Photographer immortalizes Chinese senior citizens in the countryside
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Xu Kai, an amateur photographer from Xi’an, Shannxi Province, has been taking photos of senior citizens in the countryside since college. In 10 years of time, the 29-year-old has hit the shutter button for more than 300 elderly people. (Photos: China Daily)
Xu Kai, an amateur photographer from Xi’an, Shannxi Province, has been taking photos of senior citizens in the countryside since college. In 10 years of time, the 29-year-old has hit the shutter button for more than 300 elderly people.
Xu Kai, an amateur photographer from Xi’an, Shannxi Province, has been taking photos of senior citizens in the countryside since college. In 10 years of time, the 29-year-old has hit the shutter button for more than 300 elderly people.
Xu Kai, an amateur photographer from Xi’an, Shannxi Province, has been taking photos of senior citizens in the countryside since college. In 10 years of time, the 29-year-old has hit the shutter button for more than 300 elderly people.
Xu Kai, an amateur photographer from Xi’an, Shannxi Province, has been taking photos of senior citizens in the countryside since college. In 10 years of time, the 29-year-old has hit the shutter button for more than 300 elderly people.
Xu’s subjects are all strangers. He would also record a conversation with the senior he’s about to photograph and post them later on Chinese short video app TikTok. The account has attracted more than 1 million followers, with many leaving comments that watching the videos make them think of the seniors in their own family.
After the photo shoot, Xu would print it out and give his subject a copy as a gift. Oftentimes, his subject will give him some homegrown produce in return -- a handful of scallions or a bag of apricots. “Every senior is a book of history,” Xu said. “The years they have gone through and the hardships they have endured are marked in my mind.” (Compiled by Li Bowen)