chinese Muslims - the place to pray, play and sometimes to sleep.
Village market near Yangshuo, Guangxi province.
Slums at the bank of Yangtze river.
Censer (vessel for burning incense) in front of the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Young boy from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
A shop with manequins in Beijing.
Fisherman with his net at work on Yangtze River.
Portrait of Mao Zendong weighing 1.5 tonnes hungs over the central entrance of the Tiananmen or Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing.
One man bike repair workshop on a street in Beijing.
Stone Forrest - an area of limestone formations resembling petrified trees in Shilin in Yunnan Province.
Stone Forrest - an area of limestone formations resembling petrified trees in Shilin in Yunnan Province.
Stone Forrest seen from the viewing terrace above it. Shilin in Yunnan Province.
Poor fisherman boats on Yangtze River.
Viewing terrace with Chinese pavilion in Stone Forrest - an area of limestone formations resembling petrified trees in Shilin in Yunnan Province.
The forrest of stone knives and edges called Stone Forrset in n Shilin in Yunnan Province.
Mugs with tea on the steps of a house in Guangzhou (Canton) in Guangdong province.
Propaganda board on the border between China and Hong Kong before the handover of Hong Kong (1997)
Wall of a department store by a busy street in Kunming covered top to bottom with banners.
Red mercedes on a side shopping street in Shanghai.
Street food in Shanghai.
New World Department Store at Chengshan Road in Shanghai.
Votive candles in a censer (vessel for burning incense) in front of the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Bicycles parked in front of an old house in Kunming, Yunnan province.
Red peppers drying on a window of a poor house in Beijing.
Details of entrance gates to the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing.
Intricately carved and painted detail of the entrance gate in Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Neons on Nanjing Lu in Shanghai.
Entrance facade of Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Inside a flat near the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Roofs of Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Inside the complex of Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Huge censer (vessel for burning incense) in front of the main hall of the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Wall painting depicting mythical figures in a Chinese temple.
Dried snakes, larvae, bugs, bones and any kind of animal or animal part one can think of for sale on a market in Guangzhou (Guangdong province).
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing.
Busy street corner in Shanghai.
Coca Cola commercial on a busy street corner in Shanghai.
Low rise residental street in the center of Shanghai.
Front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing.
Richly carved balustrade and one of the gates in emple of Heaven complex in Beijing.
Meridian Gate - the southern entrance to Forbidden City seen from the Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihemen). Beijing.
Great Wall in Simatai 120 km northeast from Beijing.
Wangshi Garden (Garden of the Master of the Nets) - commonly regarded as the most beutiful garden in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.
One of the backpackers oriented caffes in Yangshuo, Guangxi province.
A barge on a channel near Hangzhou in Zhejiang province.
One of the channels in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
A break for a smoke and lunch. Luoyang, Henan province.
One of the backpackers oriented caffes in Yangshuo, Guangxi province.
Rice fields in central China.
Scenery seen from a boat on the famous Li river in the Yangshuo area in Guangxi province.
Pagoda like observation tower on a Taklamakan Desert near Dunhuang in Xinjiang province.
A child asleep in a temple in Beijing.
Boy pouring hot water from a distance in a restaurant in Hangzhou on the bank of the West Lake in Hangzhou - the capital of Zhejiang province.
Open-air bike service station. Luoyang, Henan province.
A street in the old part of Luoyang, Henan province.
Street shoemaker fixing a shoe. Chengdu, Sichuan province.
Cart full of yello wfruit for sale in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
A cyclist riding along a wall of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Sitting on the floor in the Forbidden City. At the background -Pavilion of Manifesting Righteousness,Forbidden City, Beijing
A fishermen on a Li river near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Rice field near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Vegetable seller covers her face with a fan on Xingping Market in Guangzhou in Guangdong province.
Rice terraces in central China.
Red character (meaning "east") on a yellow wall in a temple.
Qingyan stone boat in Summer Palace, Beijing.
