Central China

Skateboarding arrived in China in 1986 when an American skateboarder came to learn Chinese and brought skateboarding with him. Thanks to a growing number of construction sites around China’s big cities and lax security laws, the sport has since been allowed to flourish.

High density housing is common throughout China. The population of a single structure can be staggering. Imagine the outreach possibilities in just a single city block.

Ancestor worship, Buddhism, and Confucianism are facets of Chinese faith in a largely secular country. Less than 10% consider themselves religious.

As in much of Asia, if there is no rice, it is considered a snack. Instant noodles are a common and inexpensive snack for at home and on the go.

In 2021 the shipment volume of smartphones in China amounted to approximately 330 million units.

With China’s economic reforms in the 1980s came the freedom to open private businesses – businesses like this one-woman ice cream “shop” where you can watch your waffle cone be made on-site. We dare you to walk by and not order one. Or three.

Sichuan cuisine is famous for the characteristic numbing sensation created by Sichuan peppercorns. Sichuan pepper is said to enhance flavor through its chemical compound called hydroxy-alpha sanshool.

Solar water heaters are installed on building roofs to take advantage of a natural power source.

A smiling store clerk in Sichuan Province, China; in her relatively small town, westerners are rare – and so are people who ask to take her picture.

A traditional Chinese jacket is called Tangzhuang. It has Manchu origins and is characterized by a mandarin collar and closes at the front with frog buttons.

China officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups within its vast borders, though some argue there are many more. So while a Chinese man in a turban might be an oddity to us, it makes perfect sense in a country as large and diverse as his.

Called the Naxi, her people group was historically matriarchal. All property and family names were passed down through the mothers rather than the fathers.

Sichuan province has a subtropical monsoon climate. The average daytime temperature in January is about 41F. Central China also features 250 to 300 cloudy and rainy days per year on the plain.

Thanks to a burgeoning middle class, more and more Chinese have become tourists in their own country – like this affluent woman, for example, who has chosen to ride horses in the countryside on her weekend holiday.

Even in China’s modern cities, outdoor markets are alive and well, offering locals a cheaper, fresher alternative to supermarkets.

This Tibetan monk lives in a neighborhood surrounded by barbed wire and police; his reality is one of protests, tension, and near constant surveillance. And as for visitors? They can only enter his neighborhood with a Tibetan escort.

A shopping district draws thousands to the streets for shopping and eating.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Himalayas, a statue of an open-mouthed dog perches on the roof of this traditional home. It is believed that this statue will guard the house from evil spirits while keeping in the good ones.

Against the backdrop of colorful, modern China, canary-yellow jackets don't seem so out of place.

In earthquake prone central China, traditional homes are built with a bottom floor made of stone and a top floor made of wood, greatly reducing the chance of being buried in ruble should tragedy strike.

China recognizes 56 official ethnic groups. The largest group, the Han, makes up over 92% of the population.