A group of young Shaolin monks with their master (in the center, dressed in yellow) in front of the main entrance to the monastery known as the Front Gate or the Mountain Gate. Shaolin, Henan province.
A boy from Shaolin Monastery wearing the typical Shaolin monk robes designed for martial art training. Shaolin, Henan province.
Young Shaolin monk during a kung fu training routine in front of the Mountain Gate of the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Young Shaolin monks during a kung fu training routine in front of the Mountain Gate of the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Young Shaolin monk resting during a kung fu training routine in front of the Mountain Gate of the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
A group of young Shaolin monks with their master leaving the Shaolin Monastery through the Mountain Gate. Shaolin, Henan province.
Young monks from Shaolin, Henan province.
Young monks from Shaolin during a break in their training. Shaolin, Henan province.
Little boy among watermelons being sold on the street in Kunming.
Fire fighting equipment in a temple in Shanghai.
Happy seller presenting fish for sale in a shop in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Young Shaolin monks preparing for a kung fu outdoor training. Shaolin, Henan province.
Young Shaolin monk during a kung fu training routine in front of the Mountain Gate of the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
The Bund - a waterfront promenade along the western bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, famous for its grand architecture of banks and trading houses from the 30-ties of the XXth century.
Young monks practicing kung fu in the Forrest of Dagobas near the main complex of Shaolin Monastery in Henan province.
Elderly residents of Shanghai practicisng tai chi on the street.
Young monks practicing kung fu in the Forrest of Dagobas near the main complex of Shaolin Monastery in Henan province.
Stretching exercises of young Shaolin monks in the Forrest of Dagobas near the main complex of Shaolin Monastery in Henan province.
Street fruit vendors in the center of Dalian, Liaoning province.
Modern shopping mall, Chinese style in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Sweeping the street in front of the World Expo Center in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Residential towers in Chinese style on the bank of malan River in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Tacky "castle" built in the late 90-ties of the XXth century in Dalian, Liaoning province, now a five star hotel.
Towers of the "castle" in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Gate and towers of the "castle" in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Young monks practicing kung fu under the watchful eyes of their master (old one wearing yellow robes and young one in black) in the Forrest of Dagobas near the main complex of Shaolin Monastery in Henan province
Old man doing stretching exercises on the Bund in Shanghai.
A view of the Pudong district in Shanghai with the ugly Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower in the center.
Huangpu River and the buildings of Pudong district in Shanghai.
Old part of Suzhou, Jiangsu province at night.
Young boys from one of many kung fu schools practicing on a street in Shaolin, Henan province.
A very busy road crossing in Shanghai.
A seven storeys Longhua Pagoda in Shanghai - the most famous of the 16 historic pagodas that still stand within the Shanghai municipality.
Bright yellow wall of the Jade Buddha Monastery in Shanghai.
Old man playing mahjong on the street in Shanghai.
Dongtai Road Antique Market in Shanghai.
One of the few remaining old houses in the Pudong district of Shanghai.
Big open spaces still waiting for developers and tacky skyscrapers in the Pudong district of Shanghai.
Jin Mao Tower designed by the famous US company SOM- one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
The entrance canopy of Jin Mao Tower designed by the famous US company SOM - one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
Pudong district of Shanghai seen from the observation deck in Jin Mao Tower.
Upper floors of Jin Mao Tower with the western bank of Huangpu River at the background.
Jin Mao Tower designed by the famous US company SOM - one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
Detail of the elevation of Jin Mao Tower - one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
Jin Mao Tower designed by the famous US company SOM - one of the signature skyscrapers of the Pudong district in Shanghai.
Jin Mao Tower among other buildings of Pudong district in Shanghai.
Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower in Pudong district of Shanghai - one of the ugliest buildings in the city.
Jin Mao Tower (left) and another, less successful high-rise office tower in Pudong district of Shanghai.
People leaving the work in the afternoon with Jin Mao Tower at the background. Pudong district, Shanghai.
Communal worker sweeps the street in the Pudong district of Shanghai with Jin Mao Tower at the background reflecting the afternoon sun.
View of the Pudong district from the Bund on the western side of the Huangpu River. Shanghai.
The Bund - the most famous street in Shanghai seen from Three on the Bund restaurant.
View of the old houses along the Bund from Three on the Bund restaurant in Shanghai.
Interior of Three on the Bund bar and restaurant in Shanghai.
Nanjing Road - the most famous shopping street in Shanghai, at night.
Giant bottle of Coca Cola brightly lit at night on Nanjing Road - the most famous shopping street in Shanghai.
The shop of a Chinese brand Georgi Amoni, which from the name and logo surprisingly resembles Giorgio Armani, or is it just an illusion? Shanghai.
The shop of a Chinese brand Georgi Amoni, which from the name and logo surprisingly resembles Giorgio Armani, or is it just an illusion? Shanghai.
Outdoor restaurant in Xintiandi - one of the most trendy dining and shopping areas of Shanghai, designed in the area of traditional mid-19th century shikumen ("stone gate") houses on narrow alleys.
WIndow of a restaurant in Xintiandi - one of the most trendy dining and shopping areas in Shanghai.
Refurbished narrow alley in Xintiandi - one of the most trendy dining and shopping areas in Shanghai.
On of the gates leading to Xintiandi - one of the most trendy dining and shopping areas in Shanghai.
Man collecting cardboard boxes for recycling, Shanghai.
Traditional, cheap street food stall in the bussiness area of Pudong in Shanghai.
Elegant architecture from the 30-ties of the XXth century on the Bund in Shanghai.
SYellow street facade of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Main hall of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Woman praying in the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Huge censer (vessel made for burning incense) inside the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
People lighting incense in the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
People lighting incense in the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
People praying in the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
One of the inner courtyards of the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
Elderly man reading a newspaper in a Shanghai park.
People doing exercises in one of the Shanghai parks.
Little shop selling gloves, Shanghai.
Riding a bike through narrow lanes in Shanghai.
Narrow street in the old residential area of Shanghai.
Street barber. Shanghai.
Telephone booth in the old residential area of Shanghai in the late 90-ties of the XXth century.
Nanjing Lu - the most famous and the busiest street in Shanghai.
Chinese commercials on Nanjing Lu - the most famous and the busiest street in Shanghai.
Nanjing Lu - the most famous and the busiest street in Shanghai.
View towards Pudong area along Nanjing Lu - the most famous and the busiest street in Shanghai. One of the pink spheres of the tacky Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is seen at the background.
Keymaker from Shanghai.
Chinese women practicing tai chi routines with red fans early morning at the Bund - the famous waterfront promenade in Shanghai.
Elderly Chinese exercising early morning at the Bund - the famous waterfront promenade in Shanghai.
An elderly Chinese man is exercising early morning at the Bund - the famous waterfront promenade in Shanghai with the silhouette of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower at the background.
Chicago-style architecture from the 30-ties of the XXth century along the Bund fin Shanghai.
Open air tricycle repair shop in Shanghai.
Statue of Chen Yi - the first Communist mayor of Shanghai on the Bund.
Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in the Zhong Mountain Scenic Area in the east suburb of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.
Elderly Chinese wearing Mao-style clothes in Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in the Zhong Mountain Scenic Area in the east suburb of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.
Pavilion erected by Kuomintang housing a great stele in the memory of Sun Yat-sen. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in the east suburb of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.
Statue of Sun Yat-sen on top of his tomb in the Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in the east suburb of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.
Old residential street in Shanghai.
Old woman in front of her house in Shanghai.
Mother with children on the road near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Scenery of the famous karst mountains and Li River in Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Cormoran fisherman at the bank of the Li River with the famous karst mountain scenery at the background. Yangshuo near Guilin in Guangxi province.
Scenery of the famous karst mountains along the Li River in Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Scenery of the famous karst mountains along the Li River in Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Carved and painted details of the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
A group of young Shaolin monks on a courtyard of Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Young boys from Shaolin have a break in their kung fu practice session in the Forrest of Dagobas near the Shaolin Monastery complex in Henan province.
The largest antient statue of Buddha in the world (71 m) built in the VIIIth century. Leshan, Sichuan province.
Great Wall of China in Simatai in the north of Miyun County, 120 km northeast of Beijing.
Tacky building of KFC fast food bar on Victory Square in Dalian, Liaoning province with modern office towers at the background.
"Clock tower" of a tacky building of KFC fast food bar on Victory Square in Dalian, Liaoning province with modern office towers at the background.
Bookseller from Dalian, Liaoning province.
Young boy from Shaolin practicing in the Forrest of Dagobas near the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province practicing with spires in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
The final pose of the practice routine performed by the boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province practicing with spires in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province prepare for their practice session in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province prepare for their practice session in the beautiful scenery of the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Postcard perfect scene of the young boys from Shaolin Monastery, Henan province striking a pose with their master in the nearby Forrest of Dagobas.
Forrest of Dagobas located to the west of the Shaolin Temple in Henan province. It is the graveyard of eminent Shaolin monks from the past consisting of 232 dagobas built from 9th to 20th century.
Young boy from Shaolin practicing in the Forrest of Dagobas near the Shaolin Monastery, Henan province.
Yoyuan bazaar - the "tourist paradise" of Shanghai is a shopping area built from scratch in the 80-ties of XXth century and pretending to be "real China".
Dawn in a small roadside town on Karakorum Highway in Xinjiang province.
A back alley in Xintiandi area of Shanghai.
A back alley in Xintiandi area of Shanghai.
A not-too-busy cook sleeping in front of his restaurant in Shanghai.
Longyang Road terminal station of the famous Maglev (magnetic levitation) train from Shanghai Pudong Airport. Unfortunately this last station is far enough from the city center to make the whole trip useless. The line was built in 2001-2003 by German companies as a demonstration of Maglev technology.
Longyang Road terminal station of the Shanghai Maglev Demonstration Operation Line running from Shanghai Pudong Airport.
Maglev train on the platform of Longyang Road station in Shanghai.
Yellow, leather seats in the first class coach of the Maglev train connecting Shanghai Pudong Airport with the Luoyang Road ststion at the outskirts of Pudong district.
Street painter (cleaner?) from Dalian, Liaoning province.
Inner courtyard of the Haoyuan hotel located in a traditional Beijing huntong.
Bird cage on the courtyard of the Haoyuan hotel in Beijing.
Inner gate of the Haoyuan hotel located in a traditional Beijing huntong.
Tiananmen Gate with the giant portrait of Mao Zendong - the most famous and iconic place in Beijing.
Courtyard surrounded by old, delapidated houses in a poor, residential area of Shanghai.
Tacky, modern skyscrapers destroyed a lot of traditional, old residential areas in Shanghai.
In China bad taste often goes hand in hand with big money. Shanghai.
Elderly Chinese man in his flat the Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai.
One of the channels in Suzhou in Jiangsu province, known (with a bit of exaggeration) as "Venice of the East".
Local woman is doing laundry at the bank of the channel near her house. Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
Local woman is doing laundry at the bank of the channel near her house. Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
View of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower on the Pudong side from the Daming Road bridge with the Russian Consulate on the left. Shanghai.
Old residential buildings with ubiquitous laundry hang across narrow streets. Shanghai.
Pink spheres of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower in the Pudong district of Shangahi seen the houses of a poor residential area.
Street food vendor proudly presenting his fried fish. Shanghai.
The 76 m tall, nine-story Beisi Pagoda in Suzhou, built between 1131 and 1162.
A kiosk with cigarettes entirely covered with huge price tags. Central China.
Old houses along one of the channels in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
Small bridge, one of many in Suzhou - the "Venice of China".
Elderly man in Mao-era jacket covering himself from the sun in Suzhou, Jiangsu province. Chinese are obsessed with protecting themselves against sunlight, because fair skin is a sign of high social status.
Old houses along one of the channels in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.
Old man carrying heavy sacks in a traditional way. Sunzhou, Jiangsu province.
White aprons hang to dry in full sun across a back alley in Shanghai.
A man smiling from the window of the caffe on the first floor. Shanghai.
Chinese architecture of shopping district built in the 80-ties of XXth century in the Yuyuan Gardens area of Shanghai.
Bikes parked in front of the Yuyuan Tourist Mart in Shanghai.
People sitting on homemade bamboo stools and chairs in front of their lowrise houses on a residential street in Shanghai.
Washing dishes outside of a house in a traditional residential district of Shanghai.
Traditionally in the old residential areas of Shanghai many activities, houseworks and social interactions happen on the street in front of the houses.
Statues of the Fengxian Temple with the Diamond Giant on the right in the famous Longmen Grottoes in Henan province.
Souvenir sellers sitting under numerous niches, which once held hundreds of Buddha statues. Longmen Caves, Henan province.
Niches emptied of the Buddha statues throughout centuries by robbers. Longmen Caves, Henan province.
Fengxian Temple with some of the best preserved sculptures of the Longmen Caves in Henan province with sitting statue of Vairocana Buddha - the largest one 17.14 m high.
Fierce looking face of the Diamond Giant. Longmen Caves, Henan province.
Closeup of one of the warrior statues of Fengxian Temple in Longmen Caves, Henan province.
One of the Buddha disciples from the Fengxian Temple in Longmen Caves, Henan province.
Vairocana Buddha - the largest statue in Longmen Caves, Henan province(17.14m) towering over the area.
Little child squatting in front of on of the grottoes of Longmen Caves in Henan province.
Mahjong on a street in white sleeveless tops - the favourite passtime of elderly Chinese men. Luoyang, Henan province.
Old men playing mahjong on the street. Luoyang, Henan province.
Bowls with grain, seeds, spices, dried mushrooms, roots and other Chinese specialities for sale in Luoyang, Henan province.
Closeup of the 30 m tall Mao Zedong statue on Tianfu Square in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
Elderly lady dringing tea in front of her house. Chengdu, Sichuan province.
600 m tall Canton Tower in Haizhu District of Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
View from the 600 m tall Canton Tower to the Flower City Square in surrounded by a collection of iconic buildings like Guangzhou Library and Guangzhou Opera House designed by Zaha Hadid. Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Enclosed viewing platform with glass floor at the top of the 600 m tall Canton Tower in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Street cleaner in a traditional wicker hat in front of the ultramodern, 600 m tall Canton Tower in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Entrance to the Guangzhou library on the Flower City Square in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Canyon-like forms of the Guangzhou Opera House designed by Zaha Hadid on the Flower City Square in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
A sculpture on the plaza in front of the Guangzhou Opera House designed by Zaha Hadid on the Flower City Square in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Elderly Chinese man resting or meditationg in a traditional position in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.
A boy in yellow tshirt. Forbidden City, Beijing.
Old farmer having a smoke on his field near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Rice terraces in central China.
Construction worker on top of a huge, concrete gate in Qufu, Shandong province. Although many meters above the ground, he works with with no protection.
Little boy next to the toe of the largest sitting sculpture of Buddha in the world in Leshan in Sichuan province.
Farmer on a rice field near Yangshuo in Guangxi province.
Old man reading a newspaper at a close distance in a park in Shanghai.
A man practices tai-chi early moring in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes in Huangpu Park, the Bund area, Shanghai,
Colorful gate on a street with traditional houses, Xian, Shaanxi province (?).
Crippled, three legged stool on the street of Kunming, Yunnan province.